Maro

Hello,

One high school kid totaled my front wheel of a FUJI Touring.
All bike shops around me only have 32 spokes wheels in stock.

Would I have any problem to use one instead of a 36 spokes ?
Say durability, etc. for loaded and light touring, gravel path, etc. etc.

Thanks.

rodar y rodar

32 with a decent rim ought to be fine for that use. But exactly how "totaled' is the front wheel? Did you consider just replacing the rim?

Barrettscv 

A well made 32 spoke wheel on the front should be fine. However, the devil is in the details, the quality of the spokes & rim is more important than the reduction is spoke count.

fietsbob

give the shop a week and they will order a 36 spoke wheel, in, for you , if that's what you want.

seeker333

32h is fine is you don't use front racks/panniers, in which case 36h would be better. You can order a 36h from any QBP-affiliated online bike shop (OBS):

https://www.aebike.com/Handspun-Pavem...r_p_62482.html

https://www.aebike.com/Handspun-Pavem...r_p_61462.html

Tourist in MSN

On my LHT unladen but with me on it, front wheel has about 37 percent of the total weight. When I add a camping gear load, I suspect that the front wheel weight distribution stays about the same or is maybe even lighter.

Add to that that your front wheel is undished (I assume it is not a disc brake) and the rear is dished. So, the rear wheel is inherently more stressed from initial construction.

Decades ago, some utility bikes were fitted with 32 spoke front and 40 spoke rear wheels.

Bottom line, you could probably use less than 32 if you wanted to on the front if all other things were equal.

pacificcyclist

As long as the 32 spoke wheel is laced and built properly and trued well, then it is fine for touring and on gravel path. I run a pair of 32 spoke wheels on my touring bike and they are fine. The detail is in the weight you carry. I carry 35lbs of full camping gear and I have a racing weight body so I'm good with 32. 36 and 40 spoke wheels are for people who are on the heavy side and carry a touring load that exceed 60lbs. Otherwise, you will have an overbuilt and heavy wheel that serves you nothing but to qualm your fears of wheel breakage.

My folding bike has a pair of paired spoke Rolf style wheels. Had toured loaded on nasty gravel and aside from the rim wearing in from braking, it's still going strong.

bradtx

Maro, Not remarked about yet is the rim width (Did I miss it?) of the available front wheels. If the rim on the 32H rims is wide enough for the tire size you want/need to use, you should be fine. Otherwise either you or the LBS should order a new wheel.

Brad

Rob_E

I tour on a 36/32 combo, and I try to put more gear weight in the front than in the back. That doesn't change the fact that most of the rider weight is shifted towards the back. I've broken rear spokes, although a good number of those were due to poor wheel-building decisions on my part, and some were due to a factory-built, low quality rear offset wheel. But the front has always been solid. I also would have prefered a 36 front, but I found the right combination of components for a good price, but only available as 32. I haven't been sorry.

Maro

Same to me, I have only broken rear spokes.
Thanks for ideas.

JoeMan

I do a lot of gravel road riding with 32 spoke wheels. I keep my pannier weight modest and I keep my body weight low. 2.1 pounds per inch of height. I am riding on 26 rims with Tioga Psycho Genius 2.3 tires. I have had no wheel issues.