Originally Posted by Retro Grouch
Eyeletted rims seem to have fallen out of fashion. My 7 year old Mavic tandem rim that recently started cracking at the spoke eyelets had double eyelets. I assume that the theory behind the inner eyelet is so that the spoke will also pull from the inner rim web. My Velocity Fusion replacement rim doesn't have any eyelets at all. Who can explain the reasoning behind this shift?
I suspect the trend away from eyelets has to do with the trend towards "aero" profile rims. I suspect that the trend towards "aero" rims is largely due to the improved visibility of the manufacturer's name and model number on the sides.