Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - single speed w/ coaster?

Is there anyone out there rocking this? My new wheel is in the mail. Any tips, recommendations, suggestions for riding?

Get a vredestein and do some powerslides!

at the risk of angering the people who deserve it, i suggest a front brake. it'll stop you much faster and might come in handy if the coaster hub malfunctions.

i also suggest you sign up for www.dcfixed.com and come hang out. we don't care whether you ride fixed or not.

cheers,
-john

You mean like a single speed road bike, mountain bike, or 99% of all BMX's? Or do you mean like a coaster brake?

If it's the former then my only advice is to ride it more then you normally would...because they're fun, and for the latter I recommend the same.

enjoy

Thats all I ride right now.
I love it. You might want to add a front brake if you
ride steep hills cuz as fun as skidding is it doesnt get you
slowed down that quickly.

Love them.

You mean like a single speed road bike, mountain bike, or 99% of all BMX's? Or do you mean like a coaster brake?


A SS road bike. i am putting a coaster on it

I just swapped the back wheel from my wife's bike to a coaster brake. She loves it.

It's a 700c wheel, so she can still swap back to fixed if she wants...although it doesn't look like she will.

Is there anyone out there rocking this? My new wheel is in the mail. Any tips, recommendations, suggestions for riding?

which coaster hub did you get?

I just swapped the back wheel from my wife's bike to a coaster brake. She loves it.

It's a 700c wheel, so she can still swap back to fixed if she wants...although it doesn't look like she will.

where'd you pick up the 700c coaster brake wheel?

this is the wheelset: http://www.nycbikes.com/item.php?item_id=618

it is perfect bc it matches my all red ss

Thats pretty cool except for the quick release front hub.
Someone gonna steal yo junk.

Thats pretty cool except for the quick release front hub.
Someone gonna steal yo junk.

i am sure i can "engineer" a bolt-on

where'd you pick up the 700c coaster brake wheel?

locally from NYC Bikes...link above a couple of posts. Unfortunately, they came as a set w/ a front wheel that we didn't need. We didn't end up paying that price in the end, but it was close.

I've taken a few short rides around the block on the bike and it took some time for me to get used to the coaster brake...I think it's been at least 25+ years since I've been on a bike with one. ;)

I just swapped the back wheel from my wife's bike to a coaster brake. She loves it.

It's a 700c wheel, so she can still swap back to fixed if she wants...although it doesn't look like she will.
I did the same for the friend at work - tt frame with track ends and bent seat tube, shamal front and coaster rear wheel - it does have a front brake, tho. This bike is fun but I find it harder to push the same gearing I normally use, rear wheel weighs a ton.

You can only stop as fast as the amount of rubber in contact with the road, so you might want to put the widest tire you can safely get onto the rim, if you want to use the rear wheel for more than just scrubbing off speed.

what's the spacing on the nyc bikes hubs? easy to install? (I haven't dealt with a coaster brake since I was 6 or so) too bad they won't just sell a rear...

too bad they won't just sell a rear...

actually they said they will when i called them. also, check out their affiliates. i saved the shipping cost by using Oasis bikes in Fairfax, VA. going to pick it up tomorrow.

"On 8/16/07, Jessica <jessica@nycbikes.com> wrote:
Hi Sean,

These are good quality hubs and the model number is CBE110. They are sold as a wheelset on the site, but we'd sell the rear wheel alone for $90. Hope that helps.

Regards,

Jessica
NYCBikes
"

^^^^ the only trouble I see with the Coaster is that CB110
comes standard with a 20 toofer(pretty sure :eek: ?) and replacements
are not real easy to find. If you like to play with gear ratios you will have
to do it with the chainring.

"On 8/16/07, Jessica <jessica@nycbikes.com> wrote:
Hi Sean,

These are good quality hubs and the model number is CBE110. They are sold as a wheelset on the site, but we'd sell the rear wheel alone for $90. Hope that helps.

Regards,

Jessica
NYCBikes
"

argh!

i actually have a black deep v being built with a shimano coaster hub. it'll actually be done today... i cant wait to try it out.

The Shimano E-110 comes with an 18 cog.

The coaster brake revolution. Feel it.

Coasters Ftw!!!!

Hahahaa Pwn333ageeddddzzzz

front brake with coaster rear ftw!

^^^^ the only trouble I see with the Coaster is that CB110
comes standard with a 20 toofer(pretty sure :eek: ?) and replacements
are not real easy to find. If you like to play with gear ratios you will have
to do it with the chainring.

