BSNYC Interview: Aerospoke Speaks!

On Monday I reported on the Aerospoke Crisis of 2007. Well, after breaking one of the biggest cycling news stories ever, I found myself actually wanting to know more about them. Aerospoke has been around for a long time, so I thought it would be interesting to hear how the fixed-gear trend has affected them as a company. I emailed them and Bill Micol was kind enough to agree to answer some questions by email. I present them below.

(Yes, this is a departure from the kind of material you usually find here, but fixed-gears and Aerospokes have been a hot topic lately. Yes, this is a real interview. And no, I did not receive free Aerospokes or any other compensation, so if you’re looking for a pair don’t come to me. This town’s still dry.)

Thanks, Bill, and thanks everybody for reading.

--BSNYC


What is your role in the company?

The wheels are my domain. We do other things at our facility, but I have a hand in everything that has to do with the wheels, from manufacturing to technical support to sales for the last 18 years.

When and how did Aerospoke begin?

Since the 70s, Ed Giroux, the owner of Aerospoke, has had a successful business building investment casting and plastic injection molds, as well as other kinds of tooling. His hobby was, and still is, triathlon, so that is how the whole wheel idea was conceived. 1988 saw the first prototypes and we started shipping mid-1989. Ed still competes, in fact, he took first in his age group at Ironman Louisville recently and will be competing in Ironman Hawaii soon.

What sets Aerospokes apart from other popular pre-built wheelsets, past and present?

We have been known for our strength and durability from the beginning. Our customers have come to depend on us for that. Many people come to us who have a history of destroying wheels because of how they ride, or, they may be too heavy (I call them gravity-challenged) for some of the very lightweight wheels on the market. In addition, you do not have to true the Aerospoke wheel, so that is a great feature for those who want to ride and not fiddle with spokes. The wheels are also reasonably priced for a carbon wheel and they are made right here in Michigan. We do use Velocity aluminum rim extrusions made in Australia and bearings made in Asia, but other than that, everything is done here.

Are Aerospokes UCI legal?

Yes.

What kind of aero advantage does an Aerospoke offer vs. other wheels?

The spokes are airfoil shaped, so they cut through the wind nicely, especially when they are up to speed. We are not big on performance testing in a lab, as real world conditions are hard to duplicate. The positive response we get from our customers is the data we like. Having some world records set on our wheels is nice too.

Your wheels have become very popular with the new crop of fixed-gear riders. When did you first notice this?

We did make fixed-gear stuff many years ago. We sold some now and then, but no major numbers. I would get requests from time to time to do the wheels again, but we had no idea how big it would be. This time, I had all of the first couple batches spoken for before they were even made, and this was before it was ever announced that we were going to make them! Gina at King Kog in NY and Travis at the Freewheel in San Francisco had a lot to do with this.
When the word got out, it spread like wildfire and the response has been overwhelming. I see wheels in my sleep. It's nice to be busy, but I must admit that it has been frustrating trying to keep up with demand, especially when I was so used to being more responsive. We have added people, but the wheels are hand-made and labor-intensive and there is only so many that can be made in a day, regardless of how many people are here. We have been backordering the 700c wheels since early Spring.

I don't want to come off sounding like I'm complaining, however. We feel lucky to be so busy, especially being in a state that is bleeding manufacturing jobs.

To what do you attribute this popularity?

I've been afraid to question this, as I am afraid I might jinx myself. I don't know, maybe the fixed-gear crowd is in tune with what we are all about; durability, low-maintenance, and asthetics. I've talked to messengers who told me that not having to maintain and adjust derailleurs and brakes is key in their line of work. So, I guess a wheel that does not have a bunch of maintenance points (spoke nipples) is appealing.

Fixed-gear riders seem often to use Aerospokes on the front only. Why do you think this is?

I have seen some pictures of riders with them only on the front, but I honestly don't know why. I know some people ordered our standard front road wheel, before we had bolt-on, and used the locking skewers. At that time, we had nothing available for the rear. However, we still sell more front than rear, so ??

Some fixed-gear riders use their bicycles aggressively in an urban environment. Do you think Aerospokes are a good choice for this application? Do you recommend them over, say, a pair of well-built traditional wire-spoke wheels?

I've seen pictures of people airborne and it makes me a little nervous, but it seems to me that most riders know the limitations of their equipment. Pushing the envelope can cause problems for equipment in any sport and I think that they know and accept this. The wheels are tough and hold up well. We don't underbuild.

Are you planning to implement any changes in your wheels that take this new group of customers into account? Can we expect to see built-in spoke card holders anytime soon?

