eddiec33

I shaved my pubes to go faster?

Gyeswho

this is a serious ? so no battering since i always wanted to know
why shave anyway (ex: armpits, pubes, legs)? it must be there for a reason right? other than a comfort/aestestics thing, is there any other reason to do it?

ryanlovesyou

It helps with road rash. Also, I've heard that pro racers do it because it makes it much easier to get their post-race massage.

deathhare

cooler body temp?

aussie_SS

That's a Power Tap read-out from the cranks.

mykrrrr

What if I need to get away from someone trying to co-opt my already co-opted existance??? I'd definitely need a smokescreen for that. Flamethrower is for targets in front of me not behind.

A wheel made completely out of a donut??? Now that's thinking outside the box!!!!

andre nickatina

kol.klink, Aerospokes aren't cheap. $300 could get you a handbuilt Deep V wheelset pretty easy, and you wouldn't be hauling nearly as much weight.

Tone_8

I realize this thread is a few years old, but I just came across it and it annoys me a great deal that a number of people are calling some messengers "hipsters" because they "say" they like to use Aerospokes for practical reasons.
Let me clarify something first... I do not ride track bikes, but I know plenty of professional full-time long-term messengers, who do ride track bikes. I actually ride a long-tail cargo bike, and did so for many years when I worked as a messenger in New York City... and I used Aerospoke brand front & back wheels on my cargo bike.
I used Aerospokes not so much for supposed aerodynamic reasons, but because they were bomb-proof. I have carried so much stuff on my bike and they never failed me. People on this thread seem to be forgetting something about Aerospokes... you do not have to true them! Imagine if you had to pay your rent and feed yourself by working at a totally commission-based job, which you completely depended on your bike for. You would want your bike to NOT fail on you! You would want it as low-maintenance as possible to take on all types of weather and heavy NYC traffic on a daily basis. Fixed bikes are as low maintenance as possible, but in my own case with my cargo bike even I kept my bike down to two or three gears up-front for less maintenance issues in the rear wheel.
Apart from never having to true an Aerospoke wheel... the benefits in locking through an Aerospoke wheel are TOTALLY accurate. Anyone, who argues against that point, has never had to lock and unlock a bike 50-100 times in a day. In New York City especially, most messengers use 3' long Kryptonite chains for extra security reasons compared to U-locks. A chain is that much harder to run through a conventional wire-spoke wheel than an Aerospoke, and a chain causes a lot more damage over time (more truing necessary), especially if you are in a super rush and you end up pulling the chain through fast. Also, if you are out in freezing conditions, the less cold and possibly wet metal you have to physically manipulate a chain through with your fingers is almost worth it on its own.
Most messengers will lock up their front wheel and frame with a lock. If you are riding a track bike, this allows you to keep a quick-release wheel up front for easier flat fixes. With a track bike, you can not really run a quick-release rear wheel for various reasons, so bolts are necessary. Most thieves-of-opportunity will not want to bother with stealing only a rear wheel if it needs specific tools to remove.

I do not know why some people are saying Aeropsokes are cheap. The name-brand quality 5-spoke carbon-fiber Aerospokes are definitely NOT cheap, so I do not know what people are talking about. Any thief in his or her right mind would try to steal one, even if it was bolted on instead of quick-release. That is yet another reason why messengers would not bother with one in the rear, since they lock up their front wheel and frame.
Another reason for not having the rear wheel, which some people have stated, is because Aerospokes can not really stand up to fixed-gear usage. They might be fine on the track, but imagine having to brake constantly in traffic with just your rear fixed-wheel as your brake. The carbon-fiber simply will not stand up over the daily constant and harsh usage, which a messenger would put it through.

