After a conversation with Wade, I’m impressed that the bolt-on fixed drivetrain is getting really appealing. No more slipped lockrings. No more lockrings, period. Change gears with a Phillips or and Allen. I actually lug a lockring wrench around for commuting and shredding ’cause the thing (Surly Lockring) just won’t stay put on my big 21T cog. I mean, some traditions are good :: double-diamond frame geometry is pushing 150 years as a proven design. But the reverse-thread lockring system just doesn’t cut it with soft, grippy 700/44c tires (higher-power-forgive, a 2.1 tire!) Ah, wouldn’t a Phil disc hub make a really sweet flip-flop design? Disc rotor mounts by design are a much better way to create direct drive. Time to start saving, Phil’s are dearly priced.
Here is how Tom Chow did it with a cheap Axiom front disc hub (photo: T. Chow.) I originally reported this as a Shimano hub, but Tom says it’s an even cheaper Axiom…apparently the bearings in Shimano front and rear hubs are different sizes, complicating the axle swap:
Click on the above photo for the full story and step by step photos (Fixed Gear Gallery).
Here was what I had to work with yesterday on my “commute” to work…
“micro-freshies:”
Poor bastard you say, it must have sucked.
Well, not really.
The snow was light and made a really cool ripping sound while you rode. I got freshies (first tracks) the whole way. I usually see a few other bike ‘muters, but I had it all to myself yesterday. And I can ride about half the way each day on singletrack.
I didn’t start Subi for 10 days over the last week and a half.
Time to shred in and make the donuts.
G
Go for it! I have used one of the first Boone disc adapter cogs for over 2 years now and it was perfect, no complaints. Check it:
http://fatboydeluxe.com/albums/Boone_Cogs/
http://fatboydeluxe.com/albums/Boone/
Just some advice – be sure to take the cog and bolts off occaisionally. That’s how I just recently lost mine…the bolts seized inside and the cog basically fused with the hub. The cog had to be destroyed to get it off (but it still wasn’t worn down).
I’m running a LeVel hub now. The old threaded system is dead to me.
Please excuse my ignorance, but what is this about lockrings slipping? What do big/soft/grippy tires have to do with it? What does a big cog have to do with it?
Am I going to have troubles running 47×19/700×32 with a traditional reverse-thread lockring on the street?
Thanks for the info!