fixed gear conversion questions...

Ravi said:

Hi,
i am working on an 1979 Schwinn Varsity. Took out the 27 inch wheels.
and upon removing the cassette, i noticed that that hub is a freewheel
hub. looks very similar to
http://edmontonbicyclecommuters.ca/contentImages/mechCorner/freewhee.gif

It says 'Made in France', 'Schwinn Approved'

It has threading only on oneside of the hub and in only one direction. I
read elsewhere a track hub has threads in two directions - one for the
cog and reverse for the lock ring.

if i want to use this same hub, i would have to go without the lock
ring. Are there any cost-effective alternatives to avoid buying a new
hub ??

Yes, you can use this hub, but you'll probably need to rearrange axle
spacers to get good chainline, then adjust the spokes to bring the rim
back into the middle (this is called "dishing."😉

Quoted message said:

Is it safe to ride without a lock ring ?

Yes, if you leave both brakes on the bike. A dab of blue Loctite would
help, but is not absolutely necessary

Quoted message said:

Or should i have to go buy a track hub ??

Well, Varsity wheels are among the heaviest and clunkiest ever made, so
the bike would ride a lot nicer with ligher wheels. While you're at it
you could do well to go for a proper track type hub.

See: http://harriscyclery.com/fixed

By the way, you can get a single "BMX type" chainring to mount in place
of the double chainring for not much money.

See: http://harriscyclery.com/opc

Quoted message said:

i plan to use this bike mostly for short commutes (<10 miles) - and
occassionally some small hills to improve my spinning and strength.

This will do that.

See also: http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed for lots of material on Fixed Gears.

Sheldon "Keep Pedaling!" Brown
+-----------------------------------------------+
| The power of accurate observation is called |
| cynicism by those who have not got it. |
| - G. B. Shaw |
+-----------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

Ravi <[email hidden]> wrote:
: Hi,
: i am working on an 1979 Schwinn Varsity. Took out the 27 inch
: wheels. and upon removing the cassette, i noticed that that hub is a
: freewheel hub. looks very similar to
: http://edmontonbicyclecommuters.ca/contentImages/mechCorner/freewhee.gif

: It says 'Made in France', 'Schwinn Approved'

: It has threading only on oneside of the hub and in only one direction. I
: read elsewhere a track hub has threads in two directions - one for the
: cog and reverse for the lock ring.

: if i want to use this same hub, i would have to go without the lock
: ring. Are there any cost-effective alternatives to avoid buying a new hub ??

: Is it safe to ride without a lock ring ? Or should i have to go buy a
: track hub ??

Should be ok if you have brakes.

: i plan to use this bike mostly for short commutes (<10 miles) - and
: occassionally some small hills to improve my spinning and strength.

: appreciate your comments/suggestions,

For a lot of hubs you can use a bottom bracket lockring -- it uses the same
threading as the track cog (french might be different though). I did this
for awhile, but there wasn't much spare threads for the lockring and I
stripped some while changing sprockets. After that I just used loc-tite,
which worked fine, but makes it hard to swap sprockets.

- Mark

Ravi said:

Is it safe to ride without a lock ring ? Or should i have to go buy a
track hub ??

I have put a few thousand trouble-free miles on a fixed gear without a
lock ring. As long as you have brakes there shouldn't be anything
dangerous about it.

Ravi said:

Hi,
i am working on an 1979 Schwinn Varsity. Took out the 27 inch
wheels. and upon removing the cassette, i noticed that that hub is a
freewheel hub. looks very similar to
http://edmontonbicyclecommuters.ca/contentImages/mechCorner/freewhee.gif

It says 'Made in France', 'Schwinn Approved'

There are many better fixed-gear conversion frames than a Schwinn
Varsity. On the one hand, it's a tank (the full bikes weighed in at
nearly 40 pounds), and on the other hand there are those who collect them.
Maybe one of them would cough up enough for you to get a real bike.

The hub is probably a Normandy, which was standard on cheap bikes at the
time.

Quoted message said:

It has threading only on oneside of the hub and in only one direction. I
read elsewhere a track hub has threads in two directions - one for the
cog and reverse for the lock ring.

That's right.

Quoted message said:

if i want to use this same hub, i would have to go without the lock
ring. Are there any cost-effective alternatives to avoid buying a new
hub ??

Well, old English-thread bottom bracket lockrings can be used on the
outside of the cog to provide some additional security. Lots of folks
do get away without a lockring. I prefer to use hubs that have lockrings,
but if you don't brake a lot with your legs at first, it will probably be
OK.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Arguing with an engineer is like mud wrestling with a pig... You
_`\(,_ | soon find out the pig likes it!
(_)/ (_) |

Sheldon Brown said:

Ravi wrote:

<<SNIP>>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

if i want to use this same hub, i would have to go without the lock
ring. Are there any cost-effective alternatives to avoid buying a new
hub ??

Yes, you can use this hub, but you'll probably need to rearrange axle
spacers to get good chainline, then adjust the spokes to bring the rim
back into the middle (this is called "dishing."😉

sure will tend to that.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Is it safe to ride without a lock ring ?

