special spokes
#1
Thread Starter
oh crap!
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 95
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From: Stockholm
Bikes: Bianchi pista since my kona jts was stolen...
special spokes
Ok, I'm looking for a special kind of spokes I saw somewhere on the interweb a couple of weeks ago.
They were aerospokes for regular hubs, it's kinda hard to explain so I made a quick picture so you might understand.

That's what they looked like (kinda)...so you thread the "wrong" end of the spoke through the holes in the hub, which enables you to have wider aerospokes!
They were aerospokes for regular hubs, it's kinda hard to explain so I made a quick picture so you might understand.

That's what they looked like (kinda)...so you thread the "wrong" end of the spoke through the holes in the hub, which enables you to have wider aerospokes!
#3
Thread Starter
oh crap!
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 95
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From: Stockholm
Bikes: Bianchi pista since my kona jts was stolen...
Yeah, hoshi would do it I think, but I'm pretty sure the bend was like on my image.
Where can i get hoshis? I googled but I didn't find any shop that carried them.
And does hoshis exist in black?
Where can i get hoshis? I googled but I didn't find any shop that carried them.
And does hoshis exist in black?
#4
Originally Posted by Sheldon Brown
There was a fad in the early '90s for Hoshi "blades" which had a double bend instead of a conventional head. This allowed the spokes to be inserted "head first" into the hub flange, so that they could be used with normal hubs. Unfortunately, they turned out to be prone to breakage, and I can't recommend them.
#6
I have a front wheel that I think has Hoshi spokes, but the bend is the other way, more of a flat Z. The end aims at the axle of the hub. Hub is laced radial out. Are these Hoshis? Silver, not black.
Last edited by vpiuva; 02-24-07 at 05:27 PM.
#7
Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2003
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From: Atlanta
Bikes: Zeus (Razesa) tarck, Giant TCR road, Eddy Merckx road, Fuji Touring Series IV for everything else
Not to derail the thread, but I happen to have a copy of the The Bicycle Wheel next to my bed.
"Although [headless or "zig-zag" spokes] are easier to replace when they break next to the freewheel, and flat spokes of this type do not require slotted flanges, the cost of getting rid of the spoke head is that these spokes tend to squirm their way out of their flanges under high tension. If tension is kept low to avoid this weakness, wheel strength is compromised" -Jobst Brandt.
Although those aren't the zig-zag variety, I still don't think I'd trust the strength of the bend vs. a traditional head. And I don't see how they'd allow you to thread them backward unless all of the spokes left the hub from the inside of the flange which would only allow you to do radial lacing which requires very high tension which brings us back to the squirming problem.
*deep breath*
so...yeah...
"Although [headless or "zig-zag" spokes] are easier to replace when they break next to the freewheel, and flat spokes of this type do not require slotted flanges, the cost of getting rid of the spoke head is that these spokes tend to squirm their way out of their flanges under high tension. If tension is kept low to avoid this weakness, wheel strength is compromised" -Jobst Brandt.
Although those aren't the zig-zag variety, I still don't think I'd trust the strength of the bend vs. a traditional head. And I don't see how they'd allow you to thread them backward unless all of the spokes left the hub from the inside of the flange which would only allow you to do radial lacing which requires very high tension which brings us back to the squirming problem.
*deep breath*
so...yeah...
#9
Sheldon Brown's posse
Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Oz-tray-lee-ah
Bikes: BMC SL01, XtC, Rhythm GX and a frankenstein avalanche 2.0
The bike shop that my friend just bought has a couple of hundred Hoshi blades. I don't think they'll be used anytime soon either.





