craigery

I'm new to fixie and I'm going to build one. I have a wheelset on my road bike that I love. I plan on getting a new road bike and I'm going to keep the wheels off my current road bike to use them on the fixie. First of all, can I do that? Second, what do I need to make the rear wheel work? Thanks guy!

hyperRevue

A new hub.

Fixed cog + lockring

craigery

Does that mean I have to relace the wheel?

newo

yes

hyperRevue

Yeah.
And depending on the flange of your current hub and the new one you buy, you'll probably want new spokes too.

craigery

Man, that sucks. I have a nice set of bladed spoke wheels that I love but I dont really want to put that much work into it. Is the flange the part of the hub that has the holes that the spokes to through? Are there lots of different sizes or just a couple?

hyperRevue

Yeah, that's the flange.
Probably every manufacturer's flange is slightly different.
Most high-flange hubs are probably pretty close to a degree, but I don't believe there is a set standard size.

What kind of hub do you currently have?

Landgolier

The surly fixxer would work here, though some people don't like that thing.

hyperRevue

Scratch that.
Got confused.

LóFarkas

Don't take apart a good high-quality wheel. Reusing the rim is just not worth it. Build or buy a new rear wheel, and sell the road wheel if you have no use for it.

dirtyphotons

why do you say the fixxer wont work?

stevo

not necessarily

Landgolier

wait, me or Hyper? I didn't say it wouldn't work, I just know some people thing the thing is kind of jingus. I don't see anything wrong with it, I wouldn't pick it over a regular wheel, but for somebody like this guy who wants to try fixed it would fit the bill and get him out there for like $100 with the cog and lock ring.

hyperRevue

I actually don't really know what the surly fixxer is.

Re-Cycle

How come no one asked what kind of hub the road wheel has? Is it a modern cassette hub then use the fixer. If its a older freewheel hub then you could getho fix it by spinning on a cog with some loc-tite [and while I don't do this method for customers, I have skidded with this setup and it *seemed* strong].

Spacing is another issue if you plan on using the wheel in a frame other then your road frame

PS. I am guessing its a cassette hub but just wanted to be sure.

hyperRevue

Post #7

dirtyphotons

the fixxer is a replacement axle for modern shimano-type cassette hubs that allows you to convert your rear hub to fixed (safely, with a proper lockring) often without respacing/redishing. info here. seems like a neat idea, but i've never used one.

Landgolier, i think you're right. a real track hub is probably better than the fixxer, and not terribly more expensive, but the op really likes his wheels, it's the cheapest and easiest way to keep the wheels and go fixed.

i know several people who've done the (RED!) loctite conversion and not one has ever complained about the cog slipping, but it seems common sense that if you go this route you really oughta keep at least one brake.

Landgolier

I think everybody assumed a modern freehub when he said it had bladed spokes.

operator

haha

Landgolier

I mean come on, I know it's possible it's not a freehub, but it's a pretty friggin' safe bet.

craigery

Sorry guys. I'm at work and I finally got a second to post. It is a modern hub. Its a Neuvation M28 wheelset. They're all black and I think they'd look awesome with a flat black frame. Now, how about a singlespeed instead of a fixie? What do ya think? I looked at the Fixxer from surly, and I kind of understand how it works, but is it hard to install. I think it uses a sealed-bearing hub(does that sound right?) so would the fixxer still work?

operator

no

craigery

no what?

hyperRevue

I assume no, the fixxer wont work.

dirtyphotons

you could do singlespeed by replacing all but one cog on your casette with spacers, relatively minor surgery. i'd check with surly about the fixxer on sealed bearings.

my feeling is that you'll have to tap out one of the bearings in order to replace the axle (at least, if the axle is similar to my IRO) and then tap it back in with something (i recommend a large washer and a scrap piece of pipe). once that happens though, the bearings are stuck in there for better or worse. i got mine out, but ruined one in the process. maybe somebody on here knows a better way.