Originally Posted by TimArchy

Are the bearings in the formulas bad?

If they are new, you probably won't notice any difference with nicer bearings (with the exception possibly of ceramics). My phil feels a lot like most new formulas I've spun.

As for the radial/cross debate, some people feel that radial lacing is more aerodynamic than cross. It also creates a wheel that has different stiffness properties. For the details, Get Jobst Brant's "The bicycle wheel". It's an overall good read.