BazookaFro

Hey guys, I'm in the final stretch for planning a wheel build, but I'm trying to decide the best spoke count for the rim/hub (kinlin xr 22 and hubs from bikehubstore) unfortunately the front hub is not in stock with the 28 count I was planning on going with, so why not drop a couple of grams? Is the spoke count really a big deal with these rims?(trying to get these built as fast as possible so any feedback is appreciated.

TrojanHorse

I have a pair of easton ea90SL wheels that are 24x28 and they've been rock solid for me from 245 down to 2 whatever I am today. (220, not impressive, I know)

Anyway, the spoke count should work fine for you as long as you're not brutal to your wheels.

jsigone

I think you will be fine

HazeT

my opinions;
1) You should be fine
2) Not really a reason to do it, a spoke weights about 4g each? so you are saving 16g of weight? when a spoke breaks in a 28 spokes wheel you will have to call the tow truck to take you back home .
I popped a spoke on a 32t and it went so out of true that opening up the brakes wouldn't do it, I actually had to remove the brake pads to be able to slowly ride it back to a close by shop.

Just got a new wheelset 36h in the rear 32 in the front... I don't think the 32g makes any difference whatsoever.

CliffordK

On the rear, a good chunk of your weight is being supported by half the spokes, depending on your dropout spacing, 126, 130, 135, 145, etc.

So, if you have 36 spokes, it may be like your weight is being supported by 18 spokes. Plus, more stress on the rear.

Anyway, you'll probably be ok with 24 spokes, but I'm not sure I'd risk it.

What lacing pattern are you using?

sstorkel

Or you can carry a multi-tool with a spoke wrench and just tighten a few of the opposite-side spokes by the side of the road.

To the OP: I wouldn't worry about using 24/28-spoke wheels. Heck, I used a 16/20-spoke wheelset for quite a few miles when I was at 220lbs and didn't have any problems. I've also done quite a few miles with my 28-spoke PowerTap wheel installed on my touring frame along with varying amounts of luggage without any trouble

BazookaFro

as far a spoke pattern goes I was going to default to 2 cross front three cross back, but I don't really need to decide until Tuesday on that, tonight Im just focusing on parts. ultimately I can wait, but between the urge to get this bike done after months, and the loose goal of riding the 30 some odd miles to catch the end of the pro challenge through Denver, Im siding with the lower spoke count, i don't plan to stay at this weight, so I imagine even if it doesn't work out perfectly i can deal with it until I...fit them a little more. I could also go with a high flange front hub in 28/32 I just don't know much about them, and the concept didn't really seem to catch on from what Iv read.

dcgriz

You did not say what kind of spokes you are using. Since you buy the components from BHS, most probably Sapim and looking at the rest of your selection, most probably rays or laser. Nevertheless, I don't think it matters much because I don't believe you have enough of them to reliably support your weight. The combination of a lightweight rim like the XR22 with the 24/28 spoke count you are going with is not appropriate for a 230 lb rider if extended use of the wheel, relatively trouble free, is envisioned. The wheel will not disentegrate under you, no wheel does, but it may require constant trueing, suffer from broken spokes and overall need a lot of attention. Additionally, it is subject to flexing (not enough lateral stiffness) if you get up on the bike and are capable of putting out a fair amount of watts.
I don't see what benefit heavier folks could get out of such wheel unless they are looking for a specific race event wheel and they know what they are getting into.
if you do decide to go ahead with it make sure the tensions are equalized to the t, spokes are aligned and stressed relieved multiple times.
Did not mean to rain on your parade....just some advise from being there and done that...

BazookaFro

I was just going to use Sapim race for the spokes and brass nipples. What about a wide flange front hub? they seemed to have the 28 that I planned on, but I don't really understand what changed with a wide flange.

ColaJacket

If you had disc brakes, you wouldn't have had to disable the brakes to ride the bike.

GH

andr0id

I've been that heavy on well built 24/28 combo before.
You can't plow through pot holes and boulders, but if you ride smart, they will be fine.

If you're definitely getting lighter go with it. If you are going to stay at 230 lbs and want something more durable go +4 on each wheel.

chaadster

24/28 is well within the safe zone, particularly with a nice aero spoke like Sapim CX. The big variable here (though hub design matters, too) is the skill of the builder, and no reasonable spoke count is going to overcome a poorly assembled wheel.

The design and tech required to produce a clyde-worthy "low spoke count" wheel is out there, evidenced by the many, many clydes who ride them every day. That some fail or have problems cannot be used as sweeping condemnation for low spoke counts, because there are too many complicating variables, not the least of which is whether the cyclist slams through holes like a dump truck full of rocks.

