Perry Schebel - this is correct. The hub is supported by the tension in the spoke or two at the bottom. These lose some, but not all tension when the rim deflects upwards at the bottom. The remaining spokes do not support the hub. A wheel being a tensioned structure has highest tension with no load on it. The loads applied by a rider lessen the tension on those bottom spokes.
June 6, 2019, 12:49 p.m. - Vik Banerjee
Perry Schebel - this is correct. The hub is supported by the tension in the spoke or two at the bottom. These lose some, but not all tension when the rim deflects upwards at the bottom. The remaining spokes do not support the hub. A wheel being a tensioned structure has highest tension with no load on it. The loads applied by a rider lessen the tension on those bottom spokes.