Why do BMX wheels

[Peter J]

Have 36 Spokes 

MTB's have 28 or 32 and thats on some of the mental DH bikes 

So why would you use a 36 spoked wheel for say a new school race bike 

I can sort of go with it on a freestyle bike 

Anyone 

[Taipan]

2 for everyday of the month plus 8 spare in case you brake them

[Peter J]

2 for everyday of the month plus 8 spare in case you brake them

Eh 

I know its Monday and the grey stuff between my ears has yet to warm up...... but to quote my first responce

Eh 

 

[john4130]

2 for everyday of the month plus 8 spare in case you brake them

correct answer. 

[Spen69]

2 for everyday of the month plus 8 spare in case you brake them

correct answer. 

2x31 = 62.

62+8 = 70.

Wrong answer kids, trust me.........

[Peter J]

2x31 = 62.
62+8 = 70.
Wrong answer kids, trust me.........

I know I've got dyslexia  but I'm good with numbers

and thats what I got 

[MaD-RoK]

Septembers a 30 day month..... 

[MaD-RoK]

But I still don't get it. 

[MaD-RoK]

 


How Many Spokes?
Up until the early 1980s, virtually all adult bikes had 72 spokes.
32 front/40 rear was the standard for British bikes, 36 front and rear for other countries. The exception was super-fancy special purpose racing wheels, which might have 32 spokes front and rear.

The Great Spoke Scam: In the early '80s a clever marketeer hit upon the idea of using only 32 spokes in wheels for production bikes. Because of the association of 32 spoke wheels with exotic, high-performance bikes, the manufacturers were able to cut corners and save money while presenting it as an "upgrade!" The resulting wheels were noticeably weaker than comparable 36 spoke wheels, but held up well enough for most customers.

Since then, this practice has been carried to an extreme, with 28-, 24-, even 16-spoke wheels being offered, and presented as it they were somehow an "upgrade."

Actually, such wheels normally are not an upgrade in practice. When the spokes are farther apart on the rim, it is necessary to use a heavier rim to compensate, so there isn't usually even a weight benefit from these newer wheels!

This type of wheel requires unusually high spoke tension, since the load is carried by fewer spokes. If a spoke does break, the wheel generally becomes instantly unridable. The hub may break too; see John Allen's article. : http://bikexprt.com/witness/product/wheels.htm

If you want highest performance, it is generally best to have more spokes in the rear wheel than the front. For instance, 28/36 is better than 32/32. People very rarely have trouble with front wheels:




Source. The God of Bicycle maintenance Sheldon Brown. RIP.
http://sheldonbrown.com/wheelbuild.html

[Peter J]

Thats right always blame the sales people 


 

[MaD-RoK]

He worked in a bike shop. 

[Peter J]

So the best set up for a "race" bmx wheels would be 28/36 

I just wondered what the equation is to get the best results 

I know Sheldon knows his stuff but with these new fangled rim design (not to mention double walled) + double (or triple butted) spokes would there be an optimum set up

And why don't MTB's adopt a 36 holed rim if its a stronger option

Negate the fact that its not cost effective for rim manufactures to make 28/32/36 hole patterned rims

I'm speaking hypothetical and in the "ideal world"

[not johndub71]

I never knew that in the 9 yrs I worked in a Raleigh shop. All I knew were rimes without eyelets on the cheap end were hopeless because 9/10 times the drilled eyelet would not be deburred so as soon as the burr wore off, buckle city!

48 spokes always seamed the strongest, then again...

[Bigfrawg]

16 spokes On my GT 

[Peter J]

Who makes them wheels   

[Bigfrawg]

Peregrine MAD MAX 

[Peter J]

Some bang tidy mid school rimmage 

[ozone]

And why don't MTB's adopt a 36 holed rim if its a stronger option

Plenty of MTBs run 36 spoke wheels.  I guess they're more suited to hardcore riders who don't count every single gram.   

[Peter J]

Plenty of MTBs run 36 spoke wheels.  I guess they're more suited to hardcore riders who don't count every single gram.   

I've seen MTB's with 36's but the "norm" is 32 or 28