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Track Hub Without Lockring Thread - Help Plz!?
Okay, this should be a simple question seeking a simple answer (though not one simple enough that Google has yet solved):
I have a track bike with a fix/fix rear wheel. One side has - what I believe - is standard track threading; two concentric cylinders protruding from the wheel, the first with normal clockwise threading to accept the cog, and the second, smaller cylinder protruding from the first, with anticlockwise threading to accept the lockring.
I'd like to install a cog on the other side to give the bike as much flexibility as a fixed gear can get. However, that side seems to be missing second, smaller, anticlockwise-threaded lockring cylinder. So, it's just a single, clockwise-threaded, larger cylinder, meaning it can accept a cog, but without the security of a lockring.
So my question is, what am I meant to do with this design, and what purpose does it serve? I'm sorry if it's an embarrassingly ignorant question; I'm embarrassingly ignorant and am grovelling for advice.
Thank you!
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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8 comments
Once upon a time there was a French manufacturer called Maillard who manufactured a hub called the "Normandy". This hub was for geared use and took a screw on block on the one side. On the other side it took a fixed sprocket. The idea was that it acted as back up in case of ripping the rear mech off while touring or it could be used as your winter set up once you had removed the gears. That is not what you have, you have a normal fixed/free flip flop hub,one side of which is threaded for a lockring and the other is not. The chain line for both sides though will be the same unlike the old Normandy hub, there is nothing stopping you running a fixed sprocket on both sides.
While you may need a lockring to start with when you first start riding a fixed wheel bike after couple of hundred miles and a few hills you will find the sprocket beds in and ring is no longer needed, they in fact seem to come loose when it is in fact the sprocket that has tightened down away from the lockrings original position. If you use a dirty great chain whip wrench and welly the sprocket on tight enough there is no need for lockring. So yes you can use both sides. I always take the lockring off once the sprocket beds in. In hilly areas it is in fact dangerous to run a lockring as dropping the chain can lock the rear wheel with fairly spectacular results if you are going fast enough, with no lockring it will unscrew the sprocket first which at least gives you enough time to use the brake or brakes.
I ride to work and back from Manchester to Oldham, and it is pretty hilly all the way to work. I do have to use the breaks a little on the way back. I think it's worth it in the end though.
Yeah, I think I might. My issue was the fact that I'd moved from London to comparatively lumpy Warwickshire, and was finding my current fixed setup a bit savage, but was afraid of spinning out on hills with too easy a fixed cog.
I thought I could get an easier freewheel, meaning I wouldn't have to worry about the 'legs like an egg-whisker' problem on descents and the resulting lack of stability. However, it turns out actually not to be much of an issue. The bike came with 48/16, and has spent most of its life on 48/18. I recently switched the rear cog to give 48/20, and that has proved significantly more civilised for everyday use.
For some reason, the spinning at high speeds issue doesn't seem to be as much of a problem (possibly because I'm generally less knackered in general, meaning I'm happier to spin, and possibly because those speeds aren't quite as high to I feel more stable). I'm able to speed up now by just turning my legs faster in the saddle, rather than having to jump on the pedals every other second. And my knees are thankful.
Anyway, you probably didn't need to know that - I'm just trying to find a use for the other side of the wheel, really. It looks like it's just going have the 16T fixed cogs shoved on it w/o lockring. If it only gets used on rollers anyway, I doubt it'll really matter.
Yeah, I think I might. My issue was that I'd moved from London to comparatively lumpy Warwickshire, and was finding my current fixed setup a bit savage, but was afraid of spinning out on hills with too easy a fixed cog.
I thought I could get an easier freewheel, meaning I wouldn't have to worry about the 'legs like an egg-whisker' problem on descents and the resulting lack of stability. However, it turns out actually not to be much of an issue. The bike came with 48/16, and has spent most of its life on 48/18. I recently switched the rear cog to give 48/20, and that has proved significantly more civilised for everyday use.
For some reason, the spinning at high speeds issue doesn't seem to be as much of a problem (possibly because I'm generally less knackered in general, meaning I'm happier to spin, and possibly because those speeds aren't quite as high to I feel more stable). I'm able to speed up now by just turning my legs faster in the saddle, rather than having to jump on the pedals every other second. And my knees are thankful.
Anyway, you probably didn't need to know that - I'm just trying to find a use for the other side of the wheel, really. It looks like it's just going have the 16T fixed cogs shoved on it w/o lockring. If it only gets used on rollers anyway, I doubt it'll really matter.
I had a similar situation a few months back, after getting a fixed cog, i quickly realised that a freewheel is overrated.
Further to that they're about three times the price too, and you need to use your breaks more, so it costs you in rims in the end. Stay fixed...and save money
Aah, thank you both, that makes sense. The bike (a Specialized Langster from 2013) WAS sold as having a fixed/free hub, but a number of comments in the Evan's review section complained that it was actually fixed/fixed. Given that there is clearly no freewheel mechanism built into the wheel itself (unlike modern geared bikes), I came to the same conclusion.
I guess if I DO want to use the freewheel, I'll have to buy a cog with the freewheel actually built into it?
Anyway, it's an interesting decision I'm left with. I basically want one gear for 'out and about riding', and one gear to perhaps use on the rollers. The size of each gear, and whether they'll be fixed or free is something I'll have to think about.
Thanks again for the feedback, I think that's basically my question answered (and more).
The second one you describe is probably for an old fashioned block (where the freewheel mechanism and sprockets came as one unit). The thread is the same as for a fixed wheel sprocket so you can put one on, do it up very tight and ride it as a second fixed option. The problem is that your chain line will not be as good as with the proper fixed side of the hub but it will work, i did it for many winters back in the 70's and 80's. If you want a little bit extra security, pop to your local bike shop and see if they have an old locking ring from a cup and cone bottom bracket. This, again, is the same thread and if you tighten one of these up against the sprocket you will effectively have a lock nut but not as good as the left hand thread of a proper fixed hub/lockring.
What bike is it you're using? You've got a flip/flop hub. The stepped side is for a fixed gear, the other side is for a freewheel so you can mix and match. Unlike fixed sprockets which you can go down to 12T with, freewheels start at 16T - you don't want too much difference between the two sides or you'll have to start worrying about the chain length.
Richard