Road Disc Rims
 

Quick straw poll:

What is the best drilling for road disc rims?

Apparently, an edit is required: IF you have a road bike, and IF it has disc brakes, AND you were choosing new wheels (not the ones that came OE on the bike - as applicable) WHAT drillings would you choose?

Need more info than just disk brakes.

The best answer anyone can give to this question is: Depends.

You need to tell us what you plan on doing with the wheel. How much do you weigh? What kind of surfaces do you ride on? What are your expectations for the wheel?

Of course it depends.

I'm just curious about what actually ends up on most bikes, not what each person prefers for any specific conditions.

Macro, not micro.

In that case, what does "best drilling" mean?

Best: The one most liked...preferred
Drilling: The holes in a rim where the spoke goes

Do you have a road bike with disc brakes?

How many holes are in your rims (not counting the one for the valve)?

So what are you actually asking for? Best for what? Obviously not what's best in a particular use case, since you just told us you're not interested in that. Are you asking what's best in the most typical use cases? Perhaps, but this conflicts with your second post: most wheels are overbuilt for their use case, since the penalty for failure or squishy behavior is usually worse (at least in terms of liabilities and reviews) than the penalty for something being unnecessarily beefy.

If we take "best" to mean "best choice for the bike manufacturer to use", then I suppose your question makes some sense. But it's still a little confusing since it's not a given that the manufacturers have actually nailed some hypothetical optimal figure down, and it's a little weird that you wouldn't just start by framing it as "what's the best wheel drilling for a bicycle manufacturer to use."
And even then it's a bit open-ended, since it will still depend on factors like the choices of spoke, hub geometry, and rim construction.

Wow. Who knew rocket-surgery was this hard.

It's a straw poll to get a general sense of what end-users ACTUALLY WANT with disc brake rims. Obviously, there will be a lot of variables and preferences. But taken as a whole it should give a one rough idea of how aftermarket wheels should be structured - AS A WHOLE.

Again, I'm not interested in a semantic argument or a debate on what is best for what. I am looking at what is offered in the OE, what various factories tell me and I just don't think it's bang-on. I have a gut feeling that end users may skew differently - AS A WHOLE.

On a whim, between emails, I thought I'd toss up a poll and see what the results would be.

So far...as expected...roll of eyes.

I don't know. You're asking seemingly-contradictory questions.

So you're asking what users "ACTUALLY WANT" because you're suspicious that what's offered in the OE isn't bang-on, but you're also...
...asking us what's being pushed onto stuff?

How long is a piece of string 🤣

I just ordered a wheelset for my single speed from Pro Wheel Builder. After I get it I'm going to order an aluminum tubular wheelset for my Diamondback Podium Disc. 105 disc hubs and Kinlin TB20 Tubular Disc rims 28/32 (less than $400). I only weigh 165 but I don't like super light low spoke count wheels anymore. I don't like how they flex, a higher spoke count just feels more solid out of the saddle. You have less of a chance of breaking a spoke/nipple because they have less stress and if you do have a break it won't throw the wheel so out of true. A few more spokes has never make me any slower.

I broke a nipple on a 24H rear wheel last week and I had to ride a couple of hundred meters before I had a place to pull over and my tire took the paint off the inside of my chainstay. If I didn't have a spoke wrench or knew how to true a wheel I would have been stranded. I spent about 10 minutes tweaking the wheel to where I could slowly limp home.

Incorrect.

Good God.

It's a simply question. I'm not interested in a debate or a deconstruction of the post.

"Apparently, an edit is required: IF you have a road bike, and IF it has disc brakes, AND you were choosing new wheels (not the ones that came OE on the bike - as applicable) WHAT drillings would you choose?"

Too much for ya?

I think what you are asking is "how many of you are too fat for this sport" as it all (mostly) depends on how much you weigh. It is a valid question for someone who has to order stock.

Might depend on rider weight. I chose what's best for me.

I'm too fat for this sport, but I'd still go 24/24 (which is what I selected) on mid-depth carbon. If we're talking about a more shallow (~30mm) aluminum wheelset, I'd be more comfortable with 24/28.

My road bike and gravel bike are both 24/24, I'm 185lbs, put out good power and ride/race hard, and have not had any issues with any of my wheelsets.

You get it.

Like @WhyFi and Rides4Beer I'm riding 24/24. I didn't care how many holes, I just bought good wheels.

I weight 169 pounds and 6'! or so was closer to 6'2" but after 60 years you shrink a bit. I think Bob has a legit question and the answer is really gut in the sense of what do folks. want in general. I guess I am in the minority in that I still want 32 rear and 28 front although the front I want radial laced. My reasoning is that I ride many miles and I just want something that works that I don't have to fuss with or do much worrying. Spokes and nipples do not weight much for daily riding and I want the great miles in the least amount of time spent. I don't want spokes breaking while I am riding and I don't want to be working on wheels that are not consistent and well built. We take chances riding as it is and the wheel is on the ground. Personally I am still find AL rims fine and the gain with CF might be ok but the cost factor.

So again in the minority but 28/32. Since I build my own wheels when I build a wheel I generally go 28/32, 2 cross rear and radial front. If it is not broke don't fix it.

Not with discs, you don't.

I always break wheels so I would want 32/32 although my mtb has 28/28 and I have only broken one rear rim and no spokes.
I suppose a sturdy 28 hole rim could work for road.

A better (rear) rim is offset and has angled drilling and possibly unequal right/left spoke count.

Fewer spokes sell more wheels cos ppl think its more aero and lighter, not knowing the rim need to be beefier to support higher spoke tension.

EDIT: Forgot to mention I didn't vote. Spoke count doesn't define a good or not good wheel. Its all the little details and craft not often mentioned in the marketing.

Agree that it depends on material.
I'd go with 24/28 for alloy, 24/24 for carbon.