Originally Posted by
Issac
late answer but your a rare type that is very aware of feedback. Yes they handle different and steering and lateral loads can be detected. I can feel a radial wheel on the velodrome where we use some high loading and diving turns. I didn't like the radial wheels or heavier 3 and 5 spoke cArbon wheels because the flex points change. It's not a problem But your exactly correct. Even the same wheel built loose vs higher sooke tension
and probably the most important factor I do not see here is that radial spoke partterns are really Only good in low spoke count 24h or less. Reason is radial spoke patterns have issues with low spoke tensions. No assisting spokes and the nipple tends to float easier. With 36 or 32 holes you had Better have one super strong ( heavy ) rim. For racing only special wheels use to be used for this reason. Now rims are just hugely heavy and overkill for racing and carbon and low spoke counts with few spokes has changed things. Radial is not bad and of course it's faster because look at the cross and eggbeater effect, but you rarely see a 36 hole radial racing wheel for good reason. Interestingly the lightest race wheels today are no lighter than what Eddie Merckx used for his record, just more aero.