suicide hub, really suicide?

[markie]

So I got a new bike with a stupid free/free hub. When I suggested to my LBS that I set it up as a suicide hub (track cog with BB lockring) they looked at me like I had just killed bambi. I do plan on running front and rear brakes.

Anyone got any advice or disaster stories?

[raymo853]

Maybe they gave the same look as I am giving, confusion. How about you define what a suicide hub is? And also what a stupid free/free hub is.

[allencb]

Because nobody seems to have track lockrings in stock around here, I've been running the fixed side of my mtb SS wheel without one. I haven't managed to unscrew the cog yet.

I say do it, but put some threadlock on the lockring just to be sure.

Chris

[allencb]

Maybe they gave the same look as I am giving, confusion. How about you define what a suicide hub is? And also what a stupid free/free hub is.

Suicide hub: any hub set up as a fixed gear without a proper backwards threaded lockring. Called that because theoretically you can unscrew the cog by backpedalling.

Free/Free: Hub threaded on both sides for freewheels. I have a fixed/free hub which is threaded on one side for a freewheel and the other side for a track cog.

Chris

[drevil]

So I got a new bike with a stupid free/free hub. When I suggested to my LBS that I set it up as a suicide hub (track cog with BB lockring) they looked at me like I had just killed bambi. I do plan on running front and rear brakes.

Anyone got any advice or disaster stories?
IIRC, Riderx unscrewed one when trying to stop at an intersection. I have had one come loose before, even with Locktite and BB lockring, but this was on a dirt fixie.

If you are using both brakes, then no worries. :D Just remember to use a GOOD quality cog or else you risk ruining the hub. Shiva Steve destroyed a Phil Wood hub when he coupled a Surly cog with it. I spoke to Phil Wood guy afterward and he said that (at least three years ago) the Surly thread pitch was slightly off from their hub's, thus weakening the threads. Phil Wood or Euro Asia make nice ones.

[BikerMiker]

C'mon now! City Bikes has lock rings in stock and TONS of fixed cogs... Maybe those SUBURBAN shops don't stock 'em, but we'd be DEAD without them...

mike

[riderx]

IIRC, Riderx unscrewed one when trying to stop at an intersection. I have had one come loose before, even with Locktite and BB lockring, but this was on a dirt fixie.Nope, actually that was me stripping a proper track hub that had a lockring.

I've been using the Suicide setup on my Surly 1x1 for years with zero problems. A few months back I set up my new Q-ball the same way and run it front brake only. Again, no problems. I'm riding both of these bikes on the trail and most of the braking action comes from the front brake, not back pedaling.

I use BB lockrings with blue loc-tite. The Bicycle Escape in Frederick always has them in stock if you are up that way and need one.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1420/836959729_26259a2ae4.jpg

[markie]

Cool thanks for the replies everyone.

So RiderX, do you loctite the cog and BB lockring or just the lockring?

Well I am just about to head out of the door on the suicide hub......

[allencb]

C'mon now! City Bikes has lock rings in stock and TONS of fixed cogs... Maybe those SUBURBAN shops don't stock 'em, but we'd be DEAD without them...
mike

A bit of a hike for me. The closest I get to one of your shops is when I'm at work near Tysons Corner.

I said nobody, but in reality it was just the bike shop in Manassas, two in East Tenn (while on vacation) and one in SW Va (visiting inlaws after vacation).

Chris

[xopobeko]

A bit of a hike for me. The closest I get to one of your shops is when I'm at work near Tysons Corner.

I said nobody, but in reality it was just the bike shop in Manassas, two in East Tenn (while on vacation) and one in SW Va (visiting inlaws after vacation).

Chris

Try Bike Club in Falls Church, he'll have a good selection of cogs also.

[riderx]

Cool thanks for the replies everyone.

So RiderX, do you loctite the cog and BB lockring or just the lockring?

Well I am just about to head out of the door on the suicide hub......Grease where the cog goes, loc-tite on the BB (you may need to clean the threads). After installing, ride around the block, retighten lockring. Retighten again after the next two rides just to be sure.

[allencb]

Try Bike Club in Falls Church, he'll have a good selection of cogs also.

Hmm, never heard of them. Where are they located?

Chris

[markie]

Thanks for all the replies.


Well I made it to work without any issues. I really was not sure if I liked the bike, SS on the road is boring and feels slow. As soon as it was fixed I enjoyed the bike and it felt much quicker.

I got a shimano cog, not my favourite, but they did not have an EAI cog of the right size.

[Dirt]

Hmm, never heard of them. Where are they located?

Chris

They're across the street from Coleman Powersports on Washington, BLVD (29).

[Dirt]

I had problems with a Surly cog pioneering new frontiers in threading on a White Industrues ENO hub. So far it has held on the suicide side. I use it for road commuting and have had to do a few emergency stops with it. So far it has held.

I honestly don't use that half of the flip flop that often. I'm more often on the fixie side.

Pete