The wheels have constantly evolved over the last 18 years. We don't change things that work just to have something "new" for marketing purposes. We try to make a wheel that works for the largest number of consumers, including heavier riders and riders who ride in varied conditions.

Has uber-curmudgeon and serial retrogrouch Jobst Brandt ever tried to sabotage your headquarters, and if so are your armed guards under direct orders to shoot him on sight?

Yes, he showed up one day and staged a sit-in; lying down in front of our UPS truck.
Kidding... Actually, we have his wheel-building book here. I don't have a problem with, and I'm not out to bash traditional wheels. They have worked well for a long time. I think, however, that we offer a great alternative that addresses some issues with traditional wheels.

I’m sure you’re pleased that your wheels have been enjoying a new level of popularity, but are there certain qualities of your wheels you think are underappreciated or overlooked?

Many overlook us because of our weight, that is the biggest issue. This industry caters to the weight-weenies, but we have filled a void for many riders who are looking for something more than a wheel that looks good on the scale.

Well, nice typing at ya! I have to get back to work and make some wheels, I love the smell of carbon in the morning!
Bill Micol
Aerospoke

Black Monday: The Aerospoke Crisis

(This is now an endangered species!!!)

I'm usually not one to overreact. The sub-prime mortgage crisis, global warming, poison toys from China--I take these things in stride. So as I checked in with the various news outlets this morning, it was with the usual casual detachment--until I clicked over to kingkog.com and read this:

Attention customers interested in Aerospoke wheels:

Due to the high demand in these wheels there is a 2 week wait time. The Aerospoke Company themselves can not keep up with the orders. The availability of them is constantly fluxuating! From a 2-4 day wait time to a possible 3 week wait time. Especially orders with powdercoating. I have them available online to order, But at this time it is only for pre orders. If you need it to show up in less time please do not order from here.

Now I was scared. A worldwide Aerospoke shortage is about the most horrifying scenario I can contemplate. I was just about to hit the streets and start looting when it occurred to me to check the Aerospoke website. I mean, just because King Kog doesn't have them doesn't mean they're really not available, right?

Wrong.

700c--out of stock.

26 inch--out of stock!

20"--OUT OF STOCK!!!

Even tandem wheelsets are out of stock! (Yes, Aerospoke makes tandem wheelsets.)

Okay, no big deal, right? I can get one on eBay! There's nothing you can't get on eBay. You can get a wood-rimmed wheelset on eBay for a BIN of $425.

Guess what? Apart from a couple random sizes, you can't get them on eBay.

Like a cancer diagnosis after decades of smoking, the invasion of Pearl Harbor after a century of isolationism, or the day you finally admit to yourself that you should not have gotten that Whitesnake tattoo, this was the moment when the reality of the situation became undeniable and I realized that my life would be changed forever.

We can no longer keep our heads buried in the sand. We need to deal with the Aerospoke Crisis. People, we need to act! And while I'm only one person, I plan to do my part by brainstorming some temporary solutions. Here's what I've come up with so far:

1) IMPLEMENT THE LEND-A-SPOKE PROGRAM IMMEDIATELY

There are thousands of people all over America with brand-new track frames. They are slowly building these frames according to rigorous style guidelines in order to post them to internet photo galleries, and in some cases even ride them. However, a chilling number of these people are simply a front Aerospoke away from completing their rides and knowing the joys of fixed-gear cycling. If you are fortunate enough to already own an Aerospoke, lend it to one of these riders! If it's your only wheel, pass it back and forth so you can at least both ride every other day. And if you have more than one, for the love of God, give it to somebody! This is no time to be selfish!

2) STOP USING A BRAKE

Normally I'm a staunch advocate of front brake use when riding a fixed-gear on the road. However, in times like these we have to make sacrifices. While a front brake may be safe, it also wears out your braking surface. And we don't know how long this shortage is going to last. So until Aerospoke catches up on demand, I implore everybody to remove that brake, put on a beefy rear tire, and protect that precious Aerospoke! (Oh yeah--don't crash.)

3) FIND AN ALTERNATIVE WHEEL

Just like alternative fuel sources such as solar power, vegetable oil, and alcohol are no substitute for sweet, fragrant gasoline, no wheel can ever truly replace a powdercoated Aerospoke. However, right now we have no choice. Here are a few possibilities, along with their pros and cons:

Mavic iO:

Pros: Awesome looking!

Cons: Not NJS; tubular; costs $3,000

Spinergy Rev-X:





Pros: Awesome looking!; the Macarena of cycling wheels, they are a fad most would like to forget, and anyone who's got one laying around will probably pay you to take it.