Yes, if you leave both brakes on the bike. A dab of blue Loctite would
help, but is not absolutely necessary

although i have ridden a rental track bikes on a track (local
velodrome), i am afraid to ride on roads with just the front brakes only
- so i would have both brakes for sometime.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Or should i have to go buy a track hub ??

Well, Varsity wheels are among the heaviest and clunkiest ever made, so
the bike would ride a lot nicer with ligher wheels. While you're at it
you could do well to go for a proper track type hub.

See: http://harriscyclery.com/fixed

By the way, you can get a single "BMX type" chainring to mount in place
of the double chainring for not much money.

See: http://harriscyclery.com/opc

yes these are the thing i have planned on how well the first phase goes.
If i like the frame that much, i would upgrade slowly to a better
crank/BB and also to a trackhub with more lighter wheels.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

i plan to use this bike mostly for short commutes (<10 miles) - and
occassionally some small hills to improve my spinning and strength.

This will do that.

See also: http://sheldonbrown.com/fixed for lots of material on Fixed
Gears.

thanks for your wonderful website. Infact it was one of the websites
that gave me the courage to jump onto this project.

thanks,
+ravi

Quoted message said:

Sheldon "Keep Pedaling!" Brown
+-----------------------------------------------+
| The power of accurate observation is called |
| cynicism by those who have not got it. |
| - G. B. Shaw |
+-----------------------------------------------+
Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041
http://harriscyclery.com
Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

David L. Johnson said:

Ravi said:

Hi,
i am working on an 1979 Schwinn Varsity. Took out the 27 inch
wheels. and upon removing the cassette, i noticed that that hub is a
freewheel hub. looks very similar to
http://edmontonbicyclecommuters.ca/contentImages/mechCorner/freewhee.gif

It says 'Made in France', 'Schwinn Approved'

There are many better fixed-gear conversion frames than a Schwinn
Varsity. On the one hand, it's a tank (the full bikes weighed in at
nearly 40 pounds), and on the other hand there are those who collect them.
Maybe one of them would cough up enough for you to get a real bike.

The hub is probably a Normandy, which was standard on cheap bikes at the
time.

since i am over 6'3", i do not get too much of a choice. I was looking
for any old bikes - not many of the used bikes fit me 🙁 - but anyways,
this is more like a trial. If I like this frame/ride quality, then i
would go on with more upgrades, else would let it stay and use it for a
rain bike 🙂.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

It has threading only on oneside of the hub and in only one direction. I
read elsewhere a track hub has threads in two directions - one for the
cog and reverse for the lock ring.

That's right.

Quoted message said:

if i want to use this same hub, i would have to go without the lock
ring. Are there any cost-effective alternatives to avoid buying a new
hub ??

Well, old English-thread bottom bracket lockrings can be used on the
outside of the cog to provide some additional security. Lots of folks
do get away without a lockring. I prefer to use hubs that have lockrings,
but if you don't brake a lot with your legs at first, it will probably be
OK.

sure, i will look for a BB ring and will add it if i find enough space
in there.

thanks to everyone for your advice,
+ravi

In article <1105467887.624358@sj-nntpcache-3>, Ravi <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Well, old English-thread bottom bracket lockrings can be used on the
outside of the cog to provide some additional security. Lots of folks
do get away without a lockring. I prefer to use hubs that have lockrings,
but if you don't brake a lot with your legs at first, it will probably be
OK.

sure, i will look for a BB ring and will add it if i find enough space
in there.

I second the installation­if possible­of a BB lockring for the rear
hub. I've had loctited cogs sans lockrings unscrew while backpedalling.
Several years ago I installed a BB lockring onto a BMX hub that was
pressed into fixed-gear service; since then the hub has not had its cog
loosen.

luke

luke

Ravi said:

Hi,
i am working on an 1979 Schwinn Varsity. Took out the 27 inch wheels.
and upon removing the cassette, i noticed that that hub is a freewheel
hub. looks very similar to
http://edmontonbicyclecommuters.ca/contentImages/mechCorner/freewhee.gif

It says 'Made in France', 'Schwinn Approved'

It has threading only on oneside of the hub and in only one direction. I
read elsewhere a track hub has threads in two directions - one for the
cog and reverse for the lock ring.

if i want to use this same hub, i would have to go without the lock
ring. Are there any cost-effective alternatives to avoid buying a new
hub ??

Well, you can just screw a sprocket on, but...

Quoted message said:

Is it safe to ride without a lock ring ? Or should i have to go buy a
track hub ??

Some trackies swear by lockrings, others refuse to use them. They're
not mandatory on most velodromes. If you have two brakes it's not a
problem. If you only have a front brake you must be absolutely sure it
is in good condition. Having said that, few people can stop a bike on
any kind of descent using pedal pressure alone, although a fixed rear
wheel is legally considered to be an independent brake in the UK (and
probably elsewhere).

Your chainline may also be terrible if you just screw a sprocket on.
The inner ring of a double chainset will be closest in line; add some
Sturmey Archer 1/16" sprocket spacers (ask for part# HMW127) between the
sprocket and the shoulder of the hub to make it perfect.