disadvantages to using a BMX hub?
 

I'm thinking about using a BMX flip flop hub for my next single speed. At half the price (ebay) of "regular" flip flop hubs, I think this might be a fairly economical way of getting an SS bike. I just wanted to know if there are any large disadvantages that I'm overlooking. Here are the ones I know about:

1) Narrow axle. I think my frame (an old Raleigh mixte) has narrow stays so I should be okay... if not, I can always use spacers, right?
2) Fixed sprocket is smaller. I plan on using only the freewheel side for now (which should be the same size, right?). And if I wanted to add a fixed sprocket, I'd just need a BMX specific one, right?

Can you guys/gals think of other disadvantages?

no fixed. fixed cogs have stepped threads, one reversed. it'd be like using a freewheel road hub, but with a better chainline.

110mm spacing the side with the smaller threads is actually a metric freewheel threaded side for smaller tooth counts

buy an iro or other cheap sealed bearing hub. you can get a fix/fix version in the spacing of your choice for $40. no need to dick around with respacing and the lack of lockring threads.

Do it, and run pegs!

9 tooth driver!

I think that most BMX hubs have different axle diameters and so won't fit into road frames.

But you will be able to go microdrive which would be cool.

well I did forget to mention that if you get a 14mm axle it wont work but hubs with a 3/8" axle will work
with bmx hubs its a 50 50 chance of it being either

Can I get the source for the IRO hub? $40 is not bad... hubs available to me are double that.

http://www.irofixedgear.com/index.as...ATS&Category=9

if you ask tony nicely, he will sell the rear only.


and there are about 10 other similar hubs- eg- dimensions for about the same price

nashbar brand sometimes has theres and formula also

A couple reasons why your plan is going to fail

1.As mentioned above you will not be able to do fixed because of the stepped threads. It is possible to get around this, but it is going to take some work to find a lock ring that will fit on the threads.
2.BMX axles are typically oversized, at least the ones worth getting, to compensate for the stresses that are placed on the parts by the riders. Therefore if you were to find an axle that would fit your road bike it would be very low end and would not be worth getting/building into a wheel out of.
3. BMX parts suck. Their bearings are crap and the technology is at least 5 years behind the industry. The reason for this is anybodys guess, but I suspect it is because most BMX companies are run by some drunk in a garage welding chromoly for kids.
4. Why the hell do you want to waste money building up a bmx based whell in the first place. If i were you building that wheel I would get a white industries flip flop hup and use that as my base. But that is just me....

hahahaha. don't listen to dumba55 fixedmonkey above me. drunks in a garage? puhhhleeeeaaze. companies like profile racing (make some of the best hubs in ANY bicycling discipline) make 3/8 axle'd hubs for racing. go to www.profileracing.com and snoop around. you can PM me anytime and i'll help you with anything, plus i've got a few friends that ride for them. you can get a cassette hub and just switch cogs very easily. let me know what you think. don't listen to the people on here that have no idea what they're talking about.

you're an idiot, he said he's looking to do it on the cheap, super high end bmx hubs that look like they start well above 100 dollars are not going to be helpful in anyway, i'm glad you have some friends that ride some bikes, next time don't blow your load before reading comprehension sets in

edit: they have two hubs under 100 dollars, one is 75 and the other is 85, still well more than your average track hub

Do bmx hubs come in a compatible spoke count to road rims?

Stop! Stop!

A BMX flip flop hub is diffrent to a track flip flop. The point of a bmx flip flop hub is so you may run lhd (left hand drive) not to have two gear ratios.. I am a little out of date with the technolgy but I think most BMX flip flop hubs have casset , clearly because a normal rh thread freewheeel would undo after a while. So run a BMX flip flop hub if you want a diffrent single speed with the ability to set it up lhd but you would also really need a bmx crank set with the ability to run you chainring on the lhs as well or a tandem crankset (or helicoil your cranks) to stop the pedels undoing.

Nobody ever saved any money building their own wheels unless they already had one part (rim or hub, or magical free and correct length spokes). Just get a wheelset from IRO or bicyclewheels.com

This is what I'm slowly beginning to realize. I think I'm going with a wheelset. Thanks to all for the suggestions.

Not in every case. I have a BMX hub with a flip flop. The threads on the flop side have a smaller diameter for a freewheel with less than 16T. Its not for a lhd. I have a SSMTB (redline monocog) built up with that hub with a 17T on one side and a 15t on the other...I flip and flop it all the time.

You can find some racing hubs that are 36h, and maybe even 32h.

I had an inkling there may be some which were not. Thanks for the info. I never needed to run lhs (plus I did most of my BMXing pre lhd technology) as my natural side to grind is on the left plus I am out of date with the latest developments.

whoops. i'm stoopid. you win teh intarweb. i guess my best advice is to listen to people on here that have no knowledge of bmx what-so-ever.

I used an old Shimano 333 hub I had laying around for the rear and a Shimano mountain bike hub for the front. they both work nice and run smooth the best part free. The spokes were the most expensive part. I got the araya 27" rims for 10$ each (they are nice double walled with inserts) and the cog. I enjoyed building the but it took a while. I rode them today.

haha. you're an idiot. I have some BMX parts on my single-speed and have ridden BMX bikes for many years, some of the best bike parts come from BMX companies. and yes you may be right Steve Crandall is a drunk but those drunks don't try and cash in on the industry vs. other bike companies. I have BMX hubs on my bike that I got for $20 and they will outlast any stock hub. whatever..