Not true, replacements are cheap and dime a dozen, check ebay. If you can't find what you are looking for, PM me, I have a ton of extras from 14t and up.

GET A FRONT BRAKE!

Also, the CB series are built like sh*t. They aren't bad, just put together bad. Pull the thing apart when you get it, degrease (what little is in there) and re-grease with something good. Also, take a bit of fine to med emery paper to the inside of the hub shell, will improve your braking a ton. When you tighten down the cones, tighten them finger tight and then back them off 1/4 turn or so, make sure when you tighten the locknuts, that it doesn't move the cone.

They are super fun. If you really get into it, build up a bendix 2sp kickback coaster or a sachs duomatic auto 2sp, those are freakin' sweet.

Coaster braked road bikes are a ton of fun. I have an old bendix laced up to a 700c wheel on an old univega. I've used it for long road rides, commuting and cyclocross without a hitch.

One guy at my LBS races cyclocross (and wins) using a CB...

If the whole recent surge in fixie popularity doesn't end sometime soon, I predict we will be seeing a lot more people using coaster brakes....fixie aesthetic + coasting = teh jam (for some people anyway).

GET A FRONT BRAKE!

Also, the CB series are built like sh*t. They aren't bad, just put together bad. Pull the thing apart when you get it, degrease (what little is in there) and re-grease with something good. Also, take a bit of fine to med emery paper to the inside of the hub shell, will improve your braking a ton. When you tighten down the cones, tighten them finger tight and then back them off 1/4 turn or so, make sure when you tighten the locknuts, that it doesn't move the cone.

They are super fun. If you really get into it, build up a bendix 2sp kickback coaster or a sachs duomatic auto 2sp, those are freakin' sweet.

Wow! Great tips, you are the new "coaster-brake-hub expert".

Congratulations!

EDIT: Do you know of any other hubs that are better than the Shimano that are single-speed?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1415/890864340_1349395a6e_b.jpg
here is my wifes bike its got an old 28h suntour cb rear hub on it and the thing is sweet notice the front brake for the just incase your chain falls off or your cb fails

When I was younger and not really serious about cycling, I liked coaster brakes. Then, I grew up a bit and started enjoying my riding way more - and realized that coaster brakes are an impediment to complete happiness. Coaster brakes impose some restrictions.

I dumpstered a 700C rear wheel with laced to an old Torpedo coaster... built really solid, but I'm still going to run the brake up front. Coasters scare me in the rain, too.

EDIT: Do you know of any other hubs that are better than the Shimano that are single-speed?

Velosteel hubs are the top of the line coasters available new. I still don't think they'll work any better than a well maintained Shimano E type, but damn if they aren't pretty.
http://kogswell.com/siteVELOSTEEL.php

I just contacted Trinity yesterday and I think I'll be ordering a rear wheel from them. I can't wait! I sure did love skidding around when I was young...
Are they easy to install? I'd imagine so.

When I was younger and not really serious about cycling, I liked coaster brakes. Then, I grew up a bit and started enjoying my riding way more - and realized that coaster brakes are an impediment to complete happiness. Coaster brakes impose some restrictions.

the same can be said about a front brake on a track/fixed bike

Velosteel hubs are the top of the line coasters available new. I still don't think they'll work any better than a well maintained Shimano E type, but damn if they aren't pretty.
http://kogswell.com/siteVELOSTEEL.php

+ 1,000,000

Velosteel hubs are the top of the line coasters available new. I still don't think they'll work any better than a well maintained Shimano E type, but damn if they aren't pretty.
http://kogswell.com/siteVELOSTEEL.php

$40! Neato!

But they're 36 spoked, gonna need to buy a new rim, but thats always exciting!

Thanks for the link, I had seen it before but forgot to bookmark it.

I'm a fan of Bendix and New Departure for coaster brakes.

I'm a fan of Bendix and New Departure for coaster brakes.

2spd kick back rules

The Bendix kickbacks are kind of neat, but the ones I've used are not the smoothest. They also have a fixed 18t cog-no possibility for change. There are two or three models, too. Some kick into overdrive, and some kick into low gear. They're identifiable by the color of the bands around the hub shell, blue, red, or yellow.

In practice, I find the kickback action kind of fiddly to use. I also have a Sachs kickback hub in my parts box, but haven't used it. I'd love to get a Sachs 2sp automatic, but they seem rare in the US.

I have two Velosteel hubs. They're very pretty. However, they don't really work any better than a common Shimano, and weigh about half a pound more. The ones I got were straight from the factory, and had a symbolic amount og grease inside. I don't know if they come that way from Kogswell, but it's wise to make sure before using them.

