You are reading a single comment by @!Nhattattack! and its replies.
Click here to read the full conversation.
London Fixed Gear and Single-Speed is a community of predominantly fixed gear and single-speed cyclists in and around London, UK.
This site is supported almost exclusively by donations. Please consider donating a small amount regularly.
@!Nhattattack!
I love what schraner say's about them.
the twisting of spokes, instead of the classic crossing work, is a waste of time for road use. Tests have shown that it results in a very unstable wheel. The lateral stability is about the same as a normally spoked wheel, but, radially, the wheel reacts so sluggishly that encounters with momentary radial overloads (bumps in the road)the highly praised damping effect is delayed.
The exercise is only useful for trial sport, where the bike is momentarily held at a standstill after hard landings and hopping tricks.
Twisted spoking patterns are not only unaesthetic, but are an additional mechanical disadvantage resulting from the extreme angle of the spoke directly at the nipple.
Every serious wheel builder who has ever practiced this kind of spoking pattern has sworn to refrain from repeating the error.
Yet, young bike freaks and mechanics seem to like this kind of spoking pattern. My advice: Leave them at it and the them continue to show their enjoyment and enthusiasm in this way. It's better to see them rolling spokes than rolling joints.
Love it.
BTW, Mr Major, do try and lighten up. I think I understand how you feel. You haven't been in the bike trade long, and it's nice to know more about stuff than some one else, to feel like your opinion really counts for something. I think a lot us have done this, I know I'm guilty. It much more worthwhile just being nice and keeping an open mind. You'll learn more this way, and all the people that you are kind to will be more willing to do you favors (buy you a drink, which I happen to know is the main motivation for a bike mechanic to do anything) in the future.