# Some questions about my new Kilo TT



## Jim311 (Sep 18, 2009)

I got one as a gift and it's my first road bike... been riding mountain since I was a wee lad. Anyway, so far I'm not enjoying riding fixed, so I'm looking for a freewheel. Should I just go with the cheapest one I can find, or is there a favored brand? Do I need to buy a lockring also? Should I stick with the 16t gear ratio that's on there? So far it feels okay but I haven't done much climbing on it. I live in Florida after all. Also, why did my front cable housing come so long? I have no idea how it's supposed to be routed but it doesn't look clean and seems in the way. Since it doesn't have stops I'm thinking about just running the front brake, is that common? I'd like to have a rear brake but not if it means I have to use zip ties to hold my cable housing! This bike is just used for cruising and seeing if I even like road riding, no velodrome, tricks, or racing here. Sorry for all the noob questions :blush2:


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Freewheels don't need lock rings... unless you are willing to spend $80 for a White Industries freewheel, there isn't much difference... Shimano, ACS, and the others are all about the same quality..They work just fine....

If you are swtiching to a freewheel, you need two brakes.. Just ziptie the housing to the top tube..


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## Jim311 (Sep 18, 2009)

Ah, so the freewheel just threads on. I would hope most LBS would carry freewheels for the BMX crowd but I guess we'll see. I may be riding fixing for a week or so if I have to order one. What do you think about the cable housing? It seems way too long and could easily be cut down.. I really don't see a reason for it to be so long? It loops way around.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

1) Make sure your current rear wheel doesn't already have threads for a freewheel. If so, you only need a freewheel ($10-$20)

2) You can still find brake cable frame clamps if you look around. Much cleaner than zip ties, although the zip ties will work almost as well.

3) Almost all bikes need the cables cut to size during assembly. One front housing is used for all sizes of the bike.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Jim311 said:


> Ah, so the freewheel just threads on. I would hope most LBS would carry freewheels for the BMX crowd but I guess we'll see. I may be riding fixing for a week or so if I have to order one. What do you think about the cable housing? It seems way too long and could easily be cut down.. I really don't see a reason for it to be so long? It loops way around.



Any decent LBS will carry freewheels...It should cost you less than $20.

I'd cut the housing to length or use it for rear, if long enough, and use a shorter piece for the front..


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## Jim311 (Sep 18, 2009)

The rear hub is threaded on one side, I assume I just need a lockring tool to install the new freewheel. I will cut the housing down as well, just wanted to make sure there wasn't some odd cable routing that should be run on a road bike! Thanks for the help everyone!


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

Jim311 said:


> The rear hub is threaded on one side, I assume I just need a lockring tool to install the new freewheel. I will cut the housing down as well, just wanted to make sure there wasn't some odd cable routing that should be run on a road bike! Thanks for the help everyone!


So.... is it threaded ONLY on one side? ie: where the fixed cog is?

If it's a flip-flop hub, there will be one side of the hub with full threads and the other side of the hub will have 2 different diameters of threads; the part for the cog and the part for the lockring. Do NOT put a freewheel on that side! 

You don't need a freewheel tool to install a freewheel....only to take it off. A freewheel threads on in the direction of crank rotation. ie: just spin the freewheel on and it will tighten as you pedal.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

Remove the rear wheel, screw on the freewheel cog on the opposite free side of the cog, re-install wheel, and shorten front cable housing.


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## Jim311 (Sep 18, 2009)

PlatyPius said:


> So.... is it threaded ONLY on one side? ie: where the fixed cog is?
> 
> If it's a flip-flop hub, there will be one side of the hub with full threads and the other side of the hub will have 2 different diameters of threads; the part for the cog and the part for the lockring. Do NOT put a freewheel on that side!
> 
> You don't need a freewheel tool to install a freewheel....only to take it off. A freewheel threads on in the direction of crank rotation. ie: just spin the freewheel on and it will tighten as you pedal.



Yeah it's a flip flop hub like you're describing. I don't know what the side with the fixed gear on it looks like since the threads are under the lockring and whatnot. I'm surprised that the freewheel just threads on in the direction of the crank rotation, it seems like it would become REALLY tight over time. I have a chain whip but no lockring tool, I'll need to pick one up eventually I guess. Thanks for the info.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Jim311 said:


> Yeah it's a flip flop hub like you're describing. I don't know what the side with the fixed gear on it looks like since the threads are under the lockring and whatnot. I'm surprised that the freewheel just threads on in the direction of the crank rotation, it seems like it would become REALLY tight over time. I have a chain whip but no lockring tool, I'll need to pick one up eventually I guess. Thanks for the info.



Make sure you use plenty of grease on the threads...it helps removing the freewheel if needed


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## SilverStar (Jan 21, 2008)

Jim311 said:


> I'm surprised that the freewheel just threads on in the direction of the crank rotation, it seems like it would become REALLY tight over time.


