Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Who actually flips their flip-flop hub?

At first I found the flip-flop hub to be a neat little idea. Now that I have one I realize that I have never had the urge to suddenly change my gearing while riding.. I could possibly use a fixed/fixed one like the Surly, but switching over to a freewheel is practically blasphemy. :D And the truth is, if I am tired out, I actually like being fixed more as it keeps my legs moving, which keeps the muscles from tightening up and cramping.. What do you guys think??

-Jason

I totally agree. I think you basically said it all....

Plus flipping the wheel is more work than just pedaling until I get home when I'm really tired (and I don't carry around a tool-box everywhere I go either).

I have a Suzue Flip/Flop fixed/free and as far as flipping it for FUN? Heeeeeeell no. Fixed more fun than free ANY day.

-Ian

Freewheel is only fun when you take the brakes off.

Amen to that! Ha ha ha.

It seems as if Rev. Chuck has found another reason I don't flip my flip/flop. A reason that even I hadn't thought about....

I do or at least did, well I still do, but not on the same bike. I have three Surly hubs with 6 different gears and I'm down to two fixed gear frames. What I was doing was swappign them in and out on the frames, rather than always have to take the lock ring off, etc. I could have a rear cog that worked with the length of the chain stays, and make it easier to commute.
When I was first starting out with fixed I would ride in like a 16t or 17t then on the way back or in the wind or a hilly section I'd flip it to an 18t or a 20t.
I do have a Suzue hub with a freewheel on it that I use on an mtb frame, but it doesn't get riden half as much as the road frames.

I have a surly fix/free hub and haven't flopped my to the freewheel side in at least six months. It's not too tough to change it, but it's still a lot easier to leave it alone...plus riding fixie is funner.

i only have one cog on each of my wheels. sure, they're different sizes, but one set of wheels is only ridden on the track, and swapping to the cog that's on that wheel is kind of silly. my 49x16 commute/daily-beater gearing is tall enough, a 15t is excessive.

I don't use the freewheel side.

I have a fixed bike for fixed gear riding. I have a road bike that I use when I want to freewheel.

I do like the idea of two fixed sides on a hub.

I have a Surly fixed/fixed on my road bike. Normal everyday riding is 42x17, but when I want to take the bike on the trail, I switch to the 42x21 and slap on some aggressive cyclocross tires. So, I flip it sometimes, but not all that often, and it's always fixed no matter what.

On my 1x1 MTB, I usually run freewheel, but have a fixed cog on the flip side and run that once in a while for something different. It also serves as a fail safe backup if the freewheel fails. Had to use it this winter when the freewheel froze from too many stream crossings and wouldn't engage.

http://www.singlespeedoutlaw.com/images/cog_bw.jpg

I have a flip/flop hub. Haven't used the free wheel side yet and not sure why I would.

I run a double-fixed set. I swap it over occasionally for some of the reasons already mentioned- wind, gradient, fatigue.

Some days you know you've really got it.......and some days you quickly realise you haven't:) a lower gear is an insurance policy for those days.

I guess by that logic, you could keep an Armageddon Gear, as Maynard Hershon used to say, for the days you realise you're floating.....

Never been tempted to put a freewheel on my road bike. Might make sense off-road, though?

When you train at the tack and have a small car, you love to be able to switch gear fat when training. Between intervals that require that I have a bigger gear at the end, it's very practical.

I flip it for winter. Why?
Everyone likes change...