Thinking about buying a new bike with a flip flop hub so I can have a good fixed gear on one side and a freewheel on the other.

The problem is, is that the fixed would be about a 18, the freewheel would be the largest I can find, like a 24 if they come in that tooth count. The freewheel would be mostly for hill climbs.

But here's the problem, what about the chain?
Do I have to lengthen the chain to have it over extend to the fixed gear, and then press the tire to the frame to have the higher tooth count?

How does this work?

Usually if either side only differs by a tooth or two, you can use the same length chain and just move your wheel around in your dropouts to accommodate whichever ratio you're using. Making a 6-tooth jump will most likely require either adding/removing links to your chain each time you switch or two separate chains.

I'm not sure if you'll even find a 24t freewheel.

Hmm, I really don't like messing with my chain. Has anyone heard of changing the crank gear ring while switching the gear in the rear to equal out the chain length.

Btw, I did a 14 mile climb, some parts 20-30% grades. I rode my single speed 46/16 alongside guys riding road bikes at 30/24 and they had a hard time. That's what I'm thinking of changing

This would cause you to end up with the same number of gear inches and be more hassle than switching chains.

Wouldn't it be awesome if you could change the "crank gear" and/or the cog using the same chain with some sort of thingy to take up the slack on the freewheel?

It would be crazy if you could activate the gear changer WHILE ROLLING like a car does.

Carls, Sorry to pop your bubble. But they have something like that, Its kinda like a road bike no?

hehe.

Btw, if you can do a 30% in 46-16, then you should be in Italy right now.

The solution for you is a Dingle cog. If you have two chainrings that are also two teeth apart, you can have two very different gear inches with the same length chain.

get gears

My legs are ground meat. My ankles are in pain, my feet hurt, my legs don't want to move, and my arms burn form tossing and turning. I can bike, I've been cycling all my life with just about anything, yet those grades killed me.

Sounds nice. Do they sell them anywhere good? Nashbar, amazon, etc.

I'd like to stay single, it's the challenge of the ride.

If I can't do much, I'll just build a climbing ONLY bike.

i was pretty screwed at 12% 46/16. ouch mann.

At 48/16 13 grad hills are pretty impossible. :/

A Dingle is two conjoined fixed cogs. Didn't you want a freewheel?