twisty spokes (and Ritchey review)

No this is not a thread about wheel lacing. I'll get pictures up, but this is a story about how the hell does this happen....

I just got my Ritchey Protocol LTDs and god they are nice. It sounds and feels better to be back on a DT Star ratchet hub (they run on a rear 240s internal and DT shell hub). The effort into R&D shows more compared to Neuvations, but the price seriously reflects that (retail anyway). The aerolite spokes are once again, aero, and it is nice to know I'm on a real quality spoke.
The front wheel is very smooth, reasonably stiff, and reasonably aero. It uses a 1 cross combo of elbows out for trailing, in for leading, as I recall, can't really be bothered going to check right now. The bearings are Ritchey branded and feel great. A bearing annot be tested in hands though and I can't test loaded performance. But, neuvations bearings spin for longer in your hand, not the case for te rear though.

The rear feels reasonable, but could use tying and soldering, which is going to happen shortly. I took it out for a few easy km just to settle the spokes before a sprint training session. This is where the how the hell comes in. during the fifth sprint (against my sponsor/boss/friend/training partner. Good fun, good training) I heard a fairly loud ping, thought nothing of it, finished the rest and rode for another 45min around and home.
Upon inspection of the rear wheel, it appears that I have twisted one of the drive side trailing spokes about 150 degrees around its central axis (from the hub to rim, if that makes sense, like a helix). I checked to make sure it wasn't just 'settled' in a twisted position and eased off the tension all the way, but it is permanently warped. I'll get pics up soon but has this happened to anyone else (I did a similar thing a few times with the neuvations, calling for tying, soldering, and respoking, which is holding up better than the original lacing)? I'm still baffled about why it happens so if anyone could shed light. hub windup?

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BMC SL01
SRAM Force


thank you crank n' cycles...If you are ever in SW WA, take a trip to Crank N' Cycles.

Spokes would/should be at equilibium in the untwisted state.
Taking off all/or most all tension should only make them go to lower tension or no tension. If there was any windup it would disapate under these conditions.
Your "after" picture may be instructive, but it is really hard for me to imagine what might have happened.

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David Ornee, Western Springs, IL USA

The spokes were all evenly, and highly, tensioned on the rear. (offset spoke bed) It twisted without any extrenal contact. I removed the tension from it hoping it would return to its normal position (un-twisted) but it didn't. I re-tensioned the spoke, and it hasn't broken, trued the wheel and it's still fine. I just want to know why it happened.

__________________
BMC SL01
SRAM Force


thank you crank n' cycles...If you are ever in SW WA, take a trip to Crank N' Cycles.