Cons: No longer made or supported by Spinergy, so you don't get their world-famous warranty service (though you can trade them in for their latest crappy wheels); famous for exploding in a carbon-fiber hailstorm of Belfast confetti

Wheelchair Wheels:

Pros: Awesome looking!; comparable in price to Aerospokes; no unsightly braking surface; handrail has great potential for stunting

Cons: 25" size only good for pursuit bikes; Limited tire choice


If you have ideas, please share them. In the meantime, thanks for reading. Together we WILL get through this!

What I Learned On My Summer Vacation

A little over a week ago I left town a seething, petty, and judgmental person. But over the course of my vacation, the layers of disgust and psychic grime began to wash off. Gradually, without even realizing it was happening, I grew able to look at people and things (yes, bikes included) without finding them infuriating. In fact, the only reason I know now that this has happened is that since my return I've been reading my past posts and asking myself, "Who is this hateful person?"

Well, I'm happy to announce I've changed. In fact, I did a little test to prove it to myself. I went over to Velospace and Fixedgeargallery and checked out some of the recent entries. And like Alex in "A Clockwork Orange" after his treatement, I was simply unable to engage in hateful, spiteful behavior. And this was no easy test, either. Here are some examples of the bikes that taunted me, and that I gamely embraced with my new-found bike love:

I love that this bike is whimsically hanging from a set of monkey bars that set off its delightfully playful yellow and green color scheme. And when I take the red toe straps into account, it is tempting to consider the possibility that the owner chose these colors to show his allegiance to either Guyana, Bolivia, Ghana, or Togo. I love also that, while it is brakeless, it seems to have the stem shifters still attached. I also find the tiny BCD of the crankset endearing, and think the possibility that the yellow IROC in the background also belongs to the owner is exciting and thought-provoking. But most of all, I love the fact that another person is riding, and that bikes are fun! Yay!

Here's another one that in no way pissed me off. Like the last one, this one also has a crankset with a small BCD running a chainring that would be equally at home on a table saw. And I didn't mind the fact that the owner is using one of those delightful threaded-to-threadless adapters so he can use his shiny, pretty gold threadless stem that matches his shiny, pretty gold bars and shiny, pretty gold chain. I mean, what else do you do when you can't find a gold quill stem? And why shouldn't a drive chain be pretty and shiny, anyway? Of course there was a time before my vacation when I might make fun of the saddle, which does kind of look like a slice of cheese melting on top of a mop handle, you've got to admit; or the riser bars, which together with the seat angle probably make the rider's elbows stick out so it looks like he's doing some kind of chicken dance while he's riding. But I'm not going to do that. Nor am I going to mock the Aerospokes, which Nashbar couldn't give away until they became fashionable after enough people noticed messengers using them on the front because a chain passes more easily through them than through wire spokes and decided it looked cool. (I think the Aerospoke people were about to jump off a bridge with their own wheels tied around their necks when someone from the warehouse came running to tell them that these things were finally moving.) And, finally, I find the owner's mock inner-city vernacular clever and amusing. Ha! The word "wigger" is funny!

Why not post a picture of an unbuilt frame and fork on a bicycle gallery? I mean, nobody's riding the built bikes either. I hope this heralds a day when people will simply bring their NJS frames along to bars with them instead of building them and locking them outside. Why risk theft while posing?

That may have sounded ironic, but it's not. I mean it sincerely. It's great that more people are not riding.

This bike doesn't make me angry at all either. But it does make me concerned. What if the rider's tongue should somehow make contact with the bars? He'll never get it off! It'll be like "A Christmas Story."

This bike sports an insouciant bandana in solidarity with the "gangstas" the owner has seen while traveling briskly through bad neighborhoods in a car. It looks like it belongs to Jamie Kennedy from "Malibu's Most Wanted." And there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. Jamie Kennedy is a talented and funny actor.

OK, if I haven't convinced you yet that I'm cured, this should do the trick. I mean, if I wasn't would I be able to resist making a comment about the purple Velocitys which set off the purple saddle and purple computer mount which makes the computer itself look like a fly being eaten by the ugliest frog you've ever seen? Seriously, if I wasn't a new and kinder person I'd be on the phone with White Industries right now demanding that they send somebody to this person's house to take these components back before this horrid thing hurts somebody. I'd also say that if I had to choose between this frame and a Softride I'd have to take the coward's way out by pouring gasoline over myself and going to a barbecue. Yes, this bike does raise questions. Chief among them: are the people at Corratec unable to shorten seat stays and weld them where they belong?!? Yet, while this thing looks like it's about to explode in a random burst of tubing, purple components, and cacophonous sounds like a cuckoo clock striking twelve, or a cartoon character getting his toe caught in a mousetrap, looking at it only makes me feel warm and quivery inside.

Though it's possible I may just be about to throw up.