Bill Kapaun

Much depends on-
PROPERLY Tensioned wheel. The heart of a "good" wheel.
Road conditions. ONE bad pothole may do you in.
How strong of a rider are you? If you mash hard up hills, you are applying rather strong forces trying to "unwind" 1/2 your spokes on the rear. This can loosen NDS spokes because they can virtually go "slack". You want some kind of spoke prep on the nipples.
My typical rear wheel build uses a thinner spoke on the NDS which puts it in a "more similar" state of elongation as the DS spoke.
Personally, I think you'd be better off 28/32.

Jarrett2

I clicked on this sure I would see a bunch of replies saying get 36 spokes er you'll diiiiie!

I'm pleasantly surprised at the responses

Jarrett2

That's what I'm running at 280 lbs. Working well so far at 905 miles in.

dcgriz

What changes with the wider flanges is the bracing angle of the spokes and the weight of the hub by a very small amount. Wider flanges add to the lateral stiffness of the wheel which is a very good thing for the rear wheel, especially for 11 s hubs. Front hubs dont suffer as much as the rear hubs so wider flanges are not sought out as much as for the rears but a heavier person could benefit out of the them and the extra weight may is not significant unless grams are counted for the sake of counting.
Talk to Brandon and trust his opinion.

TrojanHorse

Are you talking about 10 speed or 11 speed wheels? It just occurred to me that we're probably all talking about 10 speed wheels, which have better dish characteristics (rear) than 11 speed.

I have a set of 11 speed wheels that I use with a spacer to get on my 10 speed bike and frankly, the spoke tension on the NDS worries me. I wonder if the worse dish means you'd need more spokes? Or is fewer better on the NDS with more on the DS? I'm not sure but it's just one of the reasons I'm not excited about 11 speed drive trains.

jsigone

32H is overkill unless it's a MTB or CX bike that will be used in a CX manner. 24/28 should be stiff enough to handle your weight and have enough flex in them to be comfy on your ride. Putting a million spokes on your wheel won't be comfy at all and even scaled worse if you do longer that 3hr rides often. I'm on 20/24s and beat the live crap out of my wheels, they are only 23mm deep as well, so fair comparasion to the Kinlins. I had Kinlin 32mm 28/28 and was WAAYYYYY to stiff of a wheel. Great crit wheel, forget about it on 2+ hr clubs rides OUCH!!! Sold them with a thick layer of dust on them.

volosong

I bounce around between 215 and 225 and have been riding 16/20 spoke count wheels for several years now. (10 spd. Dura-Ace and one set 10 spd. Ultegra, another set 11 spd. Ultegra, all factory-built wheelsets) No issues at all. Have never had to true them, (except for the front wheel once when I ran into a stopped rider in front of me at an intersection - totally my fault - had my head down and was motoring pretty intensely). During regular road riding, the wheels work quite well. I'd purchase them again.

colnago62

For my training wheels, I have 32/36 set up. I also have some Zipp 303 wheels and some Mavic Ksyerium Elite wheels. Both the Zipp and Mavic flex all over the place with a lot of brake rub when I am really on it. I weigh about 230 lbs. I just had a pair of 28/32 wheels built up that weigh close to the Mavic wheels, but have a much stiffer feel.

colnago62

I have heard good things about the Dura Ace Factory wheels.

andr0id

While DA and Ultegra wheels are "factory built" they not a good sample of most "factory built" wheels.
They are built by humans in a factory even including the lacing process.

A look inside Shimano's shrouded wheel factory | Cyclingnews.com

Casey1167

At that weight anything less than 36 spokes is nuts. Sure, a few good rides, but there is no way those wheels will stay true at that weight unless you are running 36 or 40 spokes.

chaadster

At around 220lb, my mains are 18F/24R w/ radial NDS rear. Approaching 3 years of use, including some crit racing and a couple of good crashes. And they weigh 1372gm. Sure, they're tubeless-specific American Classic Argent and designed better than most, but still, if those things can take a pounding under my weight, power (spiking a fair bit north of 1k watts), and aggressive riding style over Michigan's famously terrible roads, then clearly there's a very strong argument that low-spoke count alone does not describe wheel durability.

RocTurk

You should be fine both ROL and Boyd rate their 24/28 alloy wheels at 240lbs. Boyd also offers the same wheel in 28/32 setup. You can do a 24/32 if you think you'll be gaining weight down the road.