Double fixed or flip flop?

HI guys, building a new bike at the moment, well, a friend is building it for me. Trying to decide what back wheel to get. Have the Halo aerotrack in mind as it's recommended by a few, but can't quite decide to go for a double fixed and add a cog or a flip flop. I need to be able to ride on free wheel, well, for now anyway but do fully intend to ride on a fixed in the future.

What do you think? My friend said a flip flip is probably better and I see where he is coming from but also see the pros of getting a double fixed + cog. Decision time... :-/

Cheers

you can put a single speed freewheel on a fixed side. So you have more options if you go for double fixed.

that's what I meant with the first option, but my firend said I could also change the free side to a fixed if I wish to, hence he said the flip flop is better.

flip flop usually mean fixed-free. Double fixed usually means fixed-fixed.
A fixed side will have threading for a lockring as well as the sprocket, a free side will only have threading for a sprocket.

So if I wanted to change the free side to a fixed is hard if not not possible? Anyway, it looks like an extra tenner for a cog is worth it then.

Thanks

You can't ride a side that does not have threading for a lockring, the sprocket will unscrew when you resist the pedals.

That's what I was wondering and I guess I would be able to sale a double fixed easier if I decide to upgrade to sth else later on?

Oh gawd

Just get double-fixed.

Done

i hate 'flip flop' as much as 'fixie', why not just call it 'fixed/free'? who came up with the name?

I think fixed/free is the technical term of such wheel. I dont like fixie either.

i hate 'flip flop' as much as 'fixie', why not just call it 'fixed/free'? who came up with the name?

Probably bmx racers who used free/free flip flop hubs so they could have different gear ratios for different courses.

There is no reason for anyone to make or buy a fixed free hub for big bikes/fixie skidderz/whatever you wanna call them.

You need to do some reading up.

This is what the freewheel side of hub will look like:

You screw the freewheel onto that thread.

On a fixed hub there will be an extra thread like this:

This is because you need to screw a lock ring on after to stop the fixed cog unscrewing. You do not need to do this on a freewheel because the internal mechanism means the whole thing won't unscrew.

You screw a freewheel onto a fixed cog. For this reason there is no point in not having a thread which alows you to screw a lockring on.

If you intend to start riding freewheel and gradually move on to fixed, just get a fixed/free hub.
I don't see the point in fixed/fixed, they both do the same and if you want to change your gear ratio you can just unscrew the lockring and cog and put a bigger/smaller one on.
It is possible to screw a freewheel onto fixed thread, but you'll only have roughly half of the threads engaged. And why would you if there are products available which are designed to do what you want.
I don't get the remark about a cog being worth an extra tenner. If you want to ride fixed, you need a cog. Can't do without. If you want to ride freewheel, you need a freewheel. which also costs money. So riding fixed isn't more expensive and fixed/fixed hubs do not have more resale value than fixed/free. If you want to start riding freewheel and gradually move on to fixed, you need a wheel with a fixed/free hub, a fixed cog + lockring and a freewheel. Fixed cog + lockring go on one side of the hub, freewheel on the other and whenever you want to switch you can just turn the wheel around.

It is possible to screw a freewheel onto fixed thread, but you'll only have roughly half of the threads engaged. And why would you if there are products available which are designed to do what you want.

Whut? So *all *fixed threading hubs are going to be inferior then by your logic. It's a miracle there aren't more failures on the track!

^ they use fixed cogs on the track, not freewheels. Nowt wrong with the original logic.

But the fixed sprocket will have 'half of the threads engaged' as well then?

Precisely. Thanks rhb.

Edit: Pifko our posts crossed. Please take a look at a freewheel and a fixed sprocket and compare, see what the differences are.

you're welcome to continue limiting your options for no benefit.