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Singlespeed & Fixed Gear "I still feel that variable gears are only for people over forty-five. Isn't it better to triumph by the strength of your muscles than by the artifice of a derailer? We are getting soft...As for me, give me a fixed gear!"-- Henri Desgrange (31 January 1865 - 16 August 1940)

flip-flop mismatch

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Old 07-10-12 | 01:20 PM
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flip-flop mismatch

if i have a 16t cog on one side, can i put a 14t freewheel on the other without messing up the chainline or having to make any adjustments?
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Old 07-10-12 | 01:22 PM
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Assuming that you have horizontal dropouts you are fine.
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Old 07-10-12 | 01:24 PM
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I can't find the source right now but IIRC every tooth difference in the cog/freewheel is a 1/4" difference in the placement of the axle in the dropout.

1 bigger tooth moves the axle up 1/4"

Right?
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Old 07-10-12 | 01:28 PM
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It won't mess up your chainline at all, but you may not have enough room. Spoonrobot is right, each tooth move 1/4 inch. So if you are making a two tooth differenece your wheel will move 1/2". As long as you have track ends, or horizontal drop outs you will most likely have enough room, but you may need to play around with your chain length.
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Old 07-10-12 | 01:33 PM
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i'm better off staying put with a 16t then, right?
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Old 07-10-12 | 01:35 PM
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Well do you have horizontal dropouts or trackends?
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Old 07-10-12 | 01:39 PM
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horizontal dropouts. but i dont like adjusting things.
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Old 07-10-12 | 01:45 PM
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Well, you have to get the chain tension right and the wheel straight whenever you flip the wheel whether you have a 16/16 or 14/16, assuming no chain tugs or similar device is in use, it'll be the same amount of "adjusting things".

If it's close to the backend of the dropouts with the 16T you might have to pull a chain link, but that probably only has to be done once.
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Old 07-10-12 | 01:46 PM
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you wont be adjusting anything more than you would be by taking your wheel off and putting it back on, its just a matter of chain tension

Last edited by Mumonkan; 07-10-12 at 01:47 PM. Reason: beat me to it
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Old 07-10-12 | 01:52 PM
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I might add, if you have these in your dropouts then you'll want to remove them:

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Old 07-10-12 | 02:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Spoonrobot
I can't find the source right now but IIRC every tooth difference in the cog/freewheel is a 1/4" difference in the placement of the axle in the dropout.

1 bigger tooth moves the axle up 1/4"

Right?
I believe it is 1/8" per tooth.
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Old 07-10-12 | 02:49 PM
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It isn't much, whatever it is and it certainly shouldn't require a change in the chain unless the wheel is seated right all the way at the back or all the way at the front of the dropout anyway.
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Old 07-10-12 | 02:49 PM
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Originally Posted by bfloyd6969
I believe it is 1/8" per tooth.


https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...=1#post5018993
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Old 07-10-12 | 03:17 PM
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do you have a bmx hub? 14t freewheel will not fit on a typical flip/flop hub...
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Old 07-10-12 | 03:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Spoonrobot
I can't find the source right now but IIRC every tooth difference in the cog/freewheel is a 1/4" difference in the placement of the axle in the dropout.

1 bigger tooth moves the axle up 1/4"

Right?
Yes, by definition. If you take out 1 tooth, you end up with one extra 1/2" link, Half of that distance adds to the top of the chain, and half to the bottom, so you end up with the wheel moving 1/4" back.

EDIT: ACK... half that? I gotta read Sheldon's writeup on that.
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Old 07-10-12 | 03:34 PM
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Originally Posted by Doohickie
EDIT: ACK... half that? I gotta read Sheldon's writeup on that.
Please link if you can find it, I've had no luck.
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Old 07-10-12 | 04:01 PM
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Originally Posted by Doohickie
Yes, by definition. If you take out 1 tooth, you end up with one extra 1/2" link, Half of that distance adds to the top of the chain, and half to the bottom, so you end up with the wheel moving 1/4" back.

EDIT: ACK... half that? I gotta read Sheldon's writeup on that.
I'm not sure if he ever showed his work on that, there's just:

Adding or subtracting a link in the chain will move the axle 1/2". Changing either sprocket size by one tooth is the equivalent of moving the axle 1/8" (4 mm).
ON EDIT: Think I figured it out -- one extra tooth increases the circumference of the cog by one half-link. Half of that is on the inside of the chain loop and doesn't contribute to the chain length. The other half contributes equally to the top and bottom of the chain.

Last edited by ThermionicScott; 07-10-12 at 04:16 PM.
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Old 07-11-12 | 08:08 AM
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Originally Posted by ThermionicScott
ON EDIT: Think I figured it out -- one extra tooth increases the circumference of the cog by one half-link. Half of that is on the inside of the chain loop and doesn't contribute to the chain length. The other half contributes equally to the top and bottom of the chain.
I would think it would change the circumference one full ink (i.e., the pin-to-pin distance or 1/2"). I must ponder this in my heart.
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Old 07-11-12 | 09:53 AM
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While you are pondering it, and imaging things, don't think of circumference at all. Picture the link coming out of the horizontal portion of the chain.
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Old 07-11-12 | 10:47 AM
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Originally Posted by Doohickie
I would think it would change the circumference one full ink (i.e., the pin-to-pin distance or 1/2"). I must ponder this in my heart.
One full link is two half-links -- the half-links are 1/2" each.
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Old 07-11-12 | 01:01 PM
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It's not really a bad idea to have two different chainrings. If you prefer riding fixed and 16t is the best for your normal riding area keep that, and if you need less or more for certain hills or routes, go ahead and put that ring on your freewheel side. This is the beauty of a flip flop. It's almost like predestined gearing but still a lot less cumbersome.
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