If a road frame uses a 130 mm hub, and a fixie/track hub is 120 mm how is the difference made up, a spacer on the inside the frame but outside of the sprocket?
Ben
Wait to make sure I have this right, I would take the freebody off and put this on and job is done?
Nope, you take off your cogset, put this on your freehub and you are done. Five minute job.
awesome!
one more question, is there something that can be done inside the hub to make it fixed vs freewheel?
Seems like the “converter” described here is for single speed, not fixie?
There are 130mm flip/flop hubs available, fixie on one side, single speed (freewheel) on the other. Google “Surly hub” and you’ll find them.
Are you asking how to convert a road wheel to fixed on a road frame or how to use a track wheel/hub in a road frame?
R10C nailed it with the road wheel in 130mm drop out.
If you want to use a 120mm track hub in a road frame (with horiziontal drop outs, I assume) then you can use two 5mm spacers also available from Wheels Mfg on many track hubs as they have axles that are long enough to accomodate the spacers and a 130mm dropout.
http://www.wheelsmfg.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=520&Itemid=42
actually i am going to go single speed for a little while, while i get used to it. This is a minimum cost project, for a 16t/48t setup what chain would you recommend? And what length do I need?
I ripped the RD off my 2008 transition pro, so i am going to convert it to single speed. =] it will get me through a couple months until i get another tri bike.
awesome!
one more question, is there something that can be done inside the hub to make it fixed vs freewheel?
Easy to make a freehub a “fixie”…pump it full of grease as opposed to light oil. It is shocking just how stiff they get (but can later be flushed out and re-loosened).
Dude I’m not particularly fond of pink font (If you can’t get a joke, why should it be pointed out to you), but in this case you should point out that your suggestion is made in jest.
Fixed gears normally need a special hub. Their is a converter (forget who makes it) that will change some shimano freehubns into a fixed hub, but they are hard to come by and darn near the cost of a basic fixed wheel.
To the OP, unless your frame is old it wont have horizontal drop outs. For a fixed conversion you will need to do a lot of fiddling to find the proper chainlength - cog combo, or go with a white industries eno hub. This hub allows you to tension the chain a bit.
Styrrell
Nope, all you need is that Wheels MFG cog, or even just use your 7/8/9/10 speed and shorten the chain to where you need it (presuming you have horizontal dropouts). Then you just make the chain to length for the small ring (often removing the large ring) and you are set. You may need a chain tension device if you have vertical dropouts but often you can get close enough with a “half link” if needed. You then can pump grease into the freehub or freewheel to “seize” the bearings - that easy. I have done it many times over the past two decades.
If you cant get the chain right with a half link, you can do this on a SINGLE SPEED, but this is not to be used on a fixie as it will wind up and bend
.
Fixed gears normally need a special hub. Their is a converter (forget who makes it) that will change some shimano freehubns into a fixed hub, but they are hard to come by and darn near the cost of a basic fixed wheel.
First part - sure, but that hub is not 130mm.
That part is made by Surly and easily purchased.
Sure but that wheel will not be 130mm
You keep crossing over from fixed to single speed. All your points are correct for singlespeed, but not for fixed, which is what I was addressing.
Yep the Surly part was what I was thinking about.
There are lots of cheap 130 mm fixed hubs / wheel available nowadays.
Styrrell
Sure - but “cheapest” if you want Fixie is to fill your freehub with grease 
.
Grease 10 cents. Pawls sticking and not being able to go forward in an intersection, or backpedaling on your fixie to slow down and going into traffic priceless.
Styrrell
I have done it many times…shocking as it is they are rock solid. It is weird really how they just plain dont move.
I’m surpised but I just wouldn’t trust it. I have heard of people flushing with solvent then injecting epoxy. You seriously have used grease on a fixie and can back pedal hard and stop the bike without brakes?
Styrrell
my frame has horizontal drop outs, its a 2008 specialized transition pro, i ripped the RD out of it. its good to go for converting.
Ok, I understand what this thing is. If you don’t have this though, and were trying to use a 120mm fixed wheel with a larger (126 - 130mm) frame, could that be done easily, like slipping some spacers on?