Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Can pegs snap your axle?

Hey there!

First post...searched the previous threads but didn't find anything to answer my question...

My "winter bike" has 26" rims and a pretty generic fixed-free rear hub. If I had to guess, I'd say 135mm, set up fixed. I have pegs on the rear axle threaded between the frame and the nuts (screw on the pegs and then thread the nuts over the axle inside the pegs). Simple, right? I've been giving friends (weighing 110 - 150lbs) rides on these pegs for about a year and a half, but today some dudes at a LBS told me that the slightest bit of weight on the pegs could snap my axle. They implied that this wasn't due to the quality of the hub or pegs, but to the width of the axle. Obviously it has worked so far, but it made me nervous. No other bike shop mentioned this (including the one that sold me the bike and pegs).

Has anyone encountered a problem with pegs on a fixed gear? Anyone else think this is unsafe? Are fixed-free hubs much different, in terms of width/axle width, than bmx hubs, which presumably can handle pegs. It's not like I'm grinding handrails or anything. Any thoughts?

Thanks!

I would say it is much more of an issue of axle quality than anything else. If you have been doing this for 1.5 years with no issue, then you have probably already gotten your moneys worth even if something did happen.

I ran homemade pegs on a surly hub on a raleigh conversion for about 6 months and never had a problem.

you are probably ok, but if youre nervous, take them off. After all they are pretty much only there for your lazy friends...

Thanks. Here's a follow up question: if/when an axle snaps, are the consequences as scary as they sound to me? Is it the kind of thing where the wheel locks and throws me forward, then the taxi that's been riding my a*s for 6 blocks runs me over?

i snapped on axle on a huffy with pegs.. never tried it on anything else

i snapped on axle on a huffy .... You can snap an anything on a huffy.

For theOP, I wouldn't worry about it, and I don't as I take rides on my GF's bike with pegs. If you'r lazy friends happened to be an 800 lb. gorilla and hopped on your pegs, where would the alxe most likely snap? Probably right in the center of the hub assuming it's of decent quality, in which case the hub would pobably just destroy itself, but still spin enough for you to realize somethig is wonky and ride safely to the curb.
If if did snap at an axle end, I think the wheel would still spin, alibiet slowly against your chainstays. The biggest danger is your friend falling and taking you down with him. As long as your axle is solid, and your axlenuts have full engagement, I wouldn't worry about it. BMX guys have been doing peg grinds and stalls for decades on pegs, even before 14mm axles came out, which impart shock loads far greater than someone just cruising on your rear pegs.

i've lost touch with whats going on currently in the BMX realm, but they may be using extra beefy axles these days. However, back when I was BMXing in the 80s, the standard BMX axles were the same diameter as current SS/FG axles, and this was well before the days that they started making BMX frames extra beefy and the dropouts (track ends, whatever) were pretty thin in those days; thinner than the track ends on any track bike I've seen. Me and several friends bounced and pounded the hell out of axle pegs everyday for years. I had a pair of Skyway mags and later a pair of Peregrine 48's with solid chromoly axles and never had any problems related to pegs. I once had pair of GT BMX racing wheels with hollow axles and I bent those axles. But I never damaged a solid chromoly axle with pegs. As long as you have plenty of threads on your axle, I can't imagine that you'd damage anything by giving someone a ride.

a. why do you have pegs on that bike?
b. do NOT run pegs that thread on, especially if you intend to grind anything with them
c. most 3/8 axles that are not BMX specific heat treated chromoly ect, will snap easily.
d. not with "any weight at all" though,
e. most modern rear bmx wheels have a 14mm axle, ive snapped one before. anything will break eventually.

a. why do you have pegs on that bike?
b. do NOT run pegs that thread on, especially if you intend to grind anything with them



I've been giving friends (weighing 110 - 150lbs) rides on these pegs for about a year and a half

i don't think he's doing any grinding

Pegs are awesome.

Do it. Another reason it's (mostly) safe:

It's your rear wheel. The worst thing that will happen is your rear wheel explodes, you take a shock to the butt and either ride it out or fall on the ground on your side. No big deal. If it were your front wheel, yeah, you'd probably need some dental work.

Do it, you will be super-cool.

do you have a monocog? if so i was in the shop when the shop guy issued you a warning....nyc in soho right? i think it was meant to be a friendly warning. the volume of bikes that come into a shop really boost the odds of seeing all types of failures no matter how unlikely your particular set up is. it didn't seem like he was trying to sell you anything it just seemed like he was telling you about stuff he had seen as an employee. in any case it seems like you have a either a time tested method for pegging your gf or you have a non-heat treated, non-bmx axle with a smaller diameter that hasn't broken yet but is getting the stress it was never designed for. either way it seems like food for thought, maybe that was the point.

if that wasnt you then you and i must live in some parallel universe, my bad.

it seems like you have a either a time tested method for pegging your gf...

Hahaha! Well since you asked... ;)

Yeah, that was me at bike habitat. Redline monocog. I definitely took the advices as friendly. I know they meant well, but it never hurts to do your own research. I got the bike (w/ pegs) from bike doctor in Brooklyn, and Alex (the owner) hasn't failed me yet!

In any case, I like giving my gf rides on the pegs and I do find them handy, but in the end I may scrap them for another reason: I don't carry the tools necessary to change a tube with pegs on the hub, so if I get a flat I'm kind of screwed.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/Picture009.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/Picture008.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/Picture007.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v644/AfterThisNap/Picture004.jpg

oy you want something for pegging the girly with you, get some flatland pegs. they are often MUCH larger in diameter and super grippy, for the comfort sake on her feet.

otherwise, make that hooker get her own bike and rider Together.

I'd sooo f*ck up peds' shins and cars if I had pegs... Not intentionally, but I can see myself forgetting about it and squeezing through as I usually do.