Cyclocross - singlespeed lefties: ever consider left side drive?

when i shoulder my bike i really wish the drivetrain was pointing out away from me rather than in at my armpit.

it certainly won't lose me an appreciable amount of time in races, but i live on the third floor, and i'm tired of the grease stains and being extra delicate so as not to bash the chainring.

i work part time in a shop, so i could get a left-threaded bmx hub and lsd/tandem cranks pretty easily.

anybody had a similar idea?

I've thought about doing that several times, just for s*#^s & giggles.
I've got some Profiles & Grove Innovations Hot Rod BB/cranksets lying around, so easily flipped around.
Just haven't got off my lazy arse to do it.

I did see a roadie fixie recently somewhere in this cyberspace thingy. Can't remember where.

especially on a fixie, your pedals will start to unscrew and might strip.

don't ask me why. it just happens.

especially on a fixie, your pedals will start to unscrew and might strip.

don't ask me why. it just happens.

tandem cranks will be threaded properly

especially on a fixie, your pedals will start to unscrew and might strip.

don't ask me why. it just happens.

it's because of precession (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precession).

but that's if you use normal cranks. i'd do it right and get some reverse threaded ones like they make for tandem captains. and of course get a reverse threaded left side drive bmx hub and a reverse freewheel. these parts aren't extremely common but they're available and not too spendy.

basically i was hoping for someone to say "yeah i did that and it changed my life" or "yeah i did it and it wasn't as great as i thought."

so for now i'll keep my rig as is, but revisit the idea when stuff starts breaking and/or wearing out.

you shoulder to the left?

if you shoulder to the left and everyone around you shoulders to the right, it might cause some dramatic results in tight quarters. but it might not.

and your clothes could get dirty.

sheldon brown has done the left sided drive successfully

my clothes are perpetually dirty, but grease is way worse.

i just need to be aware of where i am and be sure not to get my bike tangled in someone elses. like when deciding where to sit at the dinner table, the easiest way is usually to try and be on the left.

besides, i don't take up any more lateral space than someone who shoulders on the right. if some jackass is gonna crowd me enough on a run up to create a collision, i'd rather it be bike-to-bike or body-to-body than bike to body.

hahaha, f*** it... they rub up against you you rub up against them and then smile. more often then not they'll move for you :)

if you shoulder to the left then yes you should do it-----but I would just shoulder on the right like most people.

clean your drivetrain!

This seems doable with external bearing cranksets, like an FSA track crank. Then the threads of the BB wouldn't need to be reversed, I think.

Eddy Merckx once rode a bike with the crank on the opposite side for an hour record attempt in Mexico city. I'm pretty sure that's the story I heard.

Why shoulder to the left? Just so you can be different? I don't get it

because i'm left handed.

because i'm left handed.
I'm right handed and I dismount / mount right sided (like a lefty) and I hate running into the chainring cause of the way I mount/dismount... shouldering for me is on both sides... born a lefty grew up as a righty... makes things tricky sometimes...

Now who will build one bike with two drivetrains - left AND right?:D

lol, you couls SS it and use a flip flop with 2 chainrings... prolly sheldon brown cause he likes those crazy projects.

HAHAHAH

Now who will build one bike with two drivetrains - left AND right?:D

this guy (http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2005/mar/TheBikeCo-op.htm) did something similar. but just for ****s and giggles. i'd only want to change my setup if it improved the bike appreciably.

so i've decided to practice shouldering on both sides, just in case the situation calls for it.

but really, in C races would people think "what a dick" if i shouldered on the other side? even if i give an extra wide berth in close quarters? i've gotten used to hopping off and throwing the bike over my left shoulder, but i don't want to be unsafe.

Now who will build one bike with two drivetrains - left AND right?:D

I have to admit I did this a long time ago
http://www.dumb****rigger.com/Dumb_****_Rigger.html