fixed gear with no lockring?

10timesbetter said:

right now i still have my stock rear hub, i just pulled off the old 5speed freewheel, and replaced it with one of my old bmx ones, i also have a fixed gear sprocket, which i intend to go to eventually, but it doesn't have the step threads, i can only put on the sprocket, and no lockring, so i was curious if anyone's done this on a road bike for a period of time and had any problems?

I used to have the sprocket on my old bmx bike just to mess around with, and considering you spend a lot more time pedaling forward as opposed to backwards, i never had any problems with it coming loose, when i wanted it off i'd have to hold the back brake and jump on the pedals a few times to even loosen it, but the only difference now, is i'm living in the city, and i don't wanna be in the middle of downtown traffic if that sprocket lets loose,

any opinions? well, any opinions other than the general "i think it's a bad idea and not safe", i'm more of looking for anyone who's rode a fixed gear without a lockring, and what they thing, maybe just a little jbweld on the threads before i put on the sprocket??

have not done it myself, I know people who have tried it and it worked OK as long as you don't put a lot of back pressure on the cog. If you use a brake and control your slowing down that way instead of using the pedals it should be OK. Definitely use some loc-tite or something like that to keep it on tight though.

climbo said:

have not done it myself, I know people who have tried it and it worked OK as long as you don't put a lot of back pressure on the cog. If you use a brake and control your slowing down that way instead of using the pedals it should be OK. Definitely use some loc-tite or something like that to keep it on tight though.

yeah, after i got my bullhorn bars on yesterday, i really wanted the fixed gear, so i ended up putting it on, i still have the front brake on, and it's alright, i took it for a test ride around my block last night, and i tried to stop it on real tight for the first half, then i tried stopping a few times with just my feet, and like the 3rd time the ring spun loose, so i'll just make sure i leave my brake on until it's permanently stuck, i just had a 16t sitting around, eventaully i wanna go back to the 14t i had for a freewheel, and when i do, i think i'm just gonna cover the threads in jbweld, and then put a nice layer around the outside too, and let it sit for a day

10timesbetter said:

yeah, after i got my bullhorn bars on yesterday, i really wanted the fixed gear, so i ended up putting it on, i still have the front brake on, and it's alright, i took it for a test ride around my block last night, and i tried to stop it on real tight for the first half, then i tried stopping a few times with just my feet, and like the 3rd time the ring spun loose, so i'll just make sure i leave my brake on until it's permanently stuck, i just had a 16t sitting around, eventaully i wanna go back to the 14t i had for a freewheel, and when i do, i think i'm just gonna cover the threads in jbweld, and then put a nice layer around the outside too, and let it sit for a day

i spotted a lock ring on ebay yesterday! maybe you could have a look and you may just get lucky rather than making any perminant fixture to your cog.

easy enough, i bought a hub the other day, and i just got back from the bike store, he had lockrings for $4, so i'm happy, i'm gonna lace up the new wheel this weekend and hopefully when i get back to school on monday i'll be good to go, but for anyone who cares, i've been riding around for a few days now, and it held up alright, the first spin around the block i got it to break loose after locking up the back tire 3 times in a row, but after that, i haven't had any problems, but i have been using my brake too, once i get the new wheel on, i'm just gonna flip the axle around so the spacer is on the non-chain side, and redish the wheel, so it's lined up, and i'll just keep it as a spare single speed wheel with a freewheel on it

I've got two fixed-gear bikes and I've never used a lockring until recently. I've been riding fixed for about six years now and I have never had a cog unscrew itself, despite the fact that I can ride to work (seven miles one way) and never use the handbrake, just using back-pressure on the pedals.

Actually I never learned to skid until last month when someone taught me how to do it but I'm still not confident enough to go brakeless!

on my bike now, i just put a fixed gear hub on it, but i heard somewhere, that old european bb lockrings were the same size as normal hub threads, can anyone specify on this? it'd just be nice to know for the future,

I tried brakeless for about 2 days, it was enjoyable, i almost slammed into the back of a dumptruck, but the only real problem, is my chain line isn't lined up perfectly, it's lined up good enough that you don't notice much with normal riding, but within those two days, i had the chain pop off twice when i was trying to stop, luckily it wasn't when i was coming up to a redlight or anything like that, and then then final straw was when a pin somehow came out of my chain, and then chain just fell on the ground, I'm working on getting a new right crank arm so i can put a seperate chain ring on the front, a wider one, because right now it's still the thin steel one, and i think a thicker one would be better for the chain, but yeah, i've still got my brake on...

i ride a fix with no lock ring - front and rear brakes, of course - and it's no problem. i don't ride messenger-style of course - no skids, etc. do one big hill and the thing will be stuck on there pretty good.

also, i've heard a rumor that certain older B.B. lockrings will fit on a freewheel hub and work as a make-shift lockring.. any knowledge on this?

they do, i just took off my good back wheel with the flipflop hub for winter, and put on my old stock wheel, with the flipped axle adn redished rim, and i've got a track cog and a bb lock ring, i did a skid at some point in the day and it came a little loose, but i tightened it back up, and i'm gonna put some loctite on it and see hwo it goes, i did but the front brake on though while i've got that wheel on it

