# 36 hole spoke lacing: 3 cross or 4?



## pushinpixels (Jul 4, 2007)

I'm looking to build a strong, low maintenance UST wheelset for my VP Free.
I've ordered Mavic EX823 rims, brass nipples, straight guage spokes, Hope Pro II hubs (20mm front, 150mm rear) 
Should I use 3x or 4x lacing?


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## Guest (Feb 6, 2008)

3 cross...

same as you build a 32 hole, just a couple more spokes. 

hope you ordered the longer nips. they make it much easier when building with those damn rim nuts.


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

3 is enough IMHO..


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

3. A mechanic who's opinion i respect told me 4x is not noticeably better. 

I have no personal experience with 4x lacing.


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## The Dude (Jan 19, 2004)

i have a 36h 4x on the back of my dj bike and 3x on the front of it and 3x 36h fr and rr on my main bike


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## chooofoojoo (Feb 22, 2007)

4x will be stronger, however that difference is so negligible that you're better off going with the shorter length spokes of 3x


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## Rb (Feb 28, 2007)

For simplicity's sake, 3-cross.

If it's built properly, that's going to be a great wheel. Mavic 823's can take a beating.


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## dhtahoe (Mar 18, 2004)

4X is stronger side to side and 3X is stronger up and down. Do you tend to taco wheels or put flat spots in them? The strongest wheel you can build is still 32h 3X. The spokes all lace up 180 degrees from one another.


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## nnn (Feb 1, 2005)

Hardly makes a difference. 3 leading - 3 trailing 3x pattern has worked for me without a hitch on my aggressive XC rig


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## fonseca (Jan 12, 2004)

dhtahoe said:


> The strongest wheel you can build is still 32h 3X. The spokes all lace up 180 degrees from one another.


Actually, a 36h 4x build will have a similar tangential spoke angle to 32h 3x. Although it's really not necessary to go 4x.

And--depending on your definition of "strong"--it will be stronger. Generally speaking, 36h will be 12.5% stiffer and more durable than an otherwise identical 32h wheel due to those four extra spokes.

I've built a mixed cross rear wheel that was 4x driveside, 3x NDS. The 4x should do a better job of transferring drivetrain loads. I can't say I noticed much of a difference though vs the earlier and otherwise identical all 3x build. But that was with heavy 2.3/2.0 spokes. Perhaps it would have been significant with standard double butted spokes.


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## NOVA4X (Sep 21, 2006)

might as well do 3x, you have to use longer spokes for 4x so it pretty much evens out


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## Davidcopperfield (Jan 17, 2007)

I have 29er flows 36 4x and spokes are longer 1 cm.


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