Originally Posted by
JustinOldPhart
I would add to that "a designer who knows what they are doing". As anyone who suffered on rec.bicycles.tech with the Baron of Bellicosity, Brandt, can attest, wheel design is not that well understood by the masses. Nor is the function and design easily communicated to the masses in a book written by one who proclaims to know the secret (although it did serve to illustrate how poorly technical communication can be done).
My faerie wheels have 21 spokes in the rear, arranged radially in groups of three. Mechanically, they can be viewed as seven rather massive radial spokes. The front has 16 radial spokes.
I am neither small nor particularly weak. These Eurus wheels have survived just fine. Would I build similar wheels for my mountain bike? No, probably not, but I might be surprised if I did.
I had a co-worker who had Campy triple wheels that he would tout as being pretty hearty as well. I have yet to try them along with the Rolf Prima (though Astral makes great stuff) but one day. I know they are good but I cannot get out of my own head.