rpenmanparker 

Does anybody know the thoery and supposed advantages/disadvantages of widely spaced paired spoke lacing like employed by Campy and Bontrager. Opinions about the effectiveness are okay, but my main interest is the technology behind it. Thanks.

Elvo

Equal spoke tension on both drive and nds

rpenmanparker 

No, that's not true. The spacing of the spokes has nothing to do with the relative tension side to side.

EDIT: I should add that twice as many spokes on the DS as the NDS does accomplish what you say, but that doesn't require crowding the spoke triplets together. I build 8:16 wheels all the time with even spacing sround the wheel and get the even tension you are talking about.

LesterOfPuppets

Better at catching squirrels.

halfspeed

Wheel Technology ? Rolf Prima Wheel Systems
G3 Geometry - Wheels Campagnolo

BTW, Bontrager dumped the paired spokes because they're a dumb idea. But they look kinda kool.

bt

google is your friend.

rpenmanparker 

Thanks. Rolf has always been given to unsupported claims. Campy doesn't say much about the spoke pairing, just the 2:1 ratio from side to side. I can see how pairing the spokes would reduce a waviness, but what is supporting the rim between the spokes? I thin that is just as important.

achoo

Marketing hype.

LesterOfPuppets

I think the theory is that with that kinda cross section the unsupported rim sections do just fine so we'll put the opposing spokes close together, about as close as they are on a 48-spoke road wheel.

Still have the hub hanging offa 12 spokes. (in the case of Rolf Vector, Propel)

Those Bontragers that caught the squirrel look even closer together, must be about like a 52-spoke wheel.

BoSoxYacht

A heavier hoop.

Shimagnolo

Solution looking for a problem.

LesterOfPuppets

Wonder how much weight penalty for going overboard - deep section alu rims and 48 spokes. Surely no squirrel could squeeze in there.

dnslater

Spokes act primarily in tension and not compression, correct? So the bike is in effect hanging for the wheel? BTw the wheel section between spokes is an arch, a very strong form, especially on deep rims.

rpenmanparker 

I'm talking about laterally, not radially.

MikeEckhaus

I had one of those Bontrager paired spoke rear wheels separate in the rim section on me several years ago. Luckily, it was not catastrophic, and I caught it in time to avoid something really bad. Trek warrantied it with a "normal" wheel, which has been just fine. Not sure if the spoke design was the issue, or just this particular execution. It is pretty much impossible to make a paired spoke wheel temporarily rideable if a spoke breaks, whereas you can usually tweak a normal pattern enough to get home on a normal setup.

halfspeed

^^^ This.

bt

isn't all this old news?

surgeonstone

Was there a problem with the Titanic's spokes? I did not know that. Was it the later pull from a broken steering wheel that drove it into the iceberg.

znomit

They are great for commuter bikes because its easier to thread your lock through the bigger gap.
Thats about it.

achoo

Didn't you see what the squirrel did?