Mars_

Newbie building a fixie rn so I need some advice, thank you!

So the wheel i currently have, just a regular 700c, is a front wheel. The hub is screwed so it needs to be taken out anyway, and I'm gonna turn it into a rear wheel and buy a trispoke for my front. Any advice on buying a hub and what not, and how to turn it into a rear wheel? Is there a specific type of hub I need for a singlespeed/fixed bike? Thanks a bunch!

SkyDog75

Converting a front to a rear means swapping out the hub, which will probably also mean swapping out the spokes. So all you're doing is transplanting a rim, at which point it's probably cheaper to just buy a different rear wheel.

Mars_

The wheel needs attention anyway, and it’s actually cheaper for me to just buy a hub and new spokes for it than buying a new wheel

JohnDThompson 

Unless it's an exceptionally fancy rim, it's probably cheaper to replace the whole wheel.

Mars_

All the 700c deep v rear wheels I’ve looked at are $100 or over... Buying a hub and spokes is like half that...

But then again I don’t exactly know what type of hubs to look for because no one is answering my question

Ironfish653

If you're building a rear wheel for a fixie, you'll need a fixed-gear, or 'track' hub. You can also get a 'flip-flop' hub, which has a fixed cog on one side and can fit a single-speed freewheel on the other. You can switch between fixed-gear or freewheel by flipping the wheel around.

Don't know what kind of rim you're trying to use, but you can get a F/R wheelset from Pure Cycles for $100. 40mm 'deep-V' rims, too.
https://www.purecycles.com/collectio...ries/wheelsets

They'll sell you a hub, too, but WRT spoke length, we need to know your rim section depth, hub flange diameter, and intended lacing pattern.

SquidPuppet

Do you know how to build wheels? If not, you'll pay around $50.00 for someone to assemble the hew hub and spokes to your old rim.

fietsbob

good spokes are not cheap..

SkyDog75

You'll need a fixed gear or track hub, like the rears listed HERE on Universal Cycles' web site. Or a flip-flop hub that can take a freewheel on one site and fixed cog on the other. You'll need one with the same number of spoke holes as the rim you intend to use, and the same OLD (Over Locknut Distance, or width) as your frame's dropouts.

Well, the hub's OLD might not have to match the frame's dropout width... Depending on what kind of frame you have and its age, your dropouts are likely to be spaced at 120, 126, 130, or 135 mm. Ideally your new hub will match the frame, but there are some ways you can make mismatched parts work. If your new hub is narrower than the frame spacing, you can add spacers (which might require a longer axle). If your new hub is wider than your frame's dropouts, you might be able to cold set (bend) the frame -- if it's steel -- to accept the new hub. If it's not a big difference, you may be able to just spread the dropouts a little bit by hand while installing the wheel, even though that's not ideal.

Once you have your rim and hub in hand, you'll need to take measurements to buy spokes that are the right length. You'll need to know the ERD (Effective Rim Diameter) of the rim, as well as a number of measurements re: the hub flange diameter and position. You can take those measurements and plug them into a spoke calculator like SpoCalc, along with your desired spoke pattern, to determine the spoke lengths you'll need to buy. Note "lengths" is plural since rear wheels are often dished or offset to one side to accommodate the sprocket(s). I like the EDD spoke calculator and the site has a good "how to measure" page HERE.

Now that you've got all the parts, you need to assemble the wheel. Sheldon Brown's site has a good tutorial on wheelbulding HERE. You'll need a spoke wrench, but those are inexpensive. You'd also ideally have a truing stand and dishing gauge as well as maybe a tensiometer to measure spoke tension, but you can do without those in a pinch. You can use your bike's frame or fork, turned upside-down as a truing stand, albeit an inconvenient one.

1500SLR

Unless you know how to build a wheel with spokes that suit your weight in a reliable way (yes spoke patterns matter it adds rigidity to the wheel) i'd suggest don't do it. My Trek has a kind of unique set of spokes on it, but the problem is that these rims are known to break really easily and should probably be respoked. You have to want to know what you're doing. Lacing spokes is a science.

The science of having to put together a bike properly is lost on a lot of fixie riders and the other thing. Riding deep section wheels itself is an art form. I sincerely hope you've considered all of the ramifications of living with deep section wheels, otherwise with the first gust of wind your bicycle wheels will turn into an airplane engine and you'll be in the middle of the road. If you're lucky you wont get squashed by a truck.

No one really rides straight threaded spokes anymore but here you go.

veganbikes

If your front hub isn't working it sounds like you have a brokie not a fixie. You need to fixie your brokie so you can ride it.

As others have suggested I would get a pre-built wheel unless you have built wheels which judging from your post you have not. It will be way easier and less hassle and less cost with factoring in parts and labor.

Also why a tri-spoke? What gains will you get from spend a ridiculous amount of money for a non-properly spoked wheel that will probably weigh a bunch and not really give you much in gains unless you are super aero and going super fast all the time (which is not practical except for racing)? They can sort of look good on an aero carbon frame but only as a complete aero package and not with a cheap fixed gear wheel in the back on some steel or online type "fixie" aluminum frame.

clasher

You can buy a cheap fixed rear hub on ebay, shipped from China for 30 or 40$ depending on the brand. Novatec, formula and joytec all make basic ones... make sure get the right spoke count. This wheelbuilding book is worth the 12$ it'll teach you how to measure everything and it has a good spoke length calculator. If you can get to a bike co-op they might have used hubs that would work and might be able to show how to build a wheel. Our local co-op has used spokes that are cheap too. I like building wheels but it's not something that saves me a lot of money if I put a price on my time.

Marcus_Ti

No...you can't get a reputable front hub (new) for $50USD except on steep-and-cheap sales. Spokes nipples and rim tape will be $50USD by themselves easy.

Mars_

I was looking at rear hubs in general, didn’t know I needed a track or a flip flop hub, and needed to look into specific patterns for be spokes and what not. I’ll look into buying a new wheel but I would’ve rathered just reusing the one I have.

Thank you guys for the advice n what not!

GuessWhoCycling

I buy my spokes from prowheelbuilder. They have plenty of spokes I could not find in local shops because of limited supply.

I also built my wheels learning thru reading sheldon brown's section on wheels. Not rocket science and if you have a little mechanical ability, it's not hard.

Not sure about track hubs etc but basic hubs take 2 different lengths of spokes to compensate for the gear/gears. So be sure to find out if you need two different lengths, drive side and non drive side.


prowheelbuilder.com

Not that hard. I've built about 10 wheels for my fleet of bikes including a tandem wheel. Just takes some common sense and a little TLC.

Deep V 30 mm deep. I see plenty of fixies riders using Deep V's.

fietsbob

Maybe a Balance bike ? front wheel on both ends , and no drivetrain? 2nd childhood..