American and Mexican made Bendix models all seem fine.

I think the smoothest coaster brake hub I have is an old Fitchel & Sachs cone clutch model.

Common Shimano/Asian coaster brakes are decent and cheap. 18t sprockets seem to be the most common. Smaller than 16t seem increasingly harder to find.

The kickback is one that I've found actually takes some getting used to since it's easy to shift gears when all you really want to do is apply the brake. Once you get used to it though, they're helpful if you have the low gear model. The low gear is a mild help with small hills if you're not a total purist about single speed versus 2 speed. It's a terrain issue- I'd avoid it if you're working many hills, but in flat or semi-flat areas they're fun. You may not even need a 2 speed- you can get single speed models. Until college my main bikes were an old Higgins Middleweight and a Schwinn ballooner and both of them were single speeds with only coaster brakes. I had some fun rides on those.

When I was younger and not really serious about cycling, I liked coaster brakes. Then, I grew up a bit and started enjoying my riding way more - and realized that coaster brakes are an impediment to complete happiness. Coaster brakes impose some restrictions.

well the reason i started this thread was to get some opinions but if i can give some context. the coaster is for a SS beater for around town. wont be racing or riding down everest or anything. it just to go to the beer store, the bar, the pub, the speakeasy, the saloon, etc.

well the reason i started this thread was to get some opinions but if i can give some context. the coaster is for a SS beater for around town. wont be racing or riding down everest or anything. it just to go to the beer store, the bar, the pub, the speakeasy, the saloon, etc.

I like good coaster brakes and dislike bad ones.

A good coaster brake wheel can be a lot of fun. You get all of the advantages of a single-speed. And you get a couple of other things:

- a built-in brake that can be engaged without the use of a lever

- a brake that works when the rims are wet

- nearly silent operation due to the lack of a ratcheting freewheel

There are some disadvantages:

- they weigh more than a hub and freewheel

- you can't back-pedal

I've put a LOT of miles on a coaster brake bike. And I've been happy about it.

There's something relaxing about the quiet operation. You hear more on a CB bike.

I think that CBs are a legitimate member of the single-cog family (fixed, SS, IG, CB).

The coaster brake may not please everyone, but if you can find a wheel for not a lot of money, then I encourage you to give it a try.

And if you can't, then you're not missing anything.

Not spectacular. Just nice.

Random thoughts. Hope they help.

just threw my newly built coaster setup on my IRO Mark V. took a quick ride down the street. First observation is that its definitely weird to be able to coast (i've been riding fixed for at least the last 3 months). hopefully ill get to go out on a long ride tomorrow....

I seriously thought I was the only person with a coaster road wheel
I love this site


I usually use the coaster brake for like city stop signs and junk-but use the front brake for hills(I get nervous just kickin back for a long descent) I get a icky feeling of it busting

the only thing I don;t like about the NYC hub brake wheel is that the rear rim has space-and crome for brake pads-which no one would put on the rear====it would be sick if they were just deep v's angled+ from the outside in--with paint

So I quickly put together a coaster brake bike the other day, man this thing is a blast! Just wish I could use the big ring, but the chainline would be maybe too far off. Also the seat is rather too low. It's running a Shimano 333, the thing overheats on the slightest semblant of a hill, a couple hundred meters of ~20% is all it takes. Then it locks up instantaneously on a hint of back pedal pressure. I'm thinking front brake isn't really optional.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x25/coutujean/ccec8fa1.jpg

Just built up a bike with a coaster for a friend. I bought the exact same Deep V Wheelset from NYCBikes. The Bike has no front brake. The brake is acctually pretty quick. I can get it to lock up completely and skid.

the thing overheats on the slightest semblant of a hill, a couple hundred meters of ~20% is all it takes. Then it locks up instantaneously on a hint of back pedal pressure. I'm thinking front brake isn't really optional.

They do overheat on hills, but if you relube after it cools down there is usually no permanent damage.
To the hub at least.
That's why some oldschool coaster hubs had lube ports.

What does it mean to overheat? Too hot to touch? Turn blue? Smoke and fire?

I mean that it can't really be used to brake anymore, unless you feel like doing so by skidding.
It's got this reverse fading thing going on. At that point it'll sizzle spit, no smoke or discoloration though.

I'd repacked it with auto bearing grease, would synthetic grease be better? Also, the braking surfaces seemed to have a grease residue on them when I took it apart, so I put some there while putting it back together, but greasing braking surfaces just felt odd. Are they supposed to be greased?