Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - Are high flange hubs necessary for the front wheel?

I hear high flange hubs give better power transfer. I'm sure this doesn't apply to the front wheel because there is no power being transferred to it. Now I feel like it is unnecessary to have a high flange hub on the front wheel other than for looks, and I know many of you hipsters really dig the looks over the performance of a bike. A low flange hub for the front wheel would weigh less, have less rotational mass (although trivial) and would probably have better shock absorption.

What's your take on this?

Placebo for the average joe. Choose whichever you like more.

I like low flange

The answer is no. But the whole hi/low debate has happened.

High flange hubs increase lateral stiffness by shortening the spoke and increasing the angle of the spoke as it travels from the flange to the median plane of the wheel at the rim. Traditionally, high flanges also allowed a track racer to replace a broken drive side spoke without removing the cog.

Generally speaking, a modern symetrically dished wheel, well endowed with spokes, and built with modern components, will be sufficiently stiff and durable without high flanges.

There is no real reason to use a high flange hub in the front or the rear except for looks.

Personally, I prefer using light weight low flange road hubs on the front with either a bolt-on skewer or quick release skewer. I use high flange rear track hubs but only because they are more commonly available than low flange track hubs.

No need to match the hubs unless you are obsessed with looks.

I know many of you hipsters really dig the looks over the performance of a bike.

Oh boy. You're going to do great here.

On a slightly related tangent, there's a lot of talk about better power transfer, more efficient pedal stroke blah blah blah on BF. A lot of times people forget that you can have a blinged-out car, but if the motor is ****ty and in a state of disrepair it won't run well regardless. Now, translate that to bikes - if you're a weak rider who doesn't train, it doesn't matter what you buy. Ride your bike more.

Low flange hubs are the leading cause of death in hipsters age 17-22. Only a fool would build track wheels without high flange hubs.

Under no circumstances should one ever mix flange size.

Low flange hubs are the leading cause of death in hipsters age 17-22. Only a fool would build track wheels without high flange hubs.

Under no circumstances should one ever mix flange size.
Truer words were never spoken.

High flange hubs...lateral stiffness..angle..median plane...

TL;DR: no

Under no circumstances should one ever mix flange size.

instant death?

http://i.imgur.com/Qlsdx.jpg

I know many of you hipsters really dig the looks over the performance of a bike.

"I'm going to come in here insulting people in a roundabout way, then ask for help."

**** you.

It's true though. What do we do about that?

instant death?

http://i.imgur.com/Qlsdx.jpg
http://i402.photobucket.com/albums/pp103/chriscraft27/D5229534-F98C-4C02-A1C8-6D5FF92D0298-4402-00000A353F2DFDF3.jpg

This happened the first time I used the high-low wheelset on my Colnago. I figured it must have been my fault, so I tried them again.

http://i402.photobucket.com/albums/pp103/chriscraft27/32AECC6E-E21C-4168-90D3-23582807C4D0-3630-00000800F7A7A91A.jpg.

The original Campagnolo hi-lo hubs are very rare because they were issued to the 1972 E German cycling team as a way to keep them out of the Olympic games.


MOD EDIT: Broke image links. Click at your own discretion. Hospital gurneys involved.

It's true though. What do we do about that?
grow a beard and ride a recumbent

This happened the first time I used the high-low wheelset on my Colnago. I figured it must have been my fault, so I tried them again.

http://i.imgur.com/LAN8R.jpg?1

http://i.imgur.com/iHlMB.jpg?1

.

The original Campagnolo hi-lo hubs are very rare because they were issued to the 1972 E German cycling team as a way to keep them out of the Olympic games.

You look pitiful, get that crap out of here. Fixed.

MOD EDIT: Broke image links. Same warning as above.

"I'm going to come in here insulting people in a roundabout way, then ask for help."

**** you.
http://i.qkme.me/3rfm1j.jpg

"I'm going to come in here insulting people in a roundabout way, then ask for help."

**** you.


lol. ok. if you do insist on being called a "hipster". Not everyone that rides ss/fg is a "hipster". Where I come from at least.

oh hey the hipster is back.

oh hey the hipster is back.

ya. I wear wayfarer sunglasses without lenses. lenses too mainstream.

To answer your question its as a purely asthetical choice and just because im got to art school and im a fat kid on a bik dosent mean im a hipster so stop picking on poor fixed gear riders.

To answer your question its as a purely asthetical choice and just because im got to art school and im a fat kid on a bik dosent mean im a hipster so stop picking on poor fixed gear riders.

Hipsters regard me as some strange and exotic creature but usually decide I'm largely harmless ... provided someone keeps a close eye on me :innocent:

ya. I wear wayfarer sunglasses without lenses. lenses too mainstream.
Hipsters that don't know what's hip are the worst kind of hipsters.

So now that this thread has gone into hipster talk rather than answering the question any further I'm going to close this before it gets ugly.