Need some advice. Could have posted in the mechanic forum, but I believe we have a wide range of expertise here too. Besides, older posts over there regarding this seems to descend in banter and heated arguments.

So, I'm new to this. I've built a couple of wheel sets, using Jobst Brandt's book which I find to be an excellent, albeit terse and humorless treatise on the subject. His arguments for the various questions and variations in design and component choices makes sense to me. And he's old school and experienced, besides having ridden every single pass in the Alps.

When it comes to lacing patterns he wants pulling spokes emerging from the inside of the flange and mirror-image spoking. He's arguments are that the former pulls the spokes inward under load, thus keeping them away from the derailleur, while the latter cancel out stresses instead of reinforcing them. So this is what I did.

Now, checking out the wheel sets in the shop, I notice other patterns. My LBS, who did the last custom wheels I had built, had the pulling spokes come from the outside of the flanges. Another set has 'identical spoking', which Brandt argues against with some strong points.

What do you guys think about this? "..petty details, just get on that cycle and ride..", or "..damn, you gotta do it this way, or else.."

Picture 1: Inside pulling spokes - mirror image spoking


Picture 2: Outside pulling spokes - mirror image spoking


Picture 3: identical spoking - both inside and outside pulling spokes


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