does anyone actually use the fixed side of a flip-flop?
#1
Thread Starter
partly metal, partly real
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,597
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia.
Bikes: Hummer H2
does anyone actually use the fixed side of a flip-flop?
i see lots of topics about people with new ss freewheel builds claiming they keep a cog on the other side "for when they ride fixed".
does anyone who actually rides a fixed gear switch to the freewheel side? i know of two people who ride a freewheel with a fixed cog on the other side who have never flipped their wheel. this seems to be more representative of the "flip flop hub" demographic.
i also don't know of anyone who rides fixed who would ever ride a singlespeed freewheel "on occasion".
is "for when i ride fixed" a myth?
does anyone who actually rides a fixed gear switch to the freewheel side? i know of two people who ride a freewheel with a fixed cog on the other side who have never flipped their wheel. this seems to be more representative of the "flip flop hub" demographic.
i also don't know of anyone who rides fixed who would ever ride a singlespeed freewheel "on occasion".
is "for when i ride fixed" a myth?
#5
Post-modern sleaze
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 259
Likes: 0
From: Boulder, CO
Bikes: Fuji fixed, Browning fixed, MTB
There has never been anything threaded on the freewheel side of my hub. Only reason I got flip/flop is because that's how the cheapo formulas come. Next hubs I'll get will probably be DA (or Suzue ProMax if I can find some), and I certainly won't miss having useless threads on the non-drive side.
#6
out of shape
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,456
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From: va
the only people i know that use a flip flop hub are ss mtb'ers who ride fixed in town and a lower freewheel gear on trails, and people who have one wheelset that they swap between a road conversion and a cruiser or townie.
#11
was fixed, now i am free
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
From: Boston
Bikes: Royal H Rando, IRO Mark V Pro, Redline Monocog 29er
i had a free wheel on my hub because the guy at the shop built my wheels for a ss, but said that he was too lazy to take it off when he put my cog on and just gave it to me for free, i recently took it off cause it is not good to ride a ss without brakes
#13
or tarckeemoon, depending
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 7,017
Likes: 2
From: the pesto of cities
Bikes: Davidson Impulse, Merckx Titanium AX, Bruce Gordon Rock & Road, Cross Check custom build, On-One Il Pomino, Shawver Cycles cross, Zion 737, Mercian Vincitore, Brompton S1L, Charge Juicer
My commuter has a single/single hub. I'm only running one freewheel on it at the moment though.
#15
Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 40,863
Likes: 3,116
From: Sacramento, California, USA
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
I use mine when I'm riding the old girl near Tahoe. I'll be damned if I'm going to spin down Mt. Rose.
#17
phony collective progress
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,973
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From: San Hoosey
Bikes: https://velospace.org/user/36663
#18
I run a fixed cog on each side, even when threaded for a freewheel. I don't run a lockring, but I do run a front brake. All my double threaded wheelsets for the fixed gear run fixed/fixed cogs. I don't like to mix fixed and free on the same wheel.
As far as single speeds, I have a conversion that's a dedicated single speed and nothing else. I like taking this bike out on hilly rides so I can coast on long descents.
As far as single speeds, I have a conversion that's a dedicated single speed and nothing else. I like taking this bike out on hilly rides so I can coast on long descents.
Last edited by roadfix; 02-20-08 at 12:05 AM.
#19
You can still run a fixed cog on the free side sans lockring as long as you're running a brake.
#20
#21
#22
phony collective progress
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,973
Likes: 5
From: San Hoosey
Bikes: https://velospace.org/user/36663
#25
seems like the concern would be the damage it could do to your threads. even though the movement is very slight, you are still moving the cog back and forth on the threads under very high torque, which I would think could do some damage. but again, it's your hub.





