Bicycle Mechanics - Spoke direction on the rear wheel side?

Hopes this makes sense:

My bike shop guy says that the rear wheel should be laced in such a way as to have
the "pulling" spokes (those pointed towards the back of the wheel from the top of the hub) put in with the spoke end facing outward on the hub ---- BUT, most of my other wheels are the opposite.

??

Thanks.

I think the logic behind this is: If your chain drops off the largest cog, it wont damage the spokes that transmit the driving power.

If your bikes are adjusted so you dont overshift from the bottom gear, I wouldnt worry about it.

Hi Fat Hack,

All my wheels haves the end of the pulling spokes facing outward, according to
what your LBS said. You can download the chapter 16 of the Barnett's manual, this
question is addressed a the page 16-13. In short they said that there seems to be
no "good" reasons to lace the wheel with pulling spokes heads in or out. And in the following of the chapter they teach to lace heads out.

Hope it gives you some clues.

Philippe.

thanks guys

The pulling spokes should be on the outside of the wheel because they will pull toward the inside of the wheel when torque is applied to the crank. If they are on the inside, they will put outward tension on the spoke bundle and could cause the spokes to contact the rear derailure while riding on the inner most cog, (the largest cassette cog) on a loosly tensioned wheel. If you stand near your bike on the drive side, put your crank at 3 o'clock and apply pressure with your foot, while doing this, watch your rear wheel, you will see your spoke bundle get thinner(pull together) if the wheel is laced properly or wider (open up) if the person that laced the wheel started with the wrong hole in the rim. The placement of the 1st spoke in the rim sets the stage for a great wheel.