Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Battle of the Cheap Fixie Wheels (attn. newbies and cheapskates)

There are a bunch of cheap rear fixie wheels available on the net. Here are the ones I found (pardon the ebay post...):

1. Van Dessel Flip Flop, $84.99 http://www.vandesselsports.com/accessories.shtml
2. Quando Track Wheel, $64.95 "BIN" + 15.00 S&H http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll? ViewItem&category=58099&item=7122329167&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW (couldn't find a website selling them)
3. Suzue/Sun M13II flip flop, $80.00 http://www.nycbikes.com/item.php?item_id=249
4. 27 inch Weinmann Rim/Suzue Basic, $99.95 http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/fixed.html#wheels

If there are others that I didn't list, please add them to this thread. Also, if you have any experience with any of these products, please let us all know. I'm cheap and in need of a wheel for my winter fixie... Which of these are the best bet?

(BTW, I'm sure most people are aware of the Loctite budget wheel, so there's no point in talking about it here.)

if you make your harris order over the phone, i think that you can get that 27" weinmann rim with an iro for the same price as the suzue basic. it's just not on the website.

I have been riding the quando since Sept. 2003. It is not great. The bearings always need to be readjusted. It has held up trhough one Chicago winter so far though.

i'm running a van dessel wheel, and so far i haven't had any serious problems with it. however, i recommend replacing the bolts with some heavier duty ones, because the stock bolts strip really easily.

you can get an IRO/Velocity rear wheel for $100 from Tony. I think that's the best deal out of anything you've listed.

i am riding one of the 27" rims from harris with the iro hub. it rides really nice and smooth and this hub is so shiny! i have had it for a few months and no complaints.

any other deals i didnt mention?

I have the Sun M13 on the suzue, and it's alright. I only paid 36 for it though, so I'm not complaining too much. The bearings are aweful. It wasn't smooth when I pulled it out of the box, and it isn't smooth now. THey need repacked.

I say go for the IRO hub with the Velocity rims from Tony. I have a set of the aero's on my other bike and I love them. They're sexy as all get out. Plus I hear from Scott at Salvagetti that they're coming out with Pink Aero's in January, and that could be pretty rad...

Ooooh, pink aero wheels!

yeah, the VDC wheels and the IRO's are the best. I don't see any reason to buy a prefab wheel with a Suzue basic hub ever.

Milo

I have the Sun M13 on the suzue, and it's alright. I only paid 36 for it though, so I'm not complaining too much. The bearings are aweful. It wasn't smooth when I pulled it out of the box, and it isn't smooth now. THey need repacked.

I say go for the IRO hub with the Velocity rims from Tony. I have a set of the aero's on my other bike and I love them. They're sexy as all get out. Plus I hear from Scott at Salvagetti that they're coming out with Pink Aero's in January, and that could be pretty rad...

Is that true about the pink aeros? Would that be an anodized pink? I couldn't find any pix that might show what that would look like. I have an gray Il Pompino I'm having built up. It's got the pink CK headseat, pink rims would bling that baby out.

I'm going to take Scott's word for it, 'cause he's in the know. And yeah, anodized pink. Around $45 apiece if I remember correctly.

Who/where is Tony?

www.irocycle.com

Who/where is Tony?

Tony is IRO.

I'm going to take Scott's word for it, 'cause he's in the know. And yeah, anodized pink. Around $45 apiece if I remember correctly.

Sweet, thanks for the heads up.

jeezo-whiz, i just checked the vandessel web site... the rear fixie wheels went up drastically in price... $114!! a bit ago they were selling for $85! guess i waited too long...

you can get an IRO/Velocity rear wheel for $100 from Tony. I think that's the best deal out of anything you've listed.

agreed. nice to support small business, plus the hubs are great. i just got mine and i love 'em.

Nice sealed flip-flop hub:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?sku=12032

and the matching front hub:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?sku=12031


500+ miles, no problems yet..............

yeah, those are the formula hubs. same as the iro hubs.

Just a random question. Why don't the IRO hubs come in fixed/fixed like the formula hubs? But on the other hand the formula hubs don't come in 130 spacing. I should email IRO.

any other deals i didnt mention?Well, if you can wait a couple of weeks, the annual bike swap (http://www.rpmcycling.com/) is in Westminster and there is usually a table w/ used track stuff there, so you might score a deal.

I'll stick with Dura Ace track hubbed rear wheels unless I see a good pre-built on eBay that catches my attention. It's the soul of the bike.

yeah, those are the formula hubs. same as the iro hubs.

Not to split hairs, but the Nashbar hubs are completely different than Formula/IRO hubs.
I have a set of the Nashbar hubs on my conversion; they are clearly different when compared to the jumbo photos on the IRO site.

The decorative cutouts on the flange are shaped differently.
The angle/shape of flange-to-hub-shell intersection is noticeably different.

Same sizes and general specs, yes.
Same exact thing, no.

No scarcasm here: Sorry to correct you on that, habitus. :)






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Just a random question. Why don't the IRO hubs come in fixed/fixed like the formula hubs? But on the other hand the formula hubs don't come in 130 spacing. I should email IRO.

My IRO hubs which came laced to the 26" Velocity rims were fixed / fixed. Nice wheelset, couldn't be happier. Well I could, but the snow has to melt.

shot: no prob. my mistake.