It does...it gets SUPER-tight. Grease the threads liberally and you'll be able to get it off in the future, though. You may need a bench vise, but the freewheel will come off given enough strength


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Jim311 said:


> I'd like to have a rear brake but not if it means I have to use zip ties to hold my cable housing! :


For the rear cable, you can get a set of classic metal clips like these:
http://wabicycles.com/cableclips.html


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## Jim311 (Sep 18, 2009)

SilverStar said:


> It does...it gets SUPER-tight. Grease the threads liberally and you'll be able to get it off in the future, though. You may need a bench vise, but the freewheel will come off given enough strength



I have some anti-seize I will use if it will make my life a little easier. I may want to switch gear ratios or something in the future. I guess I'll just go with a 16 tooth freewheel since that's what's on there now.. may go higher eventually since things are pretty flat around here.

Edit: may also look into picking those cable stops up, I guess I'll see what they have at the LBS.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

Yes, please do run a rear brake also when running single speed.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Jim311 said:


> may also look into picking those cable stops up, I guess I'll see what they have at the LBS.


Just to be clear: the doo-dads at the link I posted are cable guides or clips, not stops. You still need to run cable housing all the way from the brake lever to the rear brake.


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## Jim311 (Sep 18, 2009)

I might find some of those little plastic self adhesive ones so I don't have to run zip ties or something. In the mean time I think I will just run the full length housing with the zip ties I guess. I still haven't picked up the freewheel yet, was busy traveling for the holidays!


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

You can buy cable housing and zip ties to almost match the color of your frame. Blend them in and make them a little less noticeable.


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## e39540is (Apr 10, 2009)

If you put on a 16 tooth freewheel, and you decide to change to something else, your LBS should be willing to remove the old one for free, if you buy the new freewheel from them. I did that for a while untill I bought my own freewheel tool.


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## e39540is (Apr 10, 2009)

PlatyPius said:


> So.... is it threaded ONLY on one side? ie: where the fixed cog is?
> 
> If it's a flip-flop hub, there will be one side of the hub with full threads and the other side of the hub will have 2 different diameters of threads; the part for the cog and the part for the lockring. Do NOT put a freewheel on that side!
> 
> You don't need a freewheel tool to install a freewheel....only to take it off. A freewheel threads on in the direction of crank rotation. ie: just spin the freewheel on and it will tighten as you pedal.


Hopefully not to confuse the matter, but I thought you could put a freewheel on either side of a flip flop hub, but only put a fixed cog on the fixed side. I thought I have seen freewheels on both sides of a fixed/fixed hub. Is that not a good idea?


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

You can thread on a freewheel on a fixed/fixed hub. Not a complete thread engagement doing this but not a problem.


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## DDolan (Nov 3, 2007)

e39540is said:


> Hopefully not to confuse the matter, but I thought you could put a freewheel on either side of a flip flop hub, but only put a fixed cog on the fixed side. I thought I have seen freewheels on both sides of a fixed/fixed hub. Is that not a good idea?


 This is true, I've used free wheels on fixed threading for years with no issues. I do change the freewheel out about yearly which may help with any seizing issues, although I don't think it really matters


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## Jim311 (Sep 18, 2009)

I picked up an ACS Claw freewheel, 16t from the LBS, I think it was 24 bucks after tax. I greased the threads and installed it. I think either the hub or freewheel had some crud in the threads, it was a little harder to thread on that I thought it should have been. I cleaned the threads and went slow and it finally cleared out and installed fine without cross threading or anything. I went for a short road ride and had a good time, I actually think I could push a 15t gear but I will deal with 16 for now, it's not like they're expensive. The ACS freewheel seems like a less than precise device, but it'll do the job for now. I tried to ride over to a friend's house last night for some libations and didn't even make it to the sidewalk before my front tire blew off the damn rim! Gotta pick up a tube tomorrow.


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## Dave Hickey (Jan 27, 2002)

Jim311 said:


> The ACS freewheel seems like a less than precise device, but it'll do the job for now.



You'll find that ACS and Shimano freewheels will clunk and grind but they work just fine...

White Industries is far superior but super expensive


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## Jim311 (Sep 18, 2009)

Yeah maybe if I get more into it I will buy nicer componentry or even a higher end bike. The ACS definitely grinds and wobbles pretty bad, definitely not a high end device. I am kind of concerned about my tires now, as well as finding a way to carry some tools and a pump/patch kit when I ride. I normally just carry a Camelbak. I definitely look out of place in my mountain bike baggy shorts, and MTB shoes and pedals, ha.


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## PlatyPius (Feb 1, 2009)

e39540is said:


> Hopefully not to confuse the matter, but I thought you could put a freewheel on either side of a flip flop hub, but only put a fixed cog on the fixed side. I thought I have seen freewheels on both sides of a fixed/fixed hub. Is that not a good idea?


You 'can' put a freewheel on the fixed side, but due to the number of cheap, crappy flip-flop hubs out there, and the added stress put on the few threads that support the freewheel, it isn't advised. I've had a few hubs come in with the threads completely ripped off of the fixed side.


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