Sinn

Oops. I meant freeWHEEL as in the Shimano freewheels here:

https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/singlespeed.html#hubs

And to put the freewheel on a fixed hub.

sneaky viking

Makes more sense.

But still, single sided fixed hubs aren't quite as common as flip-flop. No point in paying a premium for something less versatile.

ubd

fixed wheel = a cog on a hub
flip flop = a hub that has a freewheel on one side and a cog (fixed) on other side.

so for a beginner who is considering whether or not to buy a fixed gear bike, a bike with a flip-flop hub would do better.

erichsia

Just get a double fixed hub. A freewheel will fit on either side, and if you eventually want to run 2 different size cogs, you can do that too.

bhurin

Cool, thanks for all the help so far. I think I'm going to try to get a Surly Steamroller through the local shop nearby. I think it'll be a good starting point for me when I learn more and am ready to start playing around with components.

peabodypride

five words of newb advice:

get tarck or get barck.

fiataccompli

(tangent here) I don't understand the utility of a flip flop vs a double fixed, as mentioned above. For one thing, if you are only running a front brake (I realize, that may be only a % of folks), then do you really want to be freewheeling with no other means of stopping in an emergency than jamming a front brake? Running front/rear, OK...I get it. For me, not super-urban, not a messenger, inherently not cool enough to be hip, etc., if I wanted to freewheel, I'd just ride one of my geared bikes and coast.

btw, I've been riding bikes of most sorts for 30+ years now, but just started playing w/ fixed gear very recently...my knees are no more torqued than riding my other bikes at times, but FG does turn up the presence of other leg muscles I never realized i owned.

sneaky viking

I thought flip-flop was any hub that you could put a cog on either side of, e.g. flip-flop fixed/fixed, or flip-flop fixed/free.

As opposed to single-sided freewheel or track hubs. 'Real' or old school or whatever you want to call them are single-sided, for less weight, and the flip-flip is unnecesary for this application. I think. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

fiataccompli

the one i have - which is similar to most i see sold in the very common places - is threaded for a cog or freewheel on both sides, but has smaller diameter threading for a lock ring on one side. Seems like having the dual threading would allow whatever kinda flip/flop you want...even two different freewheel gears.

peabodypride

Most older Formula hubs (what you are seeing "in the very common places") are fixed-free. Why? I dunno. They assumed people wanted strictly fixed-free, but the demand for fixed-fixed grew as the machining cost for an extra lockring threading is minimal and is backwards-compatible.

So you are right that having a free-only threading is kinda pointless, but that's just how it was for awhile.

bhurin

Sweet goo! So I placed my order at the LBS for a Surly Steamroller complete. I should be seeing it very soon and can't wait to get on the road.

Thanks a bunch for the help. And the search function on this forum is awesome!

jpdesjar

right on, enjoy your new bike