Hello all, My name is Bryan and I have been looking for a forum community that has single speed roadies like myself. Any other SS roadies on the forum? I'm always looking to share stories and ideas about gearing. I'm a retired dirt single speed racer (getting too old for the beating) that moved to the road a short while ago. I have tried a fixed gear, and I admit it does wonders for the spin, but I prefer to be able to coast (sorry ) at times when I want to. I'm also looking for ideas on bike set up. I have a converted 1977 Scwinn Super Le Tour that I just spaced out the existing hub/gear though I want to find a more single speed dedicated set up. I would appreciate to hear what others are using.

I ride a single speed road bike when not on my mountain bike. Welcome! I am using a rear joytech wheel laced to a BMX hub and 17t freewheel, with Shimano 600 cranks and a 40t chinring. So, I am running a 40x17 setup. It is fast enough on the flats to go 30 miles in 1.75 hours, and climbing doesn't murder me.

I just got an IRO MarkV for winter road training. Its fixed and let me tell you as a first time fixer its a heck of a workout. Its hard to hangon to the group rides on the thing so Im going to regear it slightly.

Take care-
Jim

Has anyone had experience using flip flop hubs to use two different gear options?

As I've said time and time again, get yourself a fix/fix hub. You can run 2 freewheels or two fixed gears. Having a hub that only does free on one side is pretty pointless.

I run a 16t on one side, 14t on the other, both fixed. Current chainring up front is a 44t. It works well. I have yet to flip it in the middle of the ride, most often it's a switch for a week or two...

on my SS MTB i have a 16T on one side, and an 18T on the other... but that's only cuz I broke my chain whip

I have one that is in the middle of being built up. Its 42/16 with a suzue basic flip/flop hub. I am not ready for fixed gear so right now I'm only running the freewheel side. I will probably put on a 15T cog when the time comes and leave the 16T freewheel on there.

This is the first time I ever heard you say that (my first day). I agree with you that a fixed on one side and a free on the other would be silly. I'm not to familiar with the hubs to do this. You can run a freewheel on a fixed hub? If so, then couldn't you use a fixed free hub and just use a freewheel on the fixed side of it and the free would be standard? I'm clueless.

Toledo, huh? I'm down in hell, a.k.a Bowling Green. I think you and schwinnbikelove are the only two cyclists in Toledo.

"I've heard stories."

stories are just that.

My roadbike is a old cheap Motobecane. Ran it fixed for a while, but I prefer it as a single speed coaster brake. Currently, it has a Velosteel coaster brake hub, but performance-wise, they're all pretty much the same. Runs about 66 gear inches (44/18), and is set up with a fairly upright riding position. Very simple bike with a front brake, looks pretty much the same as it did when fixed.

Interestingly, I see NYCbikes is selling a 700c coaster brake wheelwith a generic but functional hub.
https://www.nycbikes.com/item.php?item_id=353

I find coaster brake hubs simple, maintenace free, reliable and cheap. No rachet-coasting, too.

Bowling Green, eh? I'm currently at work in BG (the industrial park behind Meijer). I actually live in Delta. It would be cool to hook up with some locals for a single speed road ride.

Coasting really sucks though. I just tend to build up a new bike if I need another gearing option.
After my last crash it will be difficult for me to ride geared again. I want to be in control of the bike
and a fixed-gear bike gives me that control.

I respect your wanting to do otherwise. I wouldn't trust a coaster brake at speeds reaching 40 mph.

I have a flip/flop hub with fixed on one side and freewheel on the other because I wasn't sure if I'd like fixed gear. Plus I wanted to get used to riding a road bike and using clipless pedals before I added the no-coasting component (I'm a slow learner). I haven't used the freewheel since I started riding fixed, but I think if I visit a city with more hills than the Twin Cities I might like the option to run the freewheel.

ON my Puegeot, I'm running an old mallard freewheel hub, that has been spaced and the wheel has been redished. Just screwed on a BMX freewheel, running 48/17. While flip flop hubs are nice and all, but I have been able to salvage the old freewheel hubs on most of the SS conversions I have done. Usually reverse dishing the wheel and moving the spacers to the other side of the axle after sliding it over works.

I just got back from one. BRUTAL head wind coming up Poe road. I know a few fixed riders here in town, and a few geared roadies (professors), and the guys at the local shop who only ride trials. Let me know if you ever want to ride, get ahold of me by PM or email.

Cool, will do. I was outside at lunch and that headwind must have been a b$#@*!

Ahhhhh ... BG ... I miss it every day. I spent 3 years there doing a degree in Popular Culture and teaching for the department. Odd, I rode a 12 speed the whole time I was there. That place is flatter than a flat thing and the only real concern for cyclists is, as you mentioned, the wind (and sometimes the snow) ... should've learned the art of fixed gear ridding while I was there and not in the car infested, slightly rolling hills of Atlanta. Well, you know what they say about hindsight.

Anyway, go see Stylex at Howard's and have a mini-pitcher (or three) for me.

I have a low budget Bianchi road bike which I just removed the 5-speed freewheel and put on a BMX freewheel 17 cogs. Chainline is good enough. 42 in front is fine for me.

Ah, good ole Howards. Easiest place to consume underage. I have seen many a good band there. It is by far and away my favorite bar here. The others just plain give me the creeps. I hate dancing, so I guess that explains it. Bryan, yes, the headwind actually made it feel like I was climbing a never ending hill.

Have you ever heard or seen the band Bonedaddy?

Nope. I don't go there much, but I have been to a few battle of the bands there. I wanted to see Andrew WK when he was there, but couldn't make it.

Hey, real funny!!! Wait a minute, you're right...
Imagine my excitement when I saw good ole T-town for someone's location! I don't think anyone anywhere on the forums lives here, I've checked. There's a guy in Perrysburg on the FGG who rides fixed (obviously!).

Bryan, howdy. I'm thinking that the best thing to do, wait, are you looking to build something on your own, or buy built up?

The threads on a freewheel hub are the same as on a fixed hub, the only difference is that the fixed has the smaller reverse threads for a lockring. So, yeah, you can thread on a freewheel for the fixed side, it will engage with the larger threads, and just have the smaller threads hanging out underneath, if that makes any sense.

Welcome to the forums! As a warning, it gets kinda nuts around here.

It's not neccessarily silly to have fixed/free. What is silly is getting a hub that doesn't have the option to go fixed on both sides. With a fix/fix hub, you have the reverse threads for the lockring on both sides. With one that's only fixed/free, one side doesn't have the threads cut for the lockring. You can thread a freewheel onto a fixed hub, since you don't need the lockring. It's always seemed silly to limit yourself...

why are we talking teeth to a ss mtb -old-fart- .
get 72-75 inches first and go from there. it gets better..

and welcome