Walter F you get the prize for asking the question. Yes I did twist the spokes. I built a set of these wheels 12-15 years ago long before I started motorizing. I did it partly as a gimmick and partly to stiffen the wheels at the last bike shop I worked at. It does look cool and it does stiffen the wheels and it does not break spokes. The spoke length does not change for a half twist like this. It changes about 2mm for a full twist. I have heard of wire tie and solder or zip ties to do the same thing and both seem lame to me.

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LennyHarp of Lenny's Bikes & Things
http://lennyh.com
The true value of a man is not judged by what he has, but rather by what he can do without.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an action, but a habit." -- Aristotle