edogowa rampo

I intend to ride until next spring on a single speed or fixed road bike. I find the single speed almost to comfortable. I would ride just fixed but I keep breaking spokes on my flip-flop hub when I ride on the fixed side. I had the wheel built-up from second hand parts. The mechanic I deal with suspects some of the spokes just do not match consequently I keep breaking them. He figures it is just a matter of time until we find the right combination. He keeps fixing the wheel for free so I suspect he is telling the truth.
I have another wheel with an old suntour hub that I could convert to fixed or single-speed. I might do that.
I am riding with a 42x16 fixed and single speed. I am thinking of going to a 42x18 for part of the winter.Am I better off ride fixed or single speed keeping in mind I am laying a base for long distnace rides next year hopefully including Boston Montreal Boston 1200 km.
Looking for some opinions.

Thanks

MKRG

Go fixed I say! If you're coasting you're just letting the wind get you cold. Also, if you are in fact dealing with the cold you may find that you just don't go out as long as you would if it were warmer. That's what happens to me anyway. If you're fixed, every minute counts because you're not allowed to slack off as much. I think you get "more bang for your buck".

edogowa rampo

Living in Ottawa the cold is something to consider. I generally find gears freeze up here in the winter. That was another reason I thought to go fixed or single speed.

riderx

To answer your question: Fixed

Now go rebuild that flip-flop with some new spokes (and a probably a new rim) so you can have a rock solid wheel.

progre-ss

I'd go fixed. SS is cool but it too will freeze up in the winter due to the pawls et al. Rebuild the hub with new spokes and you'll be golden for the winter!

On a side note...
I lived in Ottawa most of my life up until summer 2001. In Orleans to be exact. Where abouts are you? I used to work for a small community paper iin Nepean and would commute by bike from Orleans to Nepean, sometimes aided by the good 'ol 95! Hping to get back soon to visit family and friends,...my wife and kids haven't been back since we moved here in the Poconos, PA Cool to see a fellow Ottawan here! Go Sens! (That is when the strike is over)

bostontrevor

Fixed is more fun, warmer, and will leave you in better condition for the Spring. Then there's the fact that your freewheel could freeze up and your fix could give you better feel for the surface. No guarantee that either of these will happen, but what the crap, why not?

As for the wheel thing, not riding fixed because your spokes keep breaking seems like the wrong answer. I'd say find out what's up with the wheel and repair it properly. Were the spokes 2nd hand as well?

jfmckenna

fixed::better traction

chimblysweep

honestly, i was afraid to go fixie/brakeless and even bought a flip flop hub thinking i'd freewheel.

it's been 20 hours since i first got on my fixie, and i'm never going back. it just feels so happy great. i'm so glad i didn't wimp out and SS!

RainmanP

Spokes are the cheapest part of a wheel. NEVER reuse spokes.

edogowa rampo

Tomorrow I am going to my Bike mechanic with another wheel and have it set up as fised with an 18 so I will ride a 42X18 fixed. The spokes on the other wheel are second hand but stainless. The guy who is building them up has been building wheels since 1967 back in Albania. The rim is new so I will get new spokes. I enjoy single speed as well and was just looking for an excuse to ride single speed. I went for a long ride in the wind with the fixed about 80 km and may be pushed it too hard.
Thanks for encouragement I will be going back fixed.

bostontrevor

Reused spokes, that's why they're breaking. I don't want to slag on your Albanian friend, but never reuse spokes. If a wheel is properly built, the spokes can't be reused. They will have been stress relieved in their old pattern. Relacing them any differently will cause a lot of metal fatigue and failure.

Good luck with the new wheel.

RainmanP

Yeah, no offense, but as a matter of necessity in places like Albania people are forced to reuse anything they can so it is understandable that he would consider it OK, even a good idea. The problem has nothing to do with the quality of the spokes. The problem is that spokes in a wheel are subjected to pretty specific stresses, depending on each one's specific location, orientation, etc. When you reuse a spoke it is almost certainly being worked in a different direction. You know what happens if you take a piece of metal and bend it back and forth, right? After a few bends it practically falls apart in your hands. Same concept it just takes a little longer.

jfmckenna

Before I knew any better I rebuilt a wheel with used spokes off the other wheel and till this day have had no problems. I probably have 4k miles on it. Now that I know I probably was lucky but I can vouch for the fact that it can be done...

jimv

It appears you're in pretty good company. I've never reused spokes BUT he has and does know a bit about wheels......and I quote:

A good stainless spoke probably has a longer life than your
bicycling career. I have a pair of wheels that is well over 200000
miles old having had many rim replacements. Spokes are not stressed
to more than 1/3 their yield stress and therefore, do not fatigue age
with use. The reason they break, is that they have residual locked
in high stresses either from manufacture or installation or both,
that leave them near their yield stress locally.

Once a set of spokes has been stress relieved and is working well, you
do yourself a great disservice by throwing them away when rebuilding
with a new rim because you must go through the weeding out of spokes
that will break due to peculiarities that leave them with residual
stress. Even a crashed an folded wheel does not damage spokes if they
are not kinked because loads on wheels only reduce tension rather than
increase it. The slight increases that occur when a wheel is bent
sideways are insignificant to the strength of the spoke.

All this is not the case for Rolf or similarly low spoke count wheels
where individual spokes are far more highly stressed. You don't get
something for nothing.

Jobst Brandt

bostontrevor

Interesting. I get the part about stress relieving but I would have expected that stress relieving a spoke in one configuration would leave it in a bad way should you relace it in another. I guess I'm wrong. You don't get much more horse's mouth than Jobst Brandt.

Mr. Shadow

Fixed-gear, on or off-road--all year long.
Who needs more than one gear???