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.

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.

They're heavy, flexible, and fragile.

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

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

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.

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?

Aerospokes =/= carbon fiber.

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

+1

+11

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.