Mountain Biking - Radially spoked MTB wheel?

At a yard sale the other day, I picked up a MTB front wheel with 28 radial spokes ( ! ). I've never seen such a thing before. Are radially spoked front wheels becoming practical or common for offroad use?

Alternately, is this somebody's "second wheel set" for when they want to mount slicks on their MTB and embarrass the roadies?

mavic deemax's have 28 spokes

mavic deemax's have 28 spokes

Are they crossed or radial?

At a yard sale the other day, I picked up a MTB front wheel with 28 radial spokes ( ! ). I've never seen such a thing before. Are radially spoked front wheels becoming practical or common for offroad use?

Alternately, is this somebody's "second wheel set" for when they want to mount slicks on their MTB and embarrass the roadies?

Radial laced front MTB wheels were a novelty in the late '80s and early '90s, and terribly trendy in the late '90s. I think around 1996 is when every maker had to have their top end XC bikes equipped with them. They died out around the time when disc brakes became common.

oh...
haha i just looked at the spoke count
sorry

i think radial lacing might save some weight due to 28 spoke count... might reduce spoke wear and breakage because of the lack of crossing them, and is generally intended for the lighter riders.

Late 90's was definitely the heyday of radial fronts. I even built up a 2x/radial rear wheel that lasted through more than a season of racing. This was well before disc brakes of course.

Had em on my Fisher Mt. Tam in 2k (?) Another crappy part on a crappy bike.
Wheels broke quick. (Then went the frame, twice).
Granted I'm a cydesdale to the extreme and should have nothing less than 36 hand laced spokes.

I've been using the same radial front mtb wheels for about a decade now. No problems.