36vs48h,,, here, have an anecdote

[blueee]

i built both these wheels really nice-ly

48 ratchet, dB sapim spokes, ribcage
 (stronger rim but I believe strength is in the spokes)
took a lil over a year to break a spoke, then about two years in I had broken about 4 of them. only had to tru the wheel once in the first year and some months.
took over two years for the wheel to get noticeable lumps and wobbles

36h antigram, dB sapim spokes, birdcage
broke my first spoke in about 9 months and in a lil over a year I've gone through 4more
ive trued this wheel about 3times since I got it a lil over year ago and it is now starting to get noticeable lps and wobbles

Im going just as big of not bigger than I used to go on the old wheel but I'm also much much smoother with my riding since I have arthritis in my elbow now

idk, just thinking I wish antigram came in 48h

[LeonLikesToRock]

You've gone from a wheel built with a heavy duty rim, a large flanged hub and 48 spokes to a lightweight rim, lower flanged hub and 3/4 the amount of spokes. Maybe you'd be fine with a stronger 36h rim or with straight gauge spokes?

48h is dead and gone. Bone Deth make them, but that doesn't mean anyone buys them.

[metalbmxer]

Actually what you may be experiencing is not the decrease in spoke number but rather the decrease in crosses--from 4x down to 3x. The spokes are now shorter, tighter (especially with 3x butted spokes), and less able to flex and rebound accordingly to handle the load. If u can lace up a 36h wheel as a 4x (give it a little caressing and it'll work) and at that with straight gauge spokes (so the spokes press a little more force against eachother) you will have a good bulletproof wheel.

[paranoidmexican]

mag wheels for life.....lol

[dude...]

48 is great, if you hate fixing wheels. if youre smooth its probs not worth it but i stand by if youre a sketchy motherfucker, 48s are the way

[montymitch]

When I got my 48h Gsport setup, I laced it 4X. Is the general consensus that 48s should be 4X? I debated back and forth, laced it up and really haven't had to worry about it since.

[meathead]

sorry to but in here, but with your ribcage(48) did you find it to be to tight to fit a pump on the valve?

[dude...]

did you get the valve hole in the correct place ie in the largest gap between the spokes?

[LeonLikesToRock]

sorry to but in here, but with your ribcage(48) did you find it to be to tight to fit a pump on the valve?

No harder than any other 48

[Mychaylo]

Sell me the 48 blue.

[Sasha]

48H, 4X is shit. Get yourself a wheelbuilder who can do the job properly.

[erenes]

broke a spoke in 9 months and worte a post about it? LOL

[dude...]

everyone who says 48s are shit are always smooth flowy style riders.

honestly if your a sketch cunt who does loads of grinds/drops/sketchy ass spins and/or isnt very good at maintaining a bike, 48s do make a difference. i see people go through so many wheels and break spokes weekly who would deffos benefit from 48 spoke wheels

[weedbix]

erenes be like "That's cute"

-

I'd stick to 3x. 36 4x feels like shit, too floppy. 48 3x is stiffer than normal. Occupying the middle is 48 4x and 36 3x

blue's anecdotal evidence might be a little appley orangey but I've gone from 48 to 36 more than once with the same products (and spoke size; 36 3x and 48 4x are the same length) and it's definitely more work.

It works though, it's just more maintenance and shorter rim life/more chance of a bad crash rooting the rim completely. There's good reasons we've moved to 36. But the impact of one third more spokes can't be negated just with skillful wheelbuilding or 4x on 36h, and you can hardly blame people for their appeal

[Oddity]

I broke spokes left and right with 36h 4x, it's been a long while since I've broken a spoke using 36h 3x. Yeah it's more work, but keep it TIGHT! and they'll last longer.