20/28 Hole Lacing

Strong rims have the ability to withstand a lot of abuse and can be built up with multiple spoke options and lacing patterns. With the current wide alloy rims on the market, it’s common to have low spoke count wheels for racing and training. However, to create a wheel set that can be raced regularly and ridden daily, there needs to be balance. Instead of the regularly sought 20/24 hole count for front and rear wheels, durability can be increased  considerably through the addition of four spokes without substantially compromising weight:

• 20 holes in the front to keep weight down
• 28 holes in the back for durability

This is not a new concept, just one that has not become popular because it is not practical or trendy for most wheel set manufacturers. A rider’s weight is primarily centered over the back wheel, and it is the more abused of the two due to the additional forces it experiences. As such, it makes sense to bolster the rear wheel with a higher spoke count and pare down unnecessary added weight in the front wheel. Using two different spoke counts allows for a wheel set balanced overall in both weight and purpose.