suicide hub that dangerous?
10-19-06, 10:06 PM
#1
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suicide hub that dangerous?
I really REALLY want to try fixed gear, I dont have a track hub, but is riding with a suicide hub really that bad? I will throw a BB lockting or 2 on there along with some locktite.
Thanks
Thanks
10-19-06, 10:10 PM
#2
hello
At least run a front brake and use it.....that way you won't have to worry about your cog unscrewing, BB lockring or no lockring.
10-19-06, 10:42 PM
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as much as we all will tell you to bite the bullet and get a real track wheel, there is really nothing wrong with trying it out suicide (if done right). Like Fixer said, use your brake and don't count on applying too much back pressure to the pedals...that is if you want to keep your teeth.
use a ton of red loctite and a sigle bb lockring.
-Robb
use a ton of red loctite and a sigle bb lockring.
-Robb
10-19-06, 10:59 PM
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I have a sprint hub with lockring and changed the rear cog the other day before a ride.
As I went down my steep driveway I applied some backpressure and the cog momentarily slipped before tightening the lockring, maybe only for half a second but I surged forward about 2 metres... My fault, I'd undertightened it. BUT after that small experience I'd never ride on a suicide hub.
What if you are approaching an intersection when the suicide hub slips? All it takes is an extra 2 metres before you apply the brake and you are dead...
Notice the name - "Suicide hub". Its called that for a reason!! Don't do it!!
As I went down my steep driveway I applied some backpressure and the cog momentarily slipped before tightening the lockring, maybe only for half a second but I surged forward about 2 metres... My fault, I'd undertightened it. BUT after that small experience I'd never ride on a suicide hub.
What if you are approaching an intersection when the suicide hub slips? All it takes is an extra 2 metres before you apply the brake and you are dead...
Notice the name - "Suicide hub". Its called that for a reason!! Don't do it!!
10-20-06, 12:02 AM
#6
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you suicide hubs are totally cool in my book, i mean after welding the cassette solid on my first bike and mad stripping the hub, breaking the axle in half and bending the skewer like a horseshoe; a little red locktite and a cog and BB lockring seems like a dream. But unless you have a deathwish, drop some money and get something you know ain't gonna break. cause you don't want to blow a cog of a road hub right in front of an intersection. trust me it sucks.
10-20-06, 12:27 AM
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No problem at all with suicide if you use your brains. Tighten it like a gorilla (rotafixa). Loctite for good measure and leave a brake on. If you skid, keep in mind that it may spin off, esp in the first weeks. If you don't skid, it'll last forever, I promise.
10-20-06, 01:38 AM
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no there not that dangerous and yes we need more people like you in the gene pool!!??!!
10-20-06, 01:39 AM
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Originally Posted by LóFarkas
No problem at all with suicide if you use your brains. Tighten it like a gorilla (rotafixa). Loctite for good measure and leave a brake on. If you skid, keep in mind that it may spin off, esp in the first weeks. If you don't skid, it'll last forever, I promise.
A properly done "suicide hub" is going to fail only with hard skiddind, it's a good and inexpensive way to TRY fixed gears, if you like it you can buy a good rear hub later on.
10-20-06, 05:26 AM
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thanks for the replies, If I like fixed, I will get a track hub and lace up a new wheel, but I really want to try it out before I commit to it. I will likely leave both brakes instlled, just because im to lazy to take one off just while I am trying it out.
I will probably give it a try tommorrow and we will see how it goes.
I will probably give it a try tommorrow and we will see how it goes.
10-20-06, 05:41 AM
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Use this method (the one LF recommended) to get your cog on tight.
10-20-06, 07:44 AM
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I 'tried out' a 'suicide hub' 18 years ago....long before the term 'suicide hub' (or even 'fixie' for that matter existed). It wasnt a 'testing the waters' thing, it was a 'this is what many people have been doing for 60 years' thing.
anyway, I'm still riding a freewheel hub 18 years later and have never had an incident.
My $.02
anyway, I'm still riding a freewheel hub 18 years later and have never had an incident.
