Interchangeable: Fixed Gear / Single Speed
 

I have an older raleigh grand prix 10 speed I want to convert into a fixed gear (one gear, direct drive system) or a single speed (one gear, yet able to coast). I use parenthesis because I'm not positive I am using those terms correctly. Anyway, I only use my bike in the city, and I have not changed gears once since moving here a year ago... no lie. Ideally I want a fixed gear, however I have never ridden one, so I am hesitant to make the conversion. Is it possible to convert my bike to a fixed gear, try it, and if I don't like it easily change to a single speed (able to coast)? Or do these conversions require the purchase of separate parts? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Also, this is my first post so I would like to say hello to the community and I look forward to becoming involved! :beer:

It's reasonably easy to switch, particularly if you get a flip-flop hub, which allows you to put a single speed freewheel on one side, and a fixed cog on the other.

You can get a fixed/free rear hub, meaning one side with a fixed cog and the other with a freewheel (coasting). As long as you have brakes, all you would have to do is flip your rear wheel to go from fixed to ss.

EDIT: Was beaten to the punch :)

Ride fixed. Keep the brakes on.

Flip flop hub seems ideal, thanks for the prompt response!

Now, as popular as these bikes have become in the recent years, I am finding little to no detailed tutorials depicting how to convert from a ten speed to a fixed gear (or in my case a "flip flop"). A lot of contradicting information out there, and a lot of not-so complete tutorials...

I need the bible for fixed gear conversions! Who has the "be all, end all" fixed gear how-to?!

But seriously folks, all I want is a detailed, concise, and accurate tutorial for converting.

Thanks again guys

praise the lord.

http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed-conversion.html

all you should need is a new rear wheel with a flip flop hub single speed freewheel or fixed gear cog and a new chain. If you really feel obligated you can get a new chaining and chaining bolts. Some people will also say that you need a chain tensioner but if you have long dropouts (where you put the wheel) then that's really up to you. Look at some of the stickies and threads above to for more information.

You don't need a flip flop hub either. A freewheel will thread onto a fixed thread so if you try one and don't like it, remove the cog/freewheel and install the other component.

I love this. Suicide hub right off the bat, sink or swim.

I thought that a suicide hub was putting a cog onto a non-fixed gear hub and expecting it to be okay. Soo__Fuego was suggesting the opposite, that you can put a freewheel onto a fixed hub.

Yeah, I think IthaDan misread. There is nothing dangerous about threading a freewheel onto threads for a cog. The reverse(threading a cog/BB lockring onto freewheel threads, which is called a suicide hub) is dangerous or at least unadvised.

un advisable, but you can make it work. not so bad if you use your brakes

Okay, this sounds ideal. Thanks so much for the help guys I really appreciate it.

If you are getting a new wheel built, just get one with a fixed/free (flip-flop) hub and put them both on. That's what I did bake in October, and haven't ridden that bike in freewheel mode since then. Perhaps it's a bit of a waste to have a cog on there that I never use, but it's nice to know I have the flexibility, and it's much quicker to change out than taking a FG cog off and putting a freewheel cog on.

Quicker, sure. Easier, sure. More convenient, sure.

But it is cheaper? (in my 2 min google search, it seems to be much more $)

Unfortunately in my world, low-cost > convenience. Futhermore, I plan on sticking to one or the other, i think. haha

If you are getting a wheel built with a lock ring hub, the cost of a flip-flip is going to be the same. We're just talking about one extra set of threads.

Compare:
Flip flop
Fixed

Well ideally, I don't want to get a new wheel at all, I just want to make the one I have work...

The one you have will *not* work as a fixed gear. Single speed, yes. But to convert it to a true fixed gear, you need a new hub. You can kluge it, but there's a reason they call that a suicide hub.

Okay, gotchya, thanks. So it looks like I'm in the market for a fixed/free. This looks like an amazing deal, http://www.ws-outlet.com/p-45557-eig...lset-gold.aspx

Any thoughts?

I don't know about that wheelset, but I bought a wheelset of about that same cost for my commuter bike (not fixed or ss), and it worked fine. It would get you into the game, and if it didn't last it would buy you some time and knowledge.

Yep. Totally acceptable budget wheelset.

Looks like you will have to buy a singlespeed freewheel, but those aren't terribly expensive. Does anyone know if the rear wheel will work with OP's rear triangle spacing?

His bike is most likely a 130mm spacing and the wheelset he posted is 120mm. Any local bike shop should be able to help him space the 120mm to around 125mm. Should be ok.

If he orders from velomine.com, they can space it appropriately prior to shipping. Can get Weinmann DP-18's to Formula hubs for $109(or $99 for some colors IIRC), and you actually get a decent wheelset. Tubes and tires are not expensive.

In my experience older ten speeds usually are spaced 120 or 126. Of course your point is correct, regardless.