So... sure an Aerospoke looks cool, but if you are calling hard working full-time professional messengers "trendy"... you have no idea what you are talking about. By the way, for the record I am no longer a messenger since I have moved to Pennsylvania, but I still ride my cargo bike with my Aerospokes. I only changed them once when I upgraded to disc brake models, but other than that I have had the same ones for over several years and lots of usage... and without ever having to true them! If that kind of usage on a cargo bike does not stand up to the argument for the practicality of Aeropsokes rather than just cool looks, then you can look at my current sweet ride here:
https://www.cranksgiving.net/xs/DLG-LitOnPorch.jpg
or my older set up here:
https://www.cranksgiving.net/xs/lunarload-angle.jpg
If you do not think that proves genuine Aerospokes are bomb-proof, then try that same load on a typical spoked wheel.

Ride safe,
_TONE_

BATMANs

I like my Aerospoke:

discoattheprom

That bike looks like a banana.

rustybrown

That bike looks wicked fast.

hairnet

too bad the handle bar is almost level with the saddle

rustybrown

Set up for comfort in the drops. Always aero.

BATMANs

You are correct.

My back injury limits the my movement where I'm not as limber for the more aggressive position

JesusBananas

What a random double thread resurrection.

conbon

They are rotating mass, or as I like to call it rotating momentum. Same theory 29'rs make better single speeds that 26'rs, the extra rotating mass keeps up your momentum. Makes running tarck gearing on the streetz easier.

They're cheap and look cool...

-Connor

seejohnbike

sort of...

heavier (rotating) mass will make it easier to maintain speed, however it will make acceleration and deceleration harder.

they're also heavy, flexy, not particularly aerodynamic, and untruable.

function > form. If you happen to already have them, rock them till they can't be rocked no more. If you can pick them up for a deal scrod would be proud of, a wheel's a wheel. Otherwise, there are better options out there...

[/picking nits]

WoundedKnee

I thought they weren't actually carbon fiber? Sorry to bust your bubble. I'm more interested in your Xtracycle at this point.

seejohnbike

they're not. (at least, I don't believe so)

they're billed as a carbon composite wheel (so says their website), but nowhere does it say carbon fiber. If it was true carbon fiber, it would certainly be described as such, as it's a definite selling point. technically, I think carbon fiber is indeed a carbon composite, but not all carbon composites are carbon fiber. Kind of like a square is a rectangle, a rectangle isn't necessarily a square.

furthermore, nowhere on their website is an actual tech page describing any technology developed for use in their wheels. (although it does describe the charcoal colored wheels as "carbon fiber colored". emphasis mine.) their biggest selling point seems to be testimonials about their wheels, which is fine on its own, but not so much when testimonials become the only real selling point...

Tomo_Ishi

Geez, I didn't know that. But it's good for me. I've nearly perfected my lacing and truing skillz. Me and my spoke key now haz an intimate relationship. Always a finger tip away and all. Heehee.

conbon

I believe they are carbon composite. Think of carbon fiber as a 2x4 with all the strands running the same direction, being light, stiff, and expensive. Now think of carbon composite like a sheet of plywood made from all the left over scraps mixed with glue and made into a shape, heavy, flimsy, cheap as dirt. This is the same reason that specialized trispokes (carbon composite) go for a couple hundred dollars used, while HED3's (carbon fiber) still go for probably $400 or more used, even though the wheels themselves are identical.

I think the aerospoke would have been a lot more popular wheel if it was made with true carbon fiber, definitly would have been a lot lighter and stronger, but I'd be scared to see how much they'd want for one then (probably more than a HED3).

-Connor

Squirrelli

HED3 = Specialized Tri Spoke.

cZa

I belive your thinking of partical board, The cross stranding of plywood Is what gives it it's strength in certain applications. And strength to weight plywood is up their in the lumbar family.

conbon

Same design, but they are not the same wheel. Specialized originally made them out of carbon composite, then when HED bought the patent they started making them out of carbon fiber, which is why they are more expensive then trispokes.

-Connor

happycheapskate

I don't know but I think its FUGLY.

They want way too much for one wheel, also. Maybe its some kind of silly fashion to only have the mag front wheel.

aerospoke front wheels...why?