# fixed gear adaptor?



## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

Hi. I am planning to convert an old road bike to a fixed gear. This will be my first time trying the fixed gear thing, so I plan on having two brakes. The existing rear wheel has a 6 speed thread on freewheel. I found this little item on ebay that claims it will convert my wheel to a fixed gear wheel. However, you cannot use a lockring. A BB lockring will just keep the cog on the adaptor, but the entire adaptor could spin off. I read some old posts about using loctite. Is that safe? Has anyone used this thing? I emailed the guy, and he said it was fine and safe (of course!). At the price, maybe I should just get a decent wheel built? Any advice from experienced folk would be appreciated. How much should I expect to pay at the bike shop for an entry level rear wheel with a flip flop hub? I would appreciate being able to switch because I do lend my bike out sometimes to people who just need to go and grab something at the store or whatever.

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3671856269


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## bigrider (Jun 27, 2002)

I don't know about the adapter but I will vouch for the red locktite.
I am 240 lbs. and I haven't broke it loose yet on my fixie.


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## Vegancx (Jan 22, 2004)

*neat*

That's a neat gadget, but I don't understand why if they were going to the trouble of machining it why they couldn't have added the stepped reverse thread for a lock ring.

I don't recommend locktite. Even on wheels with lockrings I've managed to pull them off or strip them out (beefy Surly lockrings). I now travel with a "Pro Tool Super" track tool to adjust my lockring and cog just in case. 

I also have the bad habit of riding stairs with my fixie, so that might explain it. 

Suzue makes a nice cheap hub, maybe $25 for the hub, $25-30 for the rim, $16 for spokes and $25 for labor.

Harris Cyclery also sells prebuilt wheels with flip flop hubs for around $80. These use Quandro hubs... not bad if you repack them before you ride them.


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## FixedPip (Feb 5, 2004)

*Total budget wheels*

NYC Bikes has wheels starting at $55 bucks.
http://www.bikesnyc.com/catalog.php?item_cat=components&item_type=wheels

Can't vouch for them though. 

The best bet thought at the cheaper end of the market is to build 'em yourself as you can spend the extra money on a better rim etc and you can get them tensioned right. 

You will also need a cog (20 bucks and up) and a lockring (around 8 bucks). Worth spending a little on the cog as the cheaper ones are generally not worth the hassle and don't last.


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## Bob P (Feb 25, 2004)

I too have had good success without a lockring on an old freewheel-based hub, and that's without using locktite. However, I have a front brake and I don't do violent skids, or stairs (ouch!). If I understand the gadget correctly, its purpose is so you do not have to redish (actually, undish) the wheel. You just add it and go, eh? The irony is that, for me, undishing the wheel was the most fun part of preparing the wheel.

For that price, I think I would do as others have suggested, and get a flip-flop hub somewhere, and either build up the wheel or buy a pre-built wheel.


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## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

thanks for the replies. it seems some people are fine with the loctite route, and some are not. I will most likely just start off by redishing the wheel and using some loctite. I plan to keep the brakes. A friend has offered to give me a fixed cog. Then if the whole thing appeals to me, I will invest in a decent flip flop wheel.


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## jh_on_the_cape (Apr 14, 2004)

Vegancx said:


> That's a neat gadget, but I don't understand why if they were going to the trouble of machining it why they couldn't have added the stepped reverse thread for a lock ring.


because the whole adaptor thing would spin off the hub anyway. but it would be nice to have the reverse thread. then i would just JB weld the adaptor to the wheel.


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## GilbeyAllen (Mar 31, 2004)

I may be lost but what is that adapter meant to do ?? You can just screw a track cog onto your freewheel. 

In my case there was enough room left for a BB lockring to screw on after the cog (mid 80's Simano 600 hub). Not an opposite thread lockring but has worked fine so far. Using the inner chain ring I didn't even need to respace..

Am also using lust locktite on an On-One il Pompino but have both brakes.


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## Dad Man Walking (Sep 19, 2002)

*I was wondering the same thing...*



GilbeyAllen said:


> I may be lost but what is that adapter meant to do ??


I think that the adaptor is designed to shift the chainline outward. I am just looking at the photo on the post, but I would guess that the adaptor is a simple "bushing" (plumbers will know what I am talking about) with male and female threads the same size. Seems like an expensive way to shift the chainline, and not adjustable to boot. I would think that spacers would do the job just as well and would allow chainline adjustability.


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## ks1g (Jan 31, 2004)

*So how'd it go?*



jh_on_the_cape said:


> thanks for the replies. it seems some people are fine with the loctite route, and some are not. I will most likely just start off by redishing the wheel and using some loctite. I plan to keep the brakes. A friend has offered to give me a fixed cog. Then if the whole thing appeals to me, I will invest in a decent flip flop wheel.


I just came across this "Dave's Adapter" item while searching ebay for parts for my fixed gear conversion (old Fuji 27" 10-speed). At the moment, I'm riding it as a 42x17 singlespeed using the 5-speed freewheel as-is. Email with the seller confirms it is just meant as a spacer. He recommends using loctite and a bottom bracket lockring. I hadn't thought of using jb weld. I'm tempted, but $37 plus shipping is a bit much compared to the price of a proper hub! 

I may just pull the freewheel (or use a cheap steel rim wheel I have) and see how bad the chainline is with just a cog spun on. With the chainring on the outer spot, chainline to the 17t cog (4th one out) is pretty good, so a spacer is tempting. I don't want to bother redishing a cheap wheel, but I'd rather not spend $100 for a new wheel until I know I like riding fixed.


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## Dave_Stohler (Jan 22, 2004)

Since it looks to be right-hand threaded, I'm assuming that this is only used to shift the chainline. You can use a BMX freewheel with this, and it _might_ locktite OK with all the extra thread area holding, but I wouldn't trust it.


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## TurboTurtle (Feb 4, 2004)

Dave_Stohler said:


> Since it looks to be right-hand threaded, I'm assuming that this is only used to shift the chainline. You can use a BMX freewheel with this, and it _might_ locktite OK with all the extra thread area holding, but I wouldn't trust it.


Why would you need locktite with a freewheel? - TF


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