Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Cheap track / flip-flop hubs to seek/avoid?

Okay, so my Loctite/JBWeld project didnt go as well as i had hoped

Ill get a real hub now. What is an entry level (priced) one that is not too shabby. Ive read a few posts here recommending against a Suzue basic??

What about all those ~150$ flip-flop wheelsets on ebay.. would you rather seek out a wheelset and hub seperately and build them?

Okay, so my Loctite/JBWeld project didnt go as well as i had hoped

Ill get a real hub now. What is an entry level (priced) one that is not too shabby. Ive read a few posts here recommending against a Suzue basic??

What about all those ~150$ flip-flop wheelsets on ebay.. would you rather seek out a wheelset and hub seperately and build them?


Two things to consider...

1. Will you be changing the rear cog often? Most street fix riders put one on and leave it, but if you are a guy that likes to fiddle with ratios a lot, the threads on basic hubs will wear out and/or strip faster. Go for fancier hubs.

2. Do you know how to overhaul a hub? People don't like Suzue basics because the bearings "wear out". Mostly what this is is people not servicing them properly. You gotta open them up, put in new grease and periodically replace the bearings.

I personally have Suzue basic hubs and they are fine. My last wheels had Sovos hubs, the absolute cheapest **** you can get, and they worked fine for two years. Wound up stripping the threads on the rear...see #1, above.

I just have a predisposition to loose ball hubs. I think if you can go with some sealed hubs that may be just a bit more expensive, then by all means just spedn a little more for the sealed. It will save you less agrevation later.

here's your answer:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/fixed-hubs.html


look at the IRO hub set...$70 for the set and they have sealed bearings...I have them now and they've been great so far.

Ok and now speaking of damn good deals. check out this page from the IRO site.http://www.irocycle.com/fixedgearandsinglespeedbikeframesfromirocycleinc/id26.html

Okay, so my Loctite/JBWeld project didnt go as well as i had hoped

Ill get a real hub now. What is an entry level (priced) one that is not too shabby. I can offer this:
- I've stripped the threads on a low priced Sovos.
- I have two Surly hubs that are bomb-proof and a good price.

I have been very happy with an off the shelf basic Suzue flip-flop/Mavic MA3/36 DT spoke wheel from QBP (ordered through LBS). Costs right at $100. A few months ago I had a new wheel built on Phil Woods hub/MA3/36 DT, but it wasn't because I didn't like the Suzue.

Loctite by itself just isn't enough. Some people have success using a bb lockring locked up tight, but you really have to really know how to lock down a lockring, it is NOT by applying torque that will strip the threads, it is locking it up AGAINST the cog, not just cranking torque on the lockring. Many cases of stripping the threads are probably caused by improper technique and misunderstanding of how lockrings work. In many cases like headsets, cones and bb you can get away with less than perfect lockup technique for a while, but on a fixed gear there is a LOT more torque when you are stopping than ever gets applied to any of those other lock nuts/rings in use. I am confident in my technique, but I still prefer to use a real fixed hub with threading for a reverse thread track lockring.

I have a Surly and a Suzue Promax. They were both around £50, about $80US, and both top quality, sealed bearings, fixed/free or fixed/fixed and 32h/36h options too. Only difference is the Surly is black and 135mm, Suzue is polished and 120mm.

Okay, so my Loctite/JBWeld project didnt go as well as i had hoped

Ill get a real hub now. What is an entry level (priced) one that is not too shabby. Ive read a few posts here recommending against a Suzue basic??

What about all those ~150$ flip-flop wheelsets on ebay.. would you rather seek out a wheelset and hub seperately and build them?

hey these is cheap http://vandesselsports.com/accessories.shtml#ffw but i have no experience with them whatsoever. i was considering purchasing the rear wheel to go onto my current road conversion fixie since i recently acquired a soma rush frame, but now im unsure if i can swap my old surly/mavic wheel on to the rush because it is spaced 120... looks like ill have to spend more money on a new wheelset (or just get a different hub and relace the wheel, i guess...)

Suzue Basics are dandy for me. Just service em regularly as stated above.

But I am upgrading to Dura-Ace / CXP33's this summer........cause they just look sexy.

Cool! Looks like Suzue Basic for me... especially since the LBS carries them; the only other one they have is 135mm spaced Surly

I have a nice Wolber double-walled box rim to use for the front. What's a decent wheel for the rear? I see that Alex DV19, Mavic MA3, CXP-22, etc are popular..are they bad?

I have a nice Wolber double-walled box rim to use for the front. What's a decent wheel for the rear? I see that Alex DV19, Mavic MA3, CXP-22, etc are popular..are they bad?

I've got as set of CXP-22's on my singlespeeder. They've held up nicely and I'm no lightweight. MA3's are used alot, I've got a pair laced to 105's as backups for my LeMond, haven't used em though.

The fixies got the aforementioned Suzues on MA2's.