10timesbetter said:

they do, i just took off my good back wheel with the flipflop hub for winter, and put on my old stock wheel, with the flipped axle adn redished rim, and i've got a track cog and a bb lock ring, i did a skid at some point in the day and it came a little loose, but i tightened it back up, and i'm gonna put some loctite on it and see hwo it goes, i did but the front brake on though while i've got that wheel on it

can you just use any english bb ring? or is it something obscure?

standard english bb lockring, i go to my local bike shop and find them laying on the ground, and he sells them to me for 50 cents, haha

I'm a very abusive rider, I've made cogs slip even with lockrings. The lockring did its job and the cog didn't come all the way off, so no thanks on the no lockring idea.

i've got mine on temporarily just the cog and lockring, but like i said, i put the brake back on and i've been nicer to the bike, but my friend has some of the strong loctite i'm going to use when i get back to school, if you're gonna keep the wheel like that long term i'd recomment some loctite or jbweld, unless you take it easy on the wheel, then it's not a big deal

10timesbetter said:

they do, i just took off my good back wheel with the flipflop hub for winter, and put on my old stock wheel, with the flipped axle adn redished rim, and i've got a track cog and a bb lock ring, i did a skid at some point in the day and it came a little loose, but i tightened it back up, and i'm gonna put some loctite on it and see hwo it goes, i did but the front brake on though while i've got that wheel on it

Basically I do not like to ride a fixie sans the lockring. That said, with blue lock tite it has been my experience the bloody cog stays on there pretty well... the problem is do not do too much riding that is going to use back pressure ie; going downhill.

As for bottom bracket lock rings yes it works surprisingly well. My experience was the same as 10timesbetter, after everyride I would have to retighten the bottom bracket lockring with a spanner.

VTW

don't take this for a guaruntee, cause i don't want anyone to get hurt cause of anything i said, but for a few weeks now i've had a normal hub, with a bb lockring, it came a little loose the first time i rode, but i tightened it, and have been riding without brakes for a while now, and no problems since then, and i've just about skidded all the rubber off my back tire, so it does hold pretty well, but i' recommend checking it occasionally

Track & Road fixes with no lock ring, never managed to spin it off.

The thread on my [censored] track hub has the lockring threads a bit mashed so that a longring won't go on and the road fixie is an old road hub.

Use a proper track chain chainwhip and put some muscle into it.

i ride my old scorcher with no lockring and healthy dose of jb weld...no brakes and the bike weighs in at around 38# currently...no problems...no skidding either though!
i ride my road fix with a bb lockring which has been sufficient for preventing the cog from spinning off under back pressure and also keeping the cog on the splines! (i really like miche splined interface cogs) 😄

[quote="10timesbetter"]right now i still have my stock rear hub, i just pulled off the old 5speed freewheel, and replaced it with one of my old bmx ones, i also have a fixed gear sprocket, which i intend to go to eventually, but it doesn't have the step threads, i can only put on the sprocket, and no lockring, so i was curious if anyone's done this on a road bike for a period of time and had any problems?



Not a good idea if you ride on the streets!
www.kingzoftheroad.com

10timesbetter said:

don't take this for a guaruntee, cause i don't want anyone to get hurt cause of anything i said, but for a few weeks now i've had a normal hub, with a bb lockring, it came a little loose the first time i rode, but i tightened it, and have been riding without brakes for a while now, and no problems since then, and i've just about skidded all the rubber off my back tire, so it does hold pretty well, but i' recommend checking it occasionally

Personally, I HATE lockrings!!! Yesterday actually put me over the edge! I've had my issues, including bleeding knuckles, trying to get a lockring off!

That being said, I wouldn't be comfortable riding without one. Until recently! I was introduced to Scott Hansen from Level Components a few months ago (www.levelcomponents.com)

These guys have the same hatred for lockrings that many of us do. They have designed the most "kick-ass" (I apologize but thats the only term that gives this hub justice) Fixed gear hub!

The best part is....no need for Lockring!
I could go on to explain all of the amazing benefits and details about this hub, but its best just to check out LEVEL's site! (www.levelcomponents.com)

But basically the main points I love....

-No Lockring
-Stainless Cogs
-Track and MTB Compatible (easy switch too!)
-Flip/Flop
-Super High Flanges
-No special tools needed for FULL service of the hub!

and as a wheel builder, I LOVE that we can have the same spoke length on both sides of the hub!!

I think the real question is, are you going to skid? Even the best rig can be pushed over the edge. A skid is so powerfully shocking to the cog(especially if you weigh 230lbs.)that it could easily come off. If you are brakeless this puts you in an awkward situation. No lockring = at least 1 brake(or a healthy pair of Keds) BTW if your cog comes off and you don't realize it right away, you might want to let the cog come all the way off rather than trying to re-position by pedaling real fast. You could wind up ruining a perfectly good Phil Wood flip flop hub...in theory.