Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Why the Aerospoke hatred?

I notice a lot of people making fun of those with Aerospokes...it never seems to be any sort of criticism about their performance or build quality.....so why the hatred?

theyre heavy, trendy and trackstariffic for starters.

because opinions differ.

most (99% of) people have them for looks. i've never seen one on a track before. that's why they get hated on.

There are lots of wheels that people don't use on tracks....would a set of Mavic discs make more sense while riding down a city street just because you can see them on tracks? And people have lots of things on their bikes for looks and yet people don't pick on those things.

Because they are utterly pointless on the street. They shave hundredths of seconds off your lap time on the track, but you will never notice any improvement when using them on the street. Aerospokes will give you a rougher and nosier ride, slower acceleration, and increased stopping difference. But of course, anyone who uses them on the street hasn't ridden a bike long enough to understand such things.

Why do people ride aerospokes on the street? For looks, and nothing else. I have a set of old Specialized carbon tri-spokes on my century bike (an old Marin triatholon bike). My century route has no stops or pauses along it's entire distance, and I ride for time, so they aren't a bad choice. No acceleration, no braking, just steady speed over a very long distance. In such a situation they are a good choice. The rear tri spoke is threaded on both sides, so it can be used with a fixed cog or a freewheel, so I could easily use them on my fixie, but I'm not "cool" enough to bother.

I'll admit they are on the heavy side. I mounted one the other day and was shocked at how heavy the front end of my bike is. If you like the look of it who cares what other people think.

Because they are utterly pointless on the street. They shave hundredths of seconds off your lap time on the track, but you will never notice any improvement when using them on the street. Aerospokes will give you a rougher and nosier ride, slower acceleration, and increased stopping difference. But of course, anyone who uses them on the street hasn't ridden a bike long enough to understand such things.

Why do people ride aerospokes on the street? For looks, and nothing else. I have a set of old Specialized carbon tri-spokes on my century bike (an old Marin triatholon bike). My century route has no stops or pauses along it's entire distance, and I ride for time, so they aren't a bad choice. No acceleration, no braking, just steady speed over a very long distance. In such a situation they are a good choice. The rear tri spoke is threaded on both sides, so it can be used with a fixed cog or a freewheel, so I could easily use them on my fixie, but I'm not "cool" enough to bother.

I rode them (I had a wheelset not just a front) for over a year and a half on the street and loved them. They are not noisy and don't give a rougher, but every other point is valid about them being heavy, slow to accelerate, and longer stopping distances needed (but I had a brake on). I bought them for looks AND for how durable I heard they were (which they are. I rode them like they should be ridden. I didn't do tricks). I did a century tour with them and I didn't find them to be a hassle. The only reason I sold them was because I bought a wheelset that was more suitable for the rain and it would've be an extra wheelset just lying around. I found they were great for strength training and didn't mind the weight at all. Would I buy them again having experienced a "real" wheelset now? No, but I don't think you should say that all who ride them don't know what they are doing.

if you accidentally hit a pothole at a moderate speed they'll pretty much explode.

I notice a lot of people making fun of those with Aerospokes...it never seems to be any sort of criticism about their performance or build quality.....so why the hatred?

They're heavy, flexible, and fragile.

ugly as sin, but they'd make a decent boat anchor.

if you accidentally hit a pothole at a moderate speed they'll pretty much explode.

well yeah dude carbon fiber always explodes catastrophically what do you think we are a bunch of noobs here???

if you accidentally hit a pothole at a moderate speed they'll pretty much explode.

What would happen to an ultra lightweight wheelset with this same pothole? I bet you'de be walking home either way.

because anything that puts fashion over function on an entity that's so reliant on function deserves to be mocked inherrently.

Life in North America and pretty much all of the 1st and 2nd world, is fashion over function.............unless your living "off the grid" ..
Whether you like to believe it or not

who cares ride them if you want to.
but they are heavy and when they fail holy **** bad news but not as bad as Spinergy wheels

No hate here. I think they look cool, but I'm a child of the Skyway-heavy 1980s BMX scene. For me, that's all it is though: they *look* cool. They don't do anything for me that a regular wheel doesn't already do.

I notice a lot of people making fun of those with Aerospokes...it never seems to be any sort of criticism about their performance or build quality.....so why the hatred?

For every trend... there is an inevitable backlash.

