Originally Posted by Mothra
Except that wheels built with the crossed spokes not interlaced yields no difference in strength or stiffness compared to ones with interlaced spokes. Remember that only the spokes at the bottom where the rim is flattened goes slack. The actual load of the weight is being spread out to all the other spokes that aren't in the contact area by increasing their tension by the same total amount of tension that the bottom spokes have relaxed. So the stressed spoke is not the one that goes slack, it's the others that's had their tension increase by 5-6%. By interlacing them, you might actualy be causing those tight spokes to even experience more load.
This is all academic really because the differences between interlaced or not on crossed or radial wheels really doesn't affect wheel-strength or longevity by much anyway. That would be ignoring all those other factors that really do contribute.
Ot but not so long ago seen something on science channel talking about how bike rime spokes and bikes were much like suspension bridges. drawing a imaginary line between rear axel and front axel to show the "road desk" and the spokes above that line were the "cables" of the suspension bridge.
Might help some who have a hard time visulizing this premis to visulize it easyer. Esp helpful if your building your own wheels.