My $.02
10-20-06, 08:58 AM
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Originally Posted by stevo
I 'tried out' a 'suicide hub' 18 years ago....long before the term 'suicide hub' (or even 'fixie' for that matter existed). It wasnt a 'testing the waters' thing, it was a 'this is what many people have been doing for 60 years' thing.
anyway, I'm still riding a freewheel hub 18 years later and have never had an incident.
My $.02
anyway, I'm still riding a freewheel hub 18 years later and have never had an incident.
My $.02
Also, I don't get the OP saying "I'll probably leave both brakes on because I'm too lazy to take one off." Yeah, back pressure on the pedals is great and all, but can you think of a reason other than fashion not to have 2 brakes? Yeah, weight, whatever, nobody's going to go out and do time trials on their suicided Schwinn.
That said, I only have 1 brake, because my Flock of Seagulls haircut and my Urban Outfitters wardrobe and I are slaves to fashion.
10-20-06, 08:59 AM
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Trying it out isn't a bad idea. Use a brake as a failsafe. My friend's suicide hub came apart a few weeks ago, due to a poor chainline and aided by the use of blue loc-tite. Fortunately we live in a flat area and she had a front brake to boot.
10-20-06, 09:42 AM
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It will work forever as long as you are using a brake. If you want to take your brakes off, then get a track hub. You probably shouldn't do that until you are pretty confident on a fixed with brakes.
10-20-06, 10:00 AM
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My first wheel: cleaned all threads with a wire brush and naphtha, applied JB Weld to cog and hub threads, rotafixed the cog on, applied JB Weld to BB lockring and hub threads, torqued down w/ lockring wrench. Yes, I used a front brake. No, the cog is never comming off. Ever.
10-20-06, 10:02 AM
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Originally Posted by Seggybop
if you use the bb lockring it won't come off, even if you lose the brakes.
10-20-06, 10:24 AM
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A while ago, some testing was attempted. When we tried it without any loctite at all (grease only), the lockring still wouldn't come off. Later I tried reverse rotafix with the lockring in place, and stripped the hub without moving the ring.
10-20-06, 10:34 AM
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While I commend your efforts, recommending it as infallible might be overstating it.
10-20-06, 11:16 AM
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Originally Posted by explody pup
My first wheel: cleaned all threads with a wire brush and naphtha, applied JB Weld to cog and hub threads, rotafixed the cog on, applied JB Weld to BB lockring and hub threads, torqued down w/ lockring wrench. Yes, I used a front brake. No, the cog is never comming off. Ever.
To the OP... I applied loctite and rotafixed my suicide hub and it hasn't come undone on me yet. I probably just jinxed myself and will run into trouble on my lunch time ride today. Thanks!
I am in the process of saving up to have a true fixed hub built up around a Mavic Open Pro rim I have laying around.
10-20-06, 11:44 AM
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Originally Posted by Aeroplane
WTF? Of course it can. The BB lockring unscrews the same way as the cog, it just gives more threads to grab and be loctited in place.
that is not all it does.
10-20-06, 12:06 PM
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Originally Posted by progre-ss
I wouldn't say never. I JB Welded my BB's fixed cup to my BB shell a couple years ago and just last week I felt some play with my cranks and lo and behold, the fixed cup was fixed no more.
10-20-06, 12:43 PM
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Originally Posted by dutret
that is not all it does.
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10-20-06, 01:17 PM
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I have done a couple fixed gear experiments on suicide hubs without any lockring at all. I wasn't really worried. I had two brakes on the bike and had no intention of skidding by backpressure on the pedals. I wouldn't go brakeless or do any skidding with a suicide hub, but otherwise it doesn't seem dangerous.
BTW, two like threaded nuts on a bolt do provide more resistance to unthreading than a single nut. People run 700 RPM wood shapers in reverse with only a double nut on the spindle to hold the half pound steel cutter on. It's common practice.
BTW, two like threaded nuts on a bolt do provide more resistance to unthreading than a single nut. People run 700 RPM wood shapers in reverse with only a double nut on the spindle to hold the half pound steel cutter on. It's common practice.