Here is a brief history of the Aerospoke, as related by a 10 year veteran messenger to me:

-long ago, they were actually somewhat of a 'legit' race wheek. This was in a time when people didn't really know dick about what was actually aero.
-they fell out of favor for nearly everyone as they were a) heavy b) flexible and c) untrueable.
-eventually, messengers noticed they were being blown out on sales for so cheap (think $25 a wheel used, $80 new) that it made sense to ride them because once they were toast from hard riding, you wouldn't have much invested in them and could get another anyway.
-people emulate the messenger look, Aerospoke fashion catches on with the hip.
-inevitable Aerospoke backlash.

Thanks for the schooling Andre, and it makes sense. What about HED trispokes?

well yeah dude carbon fiber always explodes catastrophically what do you think we are a bunch of noobs here???

Aerospokes =/= carbon fiber.

Aerospokes =/= carbon fiber.

you keep your "facts" to yourself buddy, or your FACE is gonna explode catastrophically!

because anything that puts fashion over function on an entity that's so reliant on function deserves to be mocked inherrently.

+1

because anything that puts fashion over function on an entity that's so reliant on function deserves to be mocked inherrently.

+11

Thanks for the schooling Andre, and it makes sense. What about HED trispokes?

Tri Spokes (Specialized/HED) are legitimately aerodynamic and the design that's been around since the 80's has more or less remaimed one of the most aerodynamic designs up to this day. They never fell out of favor with the racing crowd and have been a staple in triathlons and time trials. Also see them at the track, though the pros use Mavic IO's.

It used to be easier to find Tri Spokes at a deal from what I understand, now the market is more inflated with a lot of people buyin them on the street. Me, I got a deal on one for $200, figured it was too good to pass up. I ride it on the street though not daily by any means and can see easily how it's less than practical - the way it picks up cross winds is not that safe at all in traffic, so it's best to keep them at home on windy days. I'll admit it's for looks on the street, but I also race it on the track as it's my only tubular wheel and is noticeably faster and better handling in a race when I have the tire pumped up to 160psi (vs. 120 for clinchers).

Also, apparently Tri Spokes can be trued, but I'm gonna call HED and ask myself.

Edit: just called HED. Rear Tri Spokes CAN be trued to an extent. Front HEDs no, but Specialized Tri Spokes were designed to be interchangeable front/rear so there'd be a possibility for them. BFSSFG t will now explode in 3, 2, 1...

when will the term hipster die.

if you accidentally hit a pothole at a moderate speed they'll pretty much explode.

Wrong.

I have had Spinergy wheels, Aerospoke wheels, 36 hole spoke wheels, 32 hole spoke wheels, disc wheels, etc. and never once did any of them explode from hitting a pothole at an above moderate speed. I rode the Spinergy Rev X wheels (front and back) for 6 months and put over 1000 miles on them, still as solid and true as when I received them used with well over 5000 miles on them.

I'm not buying into the hype of exploding wheels, tragic losses and catastrophic failure.

People need to just chill out and not worry about what other people do and just ride their bicycles.


Ride the wheels for aesthetics, pleasure, weight, who the **** cares.

where's dutret when you need him?

because anything that puts fashion over function on an entity that's so reliant on function deserves to be mocked inherrently.

Considering your bike is black and the least visible colour you could ride in traffic, you're putting yourself at marginally increased risk over someone riding a yellow bike for the sake of fashion.

I assume as well that you never leave the house unless you're clad head to toe in lycra :rolleyes:


Alot of people bash arospoks because they want everyone to know how untrendy they as fixed gear riders are. It's just a camoflaged version of hipster bashing, and it's dorky as all hell.

I donno...are they any heavier than Velocity Deep-V's? How about crosswinds?


I almost got put into the ground once because I picked my hands up off of my bars to wipe my sweat off my face and the wind blew. (with Deep-V's)

They were cool with the cool kids. They got some more widespread popularity, making them uncool. Now they're made fun of.

Just like everything else that is part of an "alternative" or edgy scene.

Considering your bike is black and the least visible colour you could ride in traffic, you're putting yourself at marginally increased risk over someone riding a yellow bike for the sake of fashion.

I assume as well that you never leave the house unless you're clad head to toe in lycra :rolleyes:


Alot of people bash arospoks because they want everyone to know how untrendy they as fixed gear riders are. It's just a camoflaged version of hipster bashing, and it's dorky as all hell.

One could easily argue that flashy colours attract thieves, and hence, black is a functional choice.

Lycra is not work appropriate, makes carrying your wallet and keys more difficult, and is, in general, just not very functional when tooling around town.

I've heard they're heavy but just in holding them they don't feel noticably heavier than deep v's plus I've always heard that they were pretty fast. I'm old and fat so there's nothing remotely "hip" about me. I'll try 'em out and see what I think. I'm not trying to impress anyone....I just like riding fast and I need something that'll hold my weight.

