Until the early 80s pretty much all bikes came with 36 spoke wheels front and rear. Over the years, spoke counts decreased to the current standard of 32 spokes per wheel. These days, 28, 24, and even 16 spoke wheels are becoming common on lightweight road bikes. The ideal spoke count depends on a number of factors including the type of riding you do, how much weight you carry, and the quality of the components you use. This guide lists the pros and cons of using 32 vs 36 spoke wheels for mountain biking, bicycle touring, road biking, and commuting. We’ll cover wheel strength, weight, aerodynamics, cost, durability, reliability, and more. We’ll also talk a bit about wheel components including hubs, rims, different types of spokes, lacing patterns, and more. Hopefully, this guide helps you choose the best wheels for the type of cycling you do.
What’s the Difference Between 32 Spoke and 36 Spoke Bike Wheels?
Bicycle wheels are made up of 3 main components: the rim, the hub, and the spokes. The difference between 32 and 36 spoke wheels is the number of holes drilled in the hubs and rims and the number of spokes that are used to build the wheels.
32 spoke wheels use rims and hubs with 32 holes. 36 spoke wheels use rims and hubs with 36 holes. The spokes thread through the holes. 36 spoke wheels have 4 more spokes than 32 spoke wheels. The difference in the number of spokes affects the strength, weight, durability, and aerodynamics of the wheel.
The hole count is often abbreviated with the letter H. H stands for hole. For example, a hub or rim that is designed for 32 spoke wheels will be sold as 32H. It will have 32 spoke holes. A hub or rim designed for 36 spoke wheels will be sold as 36H.
If you’re buying parts to build your own wheels, you’ll want to make sure the spoke hole count on your hubs and rims matches to ensure the parts are compatible. If you want to build 36 spoke wheels, you need 36 spoke rims and hubs. You can’t build 32 spoke wheels with 36 spoke parts. You need to have a spoke in every hole to build strong, round wheels.
32 Vs 36 Spoke Wheels
These days, the difference in performance between 32 spoke and 36 spoke wheels is minimal due to improvements in materials and wheel component designs. That said, there are still cases where one spoke count is better than the other. In this section, I’ll outline the benefits and drawbacks of 32 vs 36 spoke bike wheels.
Wheel Strength
36 spoke wheels are stronger than 32 spoke wheels. A wheel with a higher spoke count is stronger than a wheel with a lower spoke count. This is assuming that the rim, hub, materials, component quality, and build quality are all equal.
Wheels with more spokes are stronger because the extra spokes can better distribute the weight of the bike and rider across the wheel. While riding, each spoke carries less weight when there are more spokes. The spokes can also be run at lower tension. Spokes under less stress are less likely to bend or break.
The extra spokes also help to distribute forces from bumps, acceleration, braking, and cornering across the wheel. If you hit a pothole with a high spoke count wheel, the force may be distributed among 7 spokes rather than 5. Each individual spoke is exposed to less stress as a result.
Because 36 spoke wheels are stronger, they are less likely to bend, flex, crack, or warp. Spokes are also less likely to break. 36 spoke wheels are more durable and reliable than 32 spoke wheels.
Wheel strength is particularly important for the rear wheel. The reason is that the rear wheel encounters more lateral force due to the weight distribution of the bike. More of the rider’s weight sits toward the rear of the bike, on the rear wheel. The front wheel doesn’t have to support as much weight so it doesn’t have to be as strong.
The rear wheel also has to deal with drive forces from the chain. These forces travel through the spokes to power the rear wheel. The front wheel doesn’t have to deal with drive forces, only braking forces.
In addition, rear wheels are not symmetrically dished on most bikes. This is because there needs to be extra space for the cogs on the drive side of the wheel. This asymmetrical design makes rear wheels weaker than symmetrical front wheels.
For these reasons, it can be beneficial to run a stronger 36 spoke wheel in the rear.
The number of spokes isn’t the only factor that determines wheel strength. The wheel size, build quality, the materials the components are made of, and component quality also play a big role in overall wheel strength. For example, smaller diameter wheels are stronger than larger diameter wheels. A 26” wheel is structurally stronger than a 29” wheel. Double-wall and triple-wall rims are stronger than single-wall rims. Stainless steel spokes are stronger than carbon-steel spokes. Larger diameter hubs make for stronger wheels than smaller diameter hubs. Build quality is also crucial. A 32 spoke wheel that was built by a professional wheel builder with a high-end hub, rim, and spokes will be stronger than a low-end factory-built 36-spoke wheel. The spoke lacing pattern also plays a big role in wheel strength. The more times the spokes cross, the stronger the wheel will be.
Winner: 36 spoke wheels are stronger than 32 spoke wheels. The extra spokes help to distribute the weight of the rider and the forces generated from cycling across the wheel.
Wheel Weight
32 spoke wheels are slightly lighter than 36 spoke wheels. This is because there are 4 fewer spokes per wheel. On average, a steel spoke weighs 15 grams. In theory, a 32 spoke wheel should weigh 60 grams less than a 36 spoke wheel (15 grams per spoke x 4 spokes= 60 grams per wheel.) The maximum weight savings of using 32 spoke wheels instead of 36 spoke wheels is around 120 grams (60 grams per wheel).
This lighter weight is really the main selling point of lower spoke count wheels. Many riders choose wheels with fewer spokes in an attempt to reduce the weight of their bike.
This does make sense. The wheels are the best place to remove weight from your bike. Lighter wheels spin up faster and more easily because they have less rotating mass. It’s easier to accelerate and climb with a lighter bike because you’re moving less mass around. Lighter wheels make your bike faster and more efficient.