Road Cycling - 32 or 36 hole rims?

Hi all,

I think i've decided to build a set of wheels, and need to decide 32 or 36 spoke...

For background:

I weight 155-160
5'10.5" tall

this will be an all around non loaded road bike, an older but high end chro-mo frame and Campy Veloce group.

Will there be any problems with availability of components going one way or the other?

any o-pinions?

take care,

Steve

At that weight you certainly won't need more then 32 spokes. I'm 265lbs and I'm riding on only 32 spokes if that tells you anything. Actually, I was onBontrager Selects which were 24/20 and they were holding up perfectly. Switched to some Record hubs with Open Pros recently though, 32 spokes and running fine.

32 hole should be just fine!

I have 16 and 20's and i am 190 and havent trued them yet with 750 miles on them.

you should be fine building either
(and I take it from your post that you mean
you are gonna build them, not have shop do it?)
32 or 36 spoked rims.
I have 28 laced 3 cross (I know weird) that
I built as my first set. I'm about same build
and I had no problem with em.
Parts for both 32 and 36 should be readily available
even tho 16 or 20 is the new flavor of the month.

Marty

I'd go 32 hole 3-cross in the rear and 28 hole radial in the front. Haven't had a customer have a problem with this configuration yet.

I ride on Mavic CXP-23's with 32/28 3X 15ga spokes
I weigh 280
Spokes tend to loosen a little as I put on more miles, but I keep an eye on them, they've really been fine so-far.

I ride on Bontrager Race Lites with the low spoke count. I weigh about 260 and have put over 700 miles on them. They still are true and all of the spokes are tight. At your weight you should be able to ride any spoke count you want as long as you don't abuse the wheels.

If I ever weigh 155 (cut off my right leg? no. I'm right legged - have to be the left) I would build the lowest spoke count I could find hubs for. 18/20, 20/24, 24/28, or whatever. I weigh 200 and celebrated reaching reaching that weight by buying a set of Ksyriums with 18/20 count. I have had them trued once at about 1000 miles, but they weren't that bad. Only had it done as I putting them on a new bike so they were at the shop. Took the mech about 5 minutes.

As a Campy hubs note, the Chorus (since about '95) is the preferred hub for non-racing road riding as the spoke flange is slightly heavier than on the Record and thus more robust (not that Record isn't). As the weight in the flange area is very close to the center of rotation, it has little effect on angular momentum and making the wheel feel "heavier" in rotation.

Make sure to post a pic of your ride in the Vinage/Classic forum. Sounds like a nice ride. Enjoy!!