noahs44

Anyone out there have suggestions for my cheapest route in getting a new (or used) rear wheel with a fixed or flip hub? Do I need to get a wheelset, or is just replacing the rear wheel okay? I'm debating whether or not to take off the cassette and throw the spacers on. I'd rather get a new wheel (or set if I can find them cheap enough), but if it's a lot more, I'll probably just go and replace the cassette. My wheel size is 27 1/4. It's an old Shwinn road frame.

Thoughts?

Here is the cheapest wheelset I can find.

MrCjolsen

Go to this page and scroll down. As far as I know, it's the only built 27" wheel that has a flip flop hub with proper track threading on one side.

https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/wheels1.html

You don't need to replace the front wheel. Even if you go 700c on the back. If you get a 700c rear wheel, there are rather inexpensive options for just one wheel.

But I'm a little confused. You say your wheels are 27", not 700c, right? And it has a cassette freehub? Not a freewheel? I always thought the two together would be somewhat anachronistic.

If it's a freewheel, then the cogs thread onto the hub. You can convert that to a fixed gear by doing a "suicide hub." Use this forums search feature to learn about suicide hubs. Just remember, the name is misleading if you don't remove your brakes.

If you get a 700c wheel, front or rear, you will probably need to get new brake calipers that have a longer reach. But the good news is that if you get a 700c wheel on just the back, you don't really need a rear brake.

When you have a 700c wheel in back, and a 27" wheel in front, it does not throw the geometry off very much, and none at all if you are willing to compromise by running different tire sizes.

If you only want singlespeed, and not fixed gear, then you get a BMX cog. You get cassette spacers if you have a cassette freehub.

noahs44

Right. I'm kinda sorta figuring this out as I go along since I've never ridden fixed. Anyhow, thanks for the info. I'm going to keep looking and see what I can find out there. I'd rather just find a cheap wheel, since the rear one right now is a bit gnarly anyway. I'm not sure if it's a cassette freehub or freewheel - what's the difference?

I may just wait and save up to redo this thing properly. Who knows. Cheers

cc700

your brake calipers should only need a cm of reach past 27" to fit most any 700c wheel.

and the cheapest way to do it would be to redish it yourself with a flipflop hub... but if you knew how to do that you probably wouldn't be asking us this question in the first place.

noahs44

Indeed

Wanting to learn all this stuff. Another reason I'm trying to do this myself.