Hey, I just bought a fixed gear bike second hand and today i can suddenly pedal backward/coast. There's no resistance at all, it's as if it were a single speed, not fixed. I can still pedal forward, and that part feels the same. Any ideas?

Update, here's a pic https://i.imgur.com/p4LmE.jpg if that helps.

Thats odd. What happens when you shift gears. Sounds to me like you have a single speed. Is there a cog on the other side of the hub? You might need to flip the wheel around!

Your "fixed gear" was most likely a single speed bike with a bunch of Loctite in the freewheel. Common scam.

damn, i was hoping i wouldn't have to track down the guy i got it from. still have the # though.

this.
If it has a flip flop hub, tracking him down might not be worth it. He probably won't return your calls anyway. Just put a cog and lockring on the other side of the hub and call it good if the rest of the bike is ok.

EDIT:
Looks like you have a quick release back wheel. In other words, you're gonna need even more parts to make it a proper FG. Find this man and make him pay.

good luck

That is definitely a single speed cog from the picture..

Thanks for the help. Should have done more research before buying!

people throw loctite in singlespeed cogs? crazy...

I would think something like jbweld or some other epoxy would work better.

this

Nice freewheel, bro!

Oops! That's what I meant. JB Weld.

Rather than locking up a freewheel with JB Weld, why not just thread a fixed cog onto the hub? It might spin off but so will a locked up freewheel.

OP: did the bike freewheel when you test rode it?

Use a BB lockring to help hold the fixed cog in place. It's not as strong as a reverse threaded track lockring, but better than nothing. Install a front brake and avoid skid stops.

Yep.

Womp womp.

Hopefully it came with some brakes.

Quick release works fine as long as it's tightened properly. Makes chain tensioning a literal two-second job.

I think what EpicSchwinn meant was that since it's a quick release it's likely not a track hub capable of running a lockring.

while I don't agree with your logic, and I don't like you strictly based on your user ID I'm going to say it's unlikely a track hub based on equally faulty logic that the hub is low flange and in my time jerking off to bike parts I'm not able to recall seeing a low flange track hub, at least for a rear wheel.

Though after googling I did find them.

Definitely not a track hub. No doubts.

If you don't mind spending a little money you could just buy a wheelset and put that on there. When I wanted to try fixed the first thing I did was strip the deraileur and buy an alexrims wheelset. Some people on this forum don't like this company but it is perfect for a newbie just looking to wet his beak. Anyway the rear wheel will run you about 100$ and comes with a flip flop hub (yes! you can keep that freewheel you payed for!). You may also need a new chain. I ran into this problem as my old chain was too thin, I bought a BMX chain for strength.

<--- has a low flange track hub

You're obviously jerking off to the wrong pictures:



av - what the hell's up with your sig???

So many Wesley Willis songs. I forgot that one.

pretty sure he's going Sheen on us...