Free to fixed - convert freewheel to fixed / suicide hub

30 quid i dont have :-(

Hello

I was wondering, i've got a few extra sets of wheels laying about here.
Instead of buying an other set for my fixed project, is it possible to just convert the ones i've got?
If so, how?
Any Help?
Much appreciated

I would post this in 'bikes and bits' or even better 'mechanics and fixing' as them guys with the knowledge on there should be able to give you better advice....

Hello

I was wondering, i've got a few extra sets of wheels laying about here.
Instead of buying an other set for my fixed project, is it possible to just convert the ones i've got?
If so, how?
Any Help?
Much appreciated

Thanks for the hint Omar

if you have screw on rears, then you won't have the lock ring thread to hold the fixed sprocket on- ok on the track, but not on the road.

The fixed axle width is narrower than a road axle - it only needs the width for one sprocket where the road requires more for "x" number of sprockets. That in turn will mean the dishing of the spokes is in need of being reset to get the rim central on the hub.

All in all a lot of faffing about that can be done, but buying a new rear fixed wheel will neatly avoid, although it will leave a hole in the pocket

maybe sell the old wheels then buy new ones?

You could lace them up into a track hub or buy a conversion kit like Surly's Fixxer.

i think a conversion kit is the better option, pretty new to the whole bike scene, and quite confident that lacing the rims on an other pair of hubs will be beyond my technical skills :D

Or if i were to buy a new rear wheel, any idea what pricerange i would be looking at?
I've seen prices but they vary enourmesly

You are looking at around £100-£120 price range for just getting a rear wheel made up. Selecting a good hub, nice rims and spokes + the labour. There is someone on the forum who makes wheels, but his handle escapes me right now.

You could also go for a Halo wheel OTP for about £90. On-One will sell you a wheel set for £100 look for the one that comes with the Pompino, can't say how good or bad it is but it's an option.

See Varno 50 squid for the cheapest, excellent wheel for the price imo, Hilarystone sometimes has fixed wheels up for sale.

Varno is who I was thinking off. PM him but read his thread first.

http://www.lfgss.com/thread49556-11.html

Kay - some bedtime reading. Sheldon.

Olly

Or you could get a system ex hub (£24ish), and spokes(£15ish) and get someone on here to rebuild it to your rim(£20ish).
I just built my first wheel about a month ago - It's a lot easier than i thought it was going to be(and a lot of fun)
Tensioned and trued it in bike and its perfect! (took it to a shop after to get it checked over)

Alright guys! thanks a lot!!
I'll look into these options, and probably try to build a wheel myself this summer.
Been wanting to learn it
Cheers again

Buying a new wheel, or try to make one this summer will be what I will do.
But selling a few of the old wheelsets is not a bad idea.
Got 3 or 4sets that I do not use.
I'll post them on the classifields this weekend.
Thanks guys!!

suicide fixed is named so because it is. today managed to knock mine loose. thing was tightened with a 3ft pipe on the end of a decent ring tool. came undone descending a 1:3 hill, skipped over a pothole landing in a skid = lockring UNDONE.

good thing I have brakes! two of them.

I've been riding a suicide fixed for 18 months now. London traffic, 12 mile commute and I don't go slow. I do have front and rear brakes and I don't try to skid stop. I used a lockring, a good strong tool and made sure the threads were nice and clean. Never enver had a problem and I do check it.

Maybe it's the gearing (48:17 on 700c wheels). Maybe it's the hub quality (Suntour Superbe Pro). Probably it's the lockring (Raleigh 24 TPI from an old cottered BB).

Sheldon reckons they're fine if done properly. I've yet to find a good reason to disagree with him on this or anything else.

If you're not skid stopping I can't see a problem. Some trackies ride without a lockring of any sort after all.

suicide hub failures are likely to be greasy threads (beware using thread lock - at higher torques it just becomes a lubricant ! )

get both threads clean (degrease them ) get it on tight (rotafix method)

i've done dozens and not a single problem even when skid stopping (but i'd never use one without brakes. )

if you feel a cog go loose - safest thing to do is slam on the brakes but pedal fast and try to wind it back on .

the suicidal part of a suicide hub is not riding one but not setting it up properly -
and then riding it without brakes (which is pretty reckless even with a proper track hub set up ).

^ re disagreeing with sheldon - i'd have concurred until recently - you couldn't fault anything he said.

but he seems to agree with shimanos hype and bulls*t over the biopace orientation . anyone riding realistically hard gears at a realistic cadence will benefit from the traditional orientation. i've tried this out for myself with some pretty eggy rings, theres' no jolt or snatch at BDC or TDC, just easier climbing and hard pedaling

so he is fallible after all

Like the look of this (from Gaston):

Well it won't move ..... Much

Forward pedalling will lock it further into its threads. Backpedalling will be blocked by the bolt meeting the rear edge of the hubshell? Edit: will it bend?

héhé