Spoke count?

[teamtrinity]

I'll be building up a wheelset the coming spring. It'll only be for crits, race day wheels. I weigh 125 lbs (race weight, right now I'm 135 lbs). I'll probably be using a 38mm carbon tubulars. Is a 20/20 spoke count a bad idea? I have 20/20 hubs that I acquired for cheap before really giving the spoke count any thought. I figure the 20 spoke front will be no problem. But what about the rear? Is 20 no good? Too much spoke tension? To much space between spokes?

Thoughts?

Thanks!

[Ypsylon]

20 spokes for the rear does sound low, especially for crits, but if someone can get away with it, it would be someone that weighs 57kg.

If you use a spoke with a large cross section and a stiff rim it won't be great, but maybe ok.

That being said, I'd consider using something deeper than 38mm for the wheel. It makes sense handling and aero wise, and if it's really not stiff enough for crit racing you could try and find a triathlete who doesn't need a stiff wheel and sell it.