Originally Posted by
urbanknight
On the right pic, it's just as you said for the drive side, but reversed on the NDS. Is that an older (mid 90's) machine built wheel? I think it was Sheldon's site that said it was done that way because earlier machines weren't sophisticated enough to load spokes from both sides.
Once again, a tiny and insignificant difference, but I thought I'd blow it out of proportion just for fun
If you read the Sheldon' site (next to the section I posted), you will see it says that the direction on the "left side does not matter". It's the drive side that matters.
. Matter of fact, he says that if you lace the trailing spokes in the same direction, it only makes the wheel easier to lace. I intentionally laced it in this direction to prove that I could do it the hardway!
That's the wheel I built, 16,000 miles under my 220-240 lb body and has never needed truing!