Quoth Ken Freeman:
>First, I don't see too many high-flange sets that are not Tipo.
"Tipo" means "type" or "model." It is not a specific model
designation. You're probably referring to "Nuovo Tipo": "new type."
>the drilling combination is unique.
No, it is far from unique.
32/40 was the standard spoking for British bikes for many decades, ending in the late '60s.
It was actually quite a bit superior to the 36/36 setup used by the rest of the world. The only downside was that people had to deal with two rim drillings.
The resulting wheel pairs weighed exactly the same as 36/36, but they were stronger in practice. (Nobody ever has problems with front wheels, and the extra 4 spokes in back make for a noticeably stronger wheel.)
Generally these even used the same spoke lengths front and rear, because they would be laced cross 4 in back, cross 3 in front.
It was a sad day when the British industry gave up on their superior setup.
Sheldon "32/40 Or Fight" Brown
+---------------------------------------------------------+
| If you have the same number of spokes front and rear, |
| either the front wheel is heavier than it needs to be |
| Or the rear wheel is weaker than it should be. |
+---------------------------------------------------------+
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