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DT Aero spokes?

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,700
Champery, Switzerland
Is there a way to stop the spokes from twisting when bringing a wheel up to tension?

Is it ride-able with the twisted spokes?

I saw there is a special tool to stop the twisting but I don't have it and want to ride these wheels tomorrow. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
 

wood booger

Monkey
Jul 16, 2008
668
72
the land of cheap beer
a small crescent wrench works fine, use it in one hand and the spoke nipple wrench in the other to keep them from twisting when you bring the tension up. get the crescent as close to the nipple as possible.

You can also straighten spokes w/o changing tension by turning the cresent and spoke nipple in the same direction at the same time.
 

unskilled

Monkey
Jul 12, 2007
218
0
there are two tools, a small wrench looking thing there there is a black donut looking thing, kinda like a guitar slide with three different widths around the outside. its handy. useless for anything else
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,777
4,700
Champery, Switzerland
Thanks guys. I used Xy9ine's technique and they are ready. I got some DT 240 OS hubs laced to 721s. Nice and light but I am a little worried about the spokes. Anyway, I will see how they do soon enough. Thanks again for the help.
 

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
DT aerolite is the equivalent to the cx-ray and those two are probably the only bladed spokes I'd consider using for DH. Both companies do many other bladed spokes (like the ones linked above) but I wouldn't consider them for a wheel where durability is important. The good ones are expensive and for that reason I just stick to DT comps.
 

Beef Supreme

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2010
1,434
73
Hiding from the stupid
75 cents a spoke may be a good discount but 75 cents each is still pretty expensive for a spoke. Aside from that, they build up just fine and they hold up just fine.

You have to keep them from twisting like any other super thin gauge spoke. Contrary to the advice above, I just use needle nose pliers.
 

BmxConvert

Monkey
Aug 6, 2007
715
0
Longview, Washington
I've been on the same set of Aerolite spokes on my DH bike for 4 years. I finally had the resort to my spare wheelset after 4 nipples popped loose after 4 seasons and a week of hammering at Whistler.
I threw 4 nipples on when I got home and they're still running strong.
The advantage to Aerolite's is that you don't experience the wheel flex when you something like a Revolution or Supercomp but you get the weight benefit.