Which rim?
 

So I managed to total my front wheel, and parts of my face, due to general ineptitude mainly. I now need to relace my surly hub to a new rim. I'm probably going to go with velocity, as they are all the rage in australia and hence available. I'll seek an open pro maybe, but I'm likely stuck with velocity. Obviously every fixed speed rider and his dog rocks some deep v's, but they they are tough as I understand it, and riding a steamroller I'm not super conscious of 100g extra... anti aero aesthetics aside why do people prefer fusions and aeroheads? or is it simply not wanting to be another deep v rider?

secondly, radial on a surly hub, yes? no? dangerous? I know it's not covered by waranty, but does that imply it is unsafe? I won't lie, I just think it looks badass, so I won't risk my safety for it.

and finally, I'm scouring the net for pics of deep v colours, or just velocity colours I guess as they seem to be expanding them out across the other rims, especially with the maroon (which is growing on me) steamroller.. anyone got a maroon steamroller + deep v combo they are particularly proud of? or just some pics that accurately show the colour of rims like gold and ti grey?

radial lacing is typically pretty safe (assuming that the hub is strong enough). it looks cool. however, i would probably go with a 3x pattern, from a good builder since you just totaled a wheel. a 3x pattern is much stronger than a radial spoked wheel, with all else being equal. i have lots of friends that run radial wheels, and lots of friends that have 3x wheels. your best bet is to talk to whoever is going to build your wheels.

i don't like the aesthetics of deep-v. they are strong though. (typically, the mavic open pro, the mavic cxp-33 and cxp 22, and the velocity deep v are what clydes recommend to eachother. the mavics are eyeletted, box sectioned rims and a bit lighter than the deepv, but all will make a wheel that is strong enough for beating the hell out of on a regular basis.

I'm not such a deep V fan either (but I do have a couple Velocity rims - a fusion on the back laced to a Paul hub, and I used to have two aeroheads until I totaled one crashing into a car, and the hub laced to the other bit the dust).

I posted however to point out these: http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/repo...t2/index1.html
Probably not at all practical (especially since you only need a front wheel), but way fun.

My opinion on radial vs. 3X lacing is that you might just as well go with radial - 3X is slightly stronger, but since wheel failures are usually due to stresses far beyond the structural limit of the wheel, a small difference in strength will make a small difference in the failure rate.

good luck

well yeah, I'm no clydesdale, I'm about 170 atm I think, although I lack scales, so thats a roughish guesstimation, no way I'm over 200 though.

How I managed to kill the front wheel I had is a serious mystery to myself and the guy who sold me the bike (who happened to be there at the crash). I did not hit anything or drop off anything, I just had an unlucky fall, not clipped in, as I hit a speed hump and went over the bars. I guess I probably turned the wheel against the hump at the last second or something, I really don't know, but 5 nipples blown out of the rim later I need a rebuild :s.

My main question regarding the radial wasn't so much it vs 3X, I've read a lot of forum posts regarding that, but more the surly hubs ability to take it?

If your Surly hub was laced 3x at any point you do not want to re-lace it radially. The stress points on a 3x create a groove in the hub flange and if y switch that to a radial the stress points are in a different part of the flange and thus the former 3x locations are weak points and prone to failure.
As for rims, Deep V's are strong and easy to find, but an aerohead is a super strong much lighter rim and a better looking rim IMO. If I were you I'd go open pro's though, because it is an eyeleted rim thats been proven time and time agian. It's strong, light, snappy, and a great looking rim as well.