Bicycle Mechanics - Will re-lacing my FP60s radially make them stiffer than 2-cross?

Thanks. :thumb:

I've got the older Flash-Point FP60s with the black spokes (20f/24r) laced in a 2-cross pattern, but I reckon they're a bit flexy, and definitely much more so than all my 32-spoke alu wheels, which is very annoying. I'm 85kg (187lb)

The new FP60s are radial front and on the left side of the rear, so.....??????
Will I notice any difference?

Re-lacing as radial , heads-in will make a wheel stiffer by some %, but so would re-lacing with thicker spokes(assuming that's an option)

Check out http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/wheel/data.htm for some good data.
But there's no lace pattern that'll get your 20/24 as stiff as your 32s.

Thanks. :thumb:

I've got the older Flash-Point FP60s with the black spokes (20f/24r) laced in a 2-cross pattern, but I reckon they're a bit flexy, and definitely much more so than all my 32-spoke alu wheels, which is very annoying. I'm 85kg (187lb)

The new FP60s are radial front and on the left side of the rear, so.....??????
Will I notice any difference?

No. Waste of time, waste of labour, waste of durability.

Hmmmmm, I see.....I just found this old post from Danno



Radial lacing is actually stiffer vertically and axially. It just isn't as rigid torsionally to resist drivetrain torque. Check out Damon Rinard's wheel-deflection test (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/rinard/wheel/data.htm) and you'll see that the radial wheels are amongst the stiffest ones. In fact, the stiffest wheel in the entire test is a radially laced one (#92). Interesting to see that building radial with the spokes on the outside of the flange gives a 12% stiffer wheel than with the spokes on the inside (#94 and #95).

yay radial front wheels!

Is there any advantage lo lace any front wheel other than radially (aside less stress on the hub)?

Is there any advantage lo lace any front wheel other than radially (aside less stress on the hub)?

Uh yeah? More durable? The better question is to ask, why lace radially? And the answer is

1) aesthetics
2) slightly "stiffer" as has already been mentioned

For the majority of non racers, radial makes no sense whatsoever.

anyway, I've rebuilt the front Flash-Point radially with 2mm non-butted DT Champions, with the elbows out.

I haven't ridden it yet, because I want a few 'real' wheel builders to check the tension before I mash on it.

It feels much stiffer in the fork when I move it side to side with my hand -- so much so that I'm gunna rebuild the rear with 2mm DTs, but keep it 2-cross. Even if it's only a placebo, I reckon it's worth it :thumb: