Radially Staggered Lacing
Radial Staggered Lacing (RSL)
It all comes down to the question of stance and bracing angles. Wheel makers are all trying to create an isosceles triangle (or two equal right triangles) when an equal number of spokes are on each side. This aids in the equalization of spoke tension. This is where the wheel will get many of its positive or negative attributes. Because of the limits of the rear spacing and the fact that in that space you must have 8, 9, 10 and now 11 speeds (cogs), a disc brake rotor and room for caliper clearance it becomes very difficult to optimize.
Possible solutions to the problem:
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You can have a high/low flange on the hub – This moves the high flange spoke angle a few degrees more than the short flange
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You can have rim offset – this moves both left and right spokes in the same direction and gets you the largest benefit.
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You can “stack” the hub lacing if you have room. That will get you a little more width.
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You can have the spokes kiss or brace each other. That will gain some stiffness.
We looked at the problem from the outside in. What if we created a high/low flange effect on the rim and why hadn't anyone thought of this before.
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As with the high/low flange we were able to see a small change in bracing angle in the correct direction.​
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In addition to this the rim itself became stronger due to the large "box sections" in the design.
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The enhanced stiffness and strength allowed us to bring the weight to a respectable 410 grams considering its 25mm inner width and deep sections. This is an Enduro / Trail rim in 27.5.
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Finally, we were very happy with the aesthetic/optic or appearance of the rim. This is the comment we get most as riders are draw to it. As much as we love the technology people are drawn to the rim for its look.