Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - THinking about turning my baby fixed

is there any way to lockout a cassette hub? How hard is it to ride a fixie If I ride long distances no problems on a 48/18 gearing?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/4600348058_12bdea5b5d_b.jpg

check her out, think the red chain is too tacky? im starting to think that.

There's no safe way..... just get a proper track hub or rear wheel; they go cheap enough to make the rocket science of making a cassette fixed just not worth the fruitless effort.

I got these lightweight wheels for pretty cheap, I guess i'll just build up another bike, another time, if I want to go fixie. I still dont know the feeling of riding fixed, anyone wanna let me borrow their bike for like 10 minutes?

its gonna take more than 10 minutes of riding a fixed to convince you to want one. in fact those first 10 minutes might turn you away from it.... hahah

There is a gadget called the Surley fixer that turns a cassette hub into a fixed hub, but is costs at least as much as a fixed hub, so people only really use it for discs and composite wheels that it isn't readily possible to switch the hub out on.

is there any way to lockout a cassette hub? How hard is it to ride a fixie If I ride long distances no problems on a 48/18 gearing?

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3408/4600348058_12bdea5b5d_b.jpg

check her out, think the red chain is too tacky? im starting to think that.
I've always thought coloured chains are tacky, but to each their own.
Spend $100 for a set of Eighth Inch Amelia..
http://www.cyclingcloseouts.com/Products/Eighthinch-Amelia-Wheelset-in-Black--White--Silver--or-Lime-Green__amelia_wheels.aspx

I feel like if I'm gonna get another wheelset its gonna be a downgrade, since those where $800 tubulars in 2000. maybe technology on wheels improved so much that $100 wheels are gonna weight as much as those tubulars?

You should not use tubulars on the streets, once you get a flat, you are screwed...
Those Amelia's are probably much heavier than the set of tubulars but weight plays a huge factor on you, then you should get something more expensive in exchange for a couple of grams.

those 100 dollar wheels are garbage. unsealed hubs, no name veeps. the 150 ones are at least weinmanns.

if it's a shimano freehub use a fixxer. about 70-80 bucks. being tubular you won't know the joys of skidding, but they ride much better. not bad for street atmo, almost all of my flats are pinch flats.

those 100 dollar wheels are garbage. unsealed hubs, no name veeps. the 150 ones are at least weinmanns.

if it's a shimano freehub use a fixxer. about 70-80 bucks. being tubular you won't know the joys of skidding, but they ride much better. not bad for street atmo, almost all of my flats are pinch flats.
Hmm good point about the flats...
You could just get a fixed rear wheel and keep that front wheel.

or just re-lace your rear wheel with a track hub

install a front brake while you're at it

or just re-lace your rear wheel with a track hub

wow why didnt I think of that before, what is the most expensive component on a wheel anyways? is it the hub or the rim?

a formula track hub can be as cheap as $20. but you have a 28 rear which is pretty uncommon in track stuff it seems. I usually spend like 60 bucks for a rim, 20ish for a hub, and 30 for spokes.

just get a fixxer if it's a shimano cassette. or go on craigslist and hunt down some alexrims rear for $40

Just get new wheels. Get one with a flip flop hub so you can ride fixed or free and make sure its not tubular. This isn't a racing bike, you don't have a teambus or neutral support. I don't think holdfasts and tubulars have ever been on the same bike before! haha. Really, I'm not trying to be a jerk, but you really should ditch those wheels. They may be very good but tubulars are a very silly vanity for street riding.
So yeah, get a new wheelset.

Nothing wrong with tubulars on the street. I have a lot of friends who ride them.

Although tokyo streets are beautiful and clean!

For real? I sometimes go months without a flat and then have a week where I get one everyday. Theres broken glass in all the bike paths here. once a week I take tweezers and pull out all the glass stuck in my wheels. I usually pull out 8-10 chunks. And aren't tubular tires more expensive? I go through a tire every 3-4 months, that would also get old real quick.
Why do your friends ride tubulars? Is it a vanity thing or is it really all about performance?

For real? I sometimes go months without a flat and then have a week where I get one everyday. Theres broken glass in all the bike paths here. once a week I take tweezers and pull out all the glass stuck in my wheels. I usually pull out 8-10 chunks. And aren't tubular tires more expensive? I go through a tire every 3-4 months, that would also get old real quick.
Why do your friends ride tubulars? Is it a vanity thing or is it really all about performance?

I have never had a flat tire in the last 5 years here in Tokyo. And I do a fair amount of riding.

I have never had a flat tire in the last 5 years here in Tokyo. And I do a fair amount of riding.

Thats pretty awesome.

Yea i've been riding on tubulars for like a month and I havent had any problems yet, I scale in at 180lbs, but I since tubulars cant get pinched I dont believe thats a negative factor, For the meantime I'm just going to find a fixed rear wheel on craigslist So I can experiment, but I dont really want to alter anything on my drivetrain since everything is straight and well adjusted.