Light Bicycle wheel rims?

[toxin]

I'm not saying it's the hub's fault, the spokes need to be made with an inherently less safe design to fit into a non-purpuse made hub

[warthog101]

I remain uninterested in having a wheel with carbon spokes. Failure rate appears to overwhelm any advantages.
Perhaps they will be proven better in the future and as accepted as CF frames are. Not there yet for me.

[toxin]

I've not heard of any failures with proper carbon spoke wheels

[Hexsense]

I've not heard of any failures with proper carbon spoke wheels

Yep.
I only count oversized carbon spokes that require special hub as properly done carbon spoke wheels at this point.

Carbon fiber can be brittle if it's too small of a piece. Making it large oversized cross section eliminate that durability Issue. But then it become overly stiff so it's better to reduce spoke count down. So... a hub which allow oversized carbon spokes natively (without requiring the weak joint connector) and have lace pattern for less spoke count sound like a requirement for me.

Making carbon spokes fitting normal hub sound like a bodge IMO. It's like making a carbon bike frame with all their tube as thin and slim as a steel bike. The shape just doesn't fit the material.

[emotive]

I’m inclined to wait until we see some more robust carbon spokes develop. Something between current carbon spokes and the 6 spoke one piece carbon wheels such as BLKTEC are offering.

[jlok]

I've not heard of any failures with proper carbon spoke wheels

Yep.
I only count oversized carbon spokes that require special hub as properly done carbon spoke wheels at this point.

Carbon fiber can be brittle if it's too small of a piece. Making it large oversized cross section eliminate that durability Issue. But then it become overly stiff so it's better to reduce spoke count down. So... a hub which allow oversized carbon spokes natively (without requiring the weak joint connector) and have lace pattern for less spoke count sound like a requirement for me.

Making carbon spokes fitting normal hub sound like a bodge IMO. It's like making a carbon bike frame with all their tube as thin and slim as a steel bike. The shape just doesn't fit the material.

What is the consequence of lower spoke count to the rim? Stronger rim needed as spokes are spanning over a longer distance?

[alanyu]

I've not heard of any failures with proper carbon spoke wheels

Because you haven't seen enough proper carbon spoke wheels. Chinese market has the most amount of them, and some failure is well known with so-called proper carbon spoke wheels: hub only for carbon spoke, beefy carbon spokes with larger nipples, special designed spoke end at hub side.

[toxin]

Seems like this was a result of one thing I'm afraid of with earlier carbon spokes and hubs where the spoke just slots in from the side and if one goes they can all just kinda fall out. I admit this is kind of a big issue that a lot manufacturers still just kinda seem to ignore.

[mashiehood]

personally i will never use carbon spokes in any form. The are in my view a pointless fad in pursuit of very marginal gains

[toxin]

Can say that about a lot of things

[MichaelK]

personally i will never use carbon spokes in any form. The are in my view a pointless fad in pursuit of very marginal gains

Lightweight, Corima, Syncros, Partington... that's how you design and build a wheel with carbon rim, spokes and hubs. It's a complete system.

[UrgentDelay]

Which rear wheel would you consider an optimal pair to a WR50 flyweight on the front?
Priorities - Comfort>Speed>everything else:

1. WR50 flyweight - 1359g
2. AR56 flyweight - 1370g (56mm would be more aero, but I guess it doesn't matter in the rear; maybe marginally stiffer too?)
3. WR50 regular - 1409g (regular for stiffness, that's what LB suggested to me)
4. WR65 - 1439g (even more aero, while wider internal width will still provide comfort)

Would a difference in the rear wheel's comfort be noticeable between an internal width of 23mm vs 25mm?

[Hexsense]

Ordered Light-Bicycle WR50 flyweight with carbon spokes.
Estimated to be around 1320g.

Originally considered CRW 5060 @1290g. But turn that down because
1) Staggered width. CRW is only wide in the front (25 int, 32 ext) but significantly narrower (21 int, 28 ext) in the rear.
2) it cost close to 50% more. While weighting only about 30g less and isn't as wide in the rear.

Let see how 21 carbon spokes and flyweight rim ride, compare to my 24 spokes Cx-ray+Cx-sprint and standard weight rim WR65.
Update will come when I receive the wheels and ride it for a few weeks.

Any impressions yet?

I finally ride enough to give initial impression. Comparing it to WR65 with 24 CX-ray (my old pair of wheels).
1) Only in strong crosswind, It feel like I get less "helping push" compare to WR65. But no change on average speed. If anything, SuperSix+ WR50 show no drop in speed vs SystemSix + WR65 so far. In fact, it's even a tiny bit faster on average for me but that might be noise in measurement.
2) However, it is so much easier to handle in wind. Almost like it disappeared. WR65 get bigger 'helping push' in cross wind. But that sailing push also make the bike lean over more.
3) It's almost telepatic to get up to speed with wheels this light. However, it also doesn't hold as much momentum. The speed, either going up or down, change faster meaning that carrying speed from downhill into uphill is a little bit less effective. But no doubt it's more responsive to climb.
4) Disc brake seems to make noise easier with carbon spokes than cx-ray. Maybe it's the much larger flat surface.
5) No issue with stiffness nor lack of compliance. I might be the wrong person to ask for comfort because now I ride SuperSix which is known to have built-in flex. And Continental GP5000 28mm at 58-60psi. The bike just glide over rough road the same way it used to do.

[toxin]

Wider will be more comfortable cause you can put a wider tire on while compromising less on rolling resistance. Aero penalty will also be very minimal cause its on the rear

[Mr.Gib]

Interested in knowing if any WW member has ridden LB "Flyweight" rims, and can comment on durability ?
Louis

@Louis, if you are still wondering about Flyweight, I have another data point for you.

Today on a quick technical descent I absolutely smashed a 3cm x 7 cm rock at about 50 km/h. It was a piece of slate so pretty square edges. Nothing round about it. It was a super bright day with the rock hiding in a dark shadow. It was a really violent impact and a nasty rim strike. I had the bike leaned over as I was just exiting a chicane so the impact was concentrated on one side. I though I was a dead man. The front bounced sideways, grabbed, and almost high sided me. I went totally slack and let the bike do it's thing for a second, and then brought it to a stop asap. I was half way off before it stopped moving lol. I was expecting the wheel to collapse in a small pile of carbon dust. But F-ME! No puncture and no broken rim! Even a sudden flat at that spot and no way I keep it on the road - I would be in the trees. Miss the trees and I am off a cliff onto rocks.

There have been fatalities on this piece of road, and many serious injuries. Dense forest, zero shoulder, zero bailout spots, trees right to the tarmac edge, single lane, blind corners galore. An ordinary puncture in the wrong spot can mean disaster. I have never broken a carbon rim, but I have demolished good alloy wheels from half the impact. So whoever you are at Light Bicycle who made this rim, thanks for doing it well.

WR50 Flyweight. 28mm Conti GP5000 TR, 63psi.