Freewheel on fixed hub?

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Just remember that BMX stuff won't fit on standard road hubs. I made the mistake of purchasing an ACS BMX hub that didn't fit. There is no regular 15T freewheel anymore...From the Harris Cyclery site: "OUT OF STOCK INDEFINITELY. PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT US ABOUT THIS PRODUCT."

I have an AC racing 15T freewheel and used it for a while. Problem with it was that you could only use it on certain hubs or it would rub against the spokes. This was true with the Surly New Hub and a Formula Hub I had. Even with 2 spacers it would still rub.

Damn shame though, the freewheel action was smooth as butter, no clicks....

A quick search on eBay turned up nothing, good luck.Well, I have a 16t, 18t, and 20t ACS CLAW freewheel, and they fit on MY old road hubs ... of course, that doesn't mean they fit on all road hubs, but I don't see why they wouldn't -- the threading is the same, AFAIK -- I can't confirm/refute your observation of a mismatch with your Surly & Formula hubs (135mm?).

Most (if not all) BMX hubs are 120mm wide, AFAIK.

On the ACS CLAW freewheel, the cog is located where the 4th largest cog would be on a 5-speed freewheel ... so, the cog & chain aren't even close to the hub flange or spokes.

I don't know, but presume the same is true for the 15t & 14t ACS CLAW freehwheel.

BTW. The 15t (listed on the Dan's Comp site, BUT who knows if it is available) uses a different tool for removal than the ACS freewheels with more cogs.

I'm NOT familiar with the AC Racing freewheel which is being mentioned.

Thanks for the tips guys. I found a great solution. I'm running 34/16 - was running a 32/15. Just back from a ride and it feels as good/better than my old ratio. I suppose it's due to more chain wrap etc... MUCH smoother line! Took me about 5 hours and 4 bike shops to find a freewheel that wouldn't rub my frame in 16 tooth...I ended up with an ACS freewheel and new Salsa 34T chain ring. Good thing I had nothing better to do today? It was a little pricey due to my impatience .. but what a great ride it was tonight!

Now for that chain tensioner issue! I have to use a spring load & am looking at trying one of the bolt on models that have no room for "spring." You guys familiar with them? Anyone here still using tensioners? :confused: I dropped my chain x2 on some bumpy downhills :mad: ... enough of that! :p

BTW ... the AC 15T freewheel mentioned is available on ebay, but I had 3 different bike mechanics tell me they are a POS - they strip & do ugly stuff to your hubs. :eek:

Thanks for the tips guys. I found a great solution. I'm running 34/16 - was running a 32/15. Just back from a ride and it feels as good/better than my old ratio. I suppose it's due to more chain wrap etc... MUCH smoother line! Took me about 5 hours and 4 bike shops to find a freewheel that wouldn't rub my frame in 16