More Newbie Advice Please Wheels This Time

[Chisteve]

So I'm after some advice about number of spokes in front and back wheels

How many spokes are in each - same number ?

I have the original front with 32 spokes and a replacement rear with 36

Also what are the chances of getting mavic M231CD rear wheel in good nick or am I better to get a new front and back as front is fairly worn

If new what would you recommend wand what sort of money are we looking at

Thanks

 

[lewisfoto]

Thirty two spokes front and back was pretty common but heavier riders, and those that did a lot of bombing, sometimes went with 36. Certainly 36 in the back seems a good choice as the rear takes more abuse. The Mavic rims do come up on Ebay now and again, complete wheels as well.

 

[Neil]

Thirty two spokes front and back was pretty common but heavier riders, and those that did a lot of bombing, sometimes went with 36. Certainly 36 in the back seems a good choice as the rear takes more abuse. The Mavic rims do come up on Ebay now and again, complete wheels as well.

Sheldon had a take on why things changed.

I know for myself, the half-decent bikes I've got from the Diamondback range from 91 and 92, were spec'd with 32 fronts, 36 rear. Fast-forward a blip to 95, and that became 32 front and back. I doubt the wheels were built in a superior manner in 95, compared with 91 / 92, I suspect the rims were of at least comparative strength, if not a bit on the too side of light, in 95 (given they then spec'd Mavic M230s, and many believe they are made out of cheese).

Over-engineered in the earlier years, or lightened and built to a marketing spec in the later years?

 

[barry2017]

32 spokes front and rear, like compact frames, are a reaction to shops not wanting to carry large inventories as much as for any technical reason.

Look how many back wheels fail compared to fronts. The back may be wider than the front, but it's dished and carries 2 1/2 times the weight of the front.

Nowadays, we have very strong rims which in turn build into wheels which are (usually) strong enough. But it is still bad engineering.

 

[Chisteve]

Thanks for the replies

Back when I brought the replacement I didnt realise it was different to the front as you say the back takes more of a hammering

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

It was just weenie evolution from my point of view at the time.

36/36 was the standard for the 26" wheel setup, they cannot really take any more than that.

But 32 spoke was marketed as lighter so people went with that. The front being the one people could easily replace and I always found our lot destroyed more often (it's the first to hit things and you reacted by the time the back hits anything, that or fallen)
Anyway, they where also cheaper and going as people could see the hub.
32 spokes it was then with a nice anodised CNC hub.
Turn of the 90s that started to happen.
What next, seen as the rear followed the 32 trend of course.
Well you needed 28 spokes at the front this was still the turn of the 90s though. These were for the true weight weenie and that where it stopped for normal spokes.
You don't see many 28 hole but if you do they will tend to be Alu nipples and some lightweight spokes. Well you have to go the whole hog.

You do get 28 hole rear but they are rarer by a lokmg way than the fronts.

So 32/32 is the most common enthusiasts wheels in the turn of the 90s

36/36 the years before that and into 1990,seeing the split around 1991 from my point of view.

 

[jimo746]

Re:

I'd agree with Fluffychicken in that most of later 80's MTB's I've seen have had 36/36 spoke count, and from the very start of the 90's this changed pretty quickly to 32/32.
To be honest I can tell no difference between a 32 or 36 spoked wheel, the weight difference is very small (hub or rim differences can affect the weight more than a handful of spokes & nipples).
If what you have now works then why not stay with that?
Mavic M231 rims do come up for sale fairly often, they were one of the more popular rims bitd, so you may find a decent complete wheelset up for sale, or some NOS rims.
And Mavic still do some decent modern rim brake rims as far as I know, which if de-stickered wouldn't look out of place on a retro bike.
No idea of costs though, if looking for M231 rims it depends if they are biult up into wheels, and if so what hubs are used etc.

 

[Chisteve]

Thanks again for the replies most help full

 

[dyna-ti]

Flying in the face of tradition here but I should add in that in the 90's the standard for many was 32h front and 36h rear.
Lighter on the front for picking through technical sections(unlike today where you drift over them) and stronger on the back to take the inevitable wallops for the following rear .