One could easily argue that flashy colours attract thieves, and hence, black is a functional choice.

A more functional choice would have been to cover up his decals with hockey tape to make the bike even less attractive to thieves. But he just had to let everyone know he had a nice bike :rolleyes:

It was an example anyway

Lycra is not work appropriate, makes carrying your wallet and keys more difficult, and is, in general, just not very functional when tooling around town.

rear jersey pockets have plenty of room for keys, wallet, tools, tube, etc. lycra shorts with a t-shirt on the other hand...

A more functional choice would have been to cover up his decals with hockey tape to make the bike even less attractive to thieves. But he just had to let everyone know he had a nice bike :rolleyes:

It was an example anyway

Examples are supposed to make sense.

Made perfect sense as mentioned above. If you can't be bothered to use the tinyest bit of logical processing to figure it out, don't come turning it around on me.

when will the term hipster die.

When people stop complaining about hipsters, they will cease to be.

A more functional choice would have been to cover up his decals with hockey tape to make the bike even less attractive to thieves. But he just had to let everyone know he had a nice bike :rolleyes:

It was an example anyway

****, if I were a thief I'd go trolling for the nicest black/silver bikes I could find. Why would I want to steal a bike with a unique color?

Made perfect sense as mentioned above. If you can't be bothered to use the tinyest bit of logical processing to figure it out, don't come turning it around on me.

Alright,

"Considering your bike is black and the least visible colour you could ride in traffic, you're putting yourself at marginally increased risk over someone riding a yellow bike for the sake of fashion."

First of all, black is very visible during the day but not at night, just as white is very visible at night but not during the day. Regardless, it's possible that yellow was simply not an option for the frame he was set on. What is the more functional choice? Basing your purchase on color or quality? That sounds a lot like picking an inferior wheel over a superior one for a perceived superficial benefit.

At any rate, we're now discussing apples and oranges. Riding on an aerospoke vs. riding a laced wheel is an A or B question. You buy one or you buy the other. Riding a nice quality bike vs. riding a lesser quality bike or painting a nice quality bike with a nice quality paint job or wrapping a quality bike in hockey tape is an A or B or A+C or A+D issue. Hardly an apt comparison.

"I assume as well that you never leave the house unless you're clad head to toe in lycra :rolleyes:"

Like I said, lycra is more functional on fitness rides, but for tooling around town it's not always ideal. Comfortable? Sure. But if you're going to work, shopping, hitting a bar... Even if you sweat was wicked away nicely the whole way there and your bum feels nice and comfy, you're unlikely to feel all that comfortable once you arrive. These are all things you can do on a bike, and all things I wouldn't want to do while clad in lycra, even though I do wear it, head to to, when I'm out riding for riding's sake.

Carry a change of clothes, you say? I don't want to. I consider having to carry extra clothes around less functional than riding in my regular clothes.

Besides, that's a completely unfair example. You won't be publicly mocked for riding on a laced wheel rather than an aerospoke, whereas the same cannot be said for, say, going to a soccer game, or visiting a dying relative while clad in lycra.

Granted, they're both essentially still issues of fashion, but in terms of severity, they're from Venus and Mars, respectively.

Riding on an aerospoke vs. riding a laced wheel is an A or B question. You buy one or you buy the other.

Right, cuz there's only the 2 kinds of wheels, Aerospoke or laced.

Personally, I want one, for the Skyway reason. But not for $300.

Personally, I want one, for the Skyway reason.

I would fully rock them for that same reason...

...but only for free. :D

You can always wear bike shorts under your regular pants. Works fine for tooling around town, not recommended for long haul rides. As for the sweaty shirt... light colors keep you cooler in the sun.

When it comes to fixed gear ridin they are PURELY for looks.

But i like them, so I'm not hating.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2010/1906445539_f6a29b1015.jpg?v=0

i'd sue MASH for telling you it was OK to try at home.

http://store.paigewire.com/images/specpics/DUCT-TAPE-3M.jpg

hahahaha....good one

No hate on the Aerospoke, they look pretty fancy. I was actually thinking of getting one, but spending 300 on just one wheel i think is kinda nuts, knowing now of its lack of function reassures my plans to not buying one.

You could practically buy a brand new Pista for a price of a set.

how is that any better?

I think its funny because the spokes usually cost more than the frame.

And it's not even suited for road use....

It's like some lame guy putting crazy rims on his stanza POS. You look like a re-re who wants to impress. Rock that **** to the coffee shop... but god knows you're easy to drop.