Windcheater trike - lacing pattern front

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   I have a cycle contact who asked me this question which I cannot answer. Can anyone help with advice on wheel lacing? This is the question:

I have a customer who I'll be rebuilding front 20" wheels for to go on his Windcheater recumbent trike. Stub axles and SA drum brakes.
He is asking about lacing all the spokes outbound, as he heard Mike Burrows experimented with this design. I can see some advantages (probably only cross 1 patter) but thought I'd ask if you have any advice OR if you know wnyone with a similar recumbent trike who might have some thoughts?

Interestingly, In Mike Burrows' book Bicycle Design he shows a similar hub with this pattern:

Edited by atlas_shrugged - 18 June 2025 at 4:13pm

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atlas_shrugged Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List BHPC Member Joined: 03 November 2014 Location: Cambs Status: Offline Points: 1025	Post Options Post Reply Quote atlas_shrugged Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Windcheater trike - lacing pattern front Posted: 18 June 2025 at 4:01pm
	I have a cycle contact who asked me this question which I cannot answer. Can anyone help with advice on wheel lacing? This is the question: I have a customer who I'll be rebuilding front 20" wheels for to go on his Windcheater recumbent trike. Stub axles and SA drum brakes. He is asking about lacing all the spokes outbound, as he heard Mike Burrows experimented with this design. I can see some advantages (probably only cross 1 patter) but thought I'd ask if you have any advice OR if you know wnyone with a similar recumbent trike who might have some thoughts? Interestingly, In Mike Burrows' book Bicycle Design he shows a similar hub with this pattern: Edited by atlas_shrugged - 18 June 2025 at 4:13pm

melle Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List BHPC Member Joined: 07 February 2023 Location: Bath Status: Offline Points: 198	Post Options Post Reply Quote melle Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 June 2025 at 1:31pm
	I'm trying to understand the potential advantages. I would think the lacing pattern in the pic puts a lot of strain on the J-ends of the spokes on the drum-side. Or is this perhaps done on purpose to balance the tension of the longer spokes on the other side?
	Optima Stinger \| 2x Baron

atlas_shrugged Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List BHPC Member Joined: 03 November 2014 Location: Cambs Status: Offline Points: 1025	Post Options Post Reply Quote atlas_shrugged Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 21 June 2025 at 3:28pm
	melle - thanks for the reply. I post below the response from this chap: Providing the 'outbound' spokes on the drum side have been built carefully with spoke-line at the elbows corrected early on, these spokes should not be any more susceptible to fatigue failures than normal alternately laced spokes. Also, providing the hub flanges are symmetrical, tension in spokes on drum side and non-drum side will be equal, irrespective of whether spokes are laced 'in-bound' or 'out-bound'. I've now watched various videos of Windcheetah recumbents. This single-cross 'all out-bound' pattern seems very common. I'm not sure how big the advantages are but it gives a slightly wider wheel better able to resist lateral forces. Also this cross-1 pattern allows adjacent outbound spokes to touch at their cross point (and better take up any slack).

nils Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Visitor (new) Joined: 19 August 2007 Location: France Status: Offline Points: 7	Post Options Post Reply Quote nils Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 September 2025 at 9:57am
	mine is spoked this way
	CU nils

KM2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List BHPC Member Joined: 10 September 2008 Status: Offline Points: 170	Post Options Post Reply Quote KM2 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 September 2025 at 1:11pm
	Is the lacing pattern simply to obtain more triangulation of the spokes because the hubs were slightly narrower than, say the Ice hubs, which have spokes from both inside and outside the hub flange.