Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Thinking of getting myself fixed. A real track hub or try my freewheel hub?

OK, yeah I been reading.

You can spin off the Freewheel and spin on a track cog. Of course shorten chain, respace hub, redish wheel. Cost wise its about $30.

I've been to the shop. No, No! you need a Track HUB and re-lace the wheel (OK rebuild the wheel--OK replace it the spokes are crap anyway). Yeah its got to way safer but then it's closer to $75.

OH yeah chainline and might as well get a new chain.

The project is an old Lotus w/Shimano 600 gear including 170mm cranks on Steel Champion No5 lugged tubeset, 27" wheels with Weinmann sidepulls.

Thanks

i would not trust riding without my lock ring. a real reverse-threaded lock ring. which means going with a real track hub. other people say they've gone with a freewheel hub with no problems, but i still wouldn't do it.

I've used several different road hubs with a track cog and bottom bracket lockring for several years, without problems. I always use a front brake also. I wouldn't say a track hud would be "way safer."

I think if you want to get an idea of what fixed is like, this would be a great cheap way to go. If you find you dig fixed, then you can spend all the money you want later on.


If you go this route, please at least put a front brake on. You do not have to use it but if the lockring comes loose you can still stop.

As Mr. Merckx and the Captain stated, use your existing hub and be sure to use the B/B lockring just for added measure......tighten the cog and lockring against each other just like the two large nuts on a threaded headset. And once you've become hooked on fixed, then we'll grant you permission to spend money on track components.

tighten the cog and lockring against each other just like the two large nuts on a threaded headset.

If you do this wouldn't you loosen the cog from the stop on the hub?

Originally posted by captsven
If you do this wouldn't you loosen the cog from the stop on the hub? Yes. What you want to do is grease the cog so you can get it as tight as possible. Then, clean the remaining threads and lock-tite the BB ring on, again tightening as much as possible. I've got this set up on my MTB and it works fine.

Originally posted by captsven
If you do this wouldn't you loosen the cog from the stop on the hub?

I see your point........the headset was a bad analogy......like you don't want the lower nut tight against the bearings on a headset.
Just making sure the locknut is tight against the cog would have made more sense.
Thank you...

ARRRGGGHHH!!!!

It's rainy so I went shopping. Now that all the shops are convinced I'm crazy I guess its time to hit the net.

One shop was helpful admitting it would work with a lockring but had no cogs. He actually pulled out a wheel and a BB lockring, but he still thinks they belong on the track.

I really want to support the local guys! OH well.