# Using road wheels for track bike



## murray shaw (Mar 12, 2008)

I'm new to track riding, and thinking of buying a track frame. Can someone tell me if there would be any problems with putting bontrager race lite wheels on the bike [20 spoke front, 24 rear]? Can the sealed bearing in the rear be swapped for single-speed hub? Would I need to do anything to the front? Are these relatively low-spoke count wheels tough enough for the track?


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

murray shaw said:


> I'm new to track riding, and thinking of buying a track frame. Can someone tell me if there would be any problems with putting bontrager race lite wheels on the bike [20 spoke front, 24 rear]? Can the sealed bearing in the rear be swapped for single-speed hub? Would I need to do anything to the front? Are these relatively low-spoke count wheels tough enough for the track?




a front wheel is a front wheel... 

rear is a different story. one, the spacing is prob different (130 vs. 120 for typical track bike). two, it's a bit more to turn a cassette hub into a fixed gear, you'll need a surly fixxer (if it will even work on that hub). you're prob better off buying a new rear wheel or wheelset ($100-150). if you're talking about singlespeed, it's just a matter of spacing the cog correctly, but then you gotta decide/figure out whether the QR will hold


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## android (Nov 20, 2007)

You've got a few problems depending on which track you're planning to ride on.
All road front wheels are 100mm OLD, so it will fit the track fork no problem. However, most tracks will not even allow a QR skewer, so you'd have to change the axle and that's a pain.

The rear has even more problems. The dropout spacing on a track frame is 120mm whereas your road hub is 130mm. The you got the freewheel to fixed problem to deal with and then you gotta loose the QR. 

Really easier just to get a set of track wheels. They can be had pretty cheap.


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## MShaw (Jun 7, 2003)

android said:


> However, most tracks will not even allow a QR skewer, so you'd have to change the axle and that's a pain.
> 
> Really easier just to get a set of track wheels. They can be had pretty cheap.


You can usually run one of those 'bolt-on' QR skewers for the front wheel and be OK. In rare instances, I've seen referees letting doods ride with their skewers taped to the fork.

AFA track wheels: :nod You can usually get em fairly inexpensive at swap meets/ebay, etc. Used to be easier before the FG 'revolution' but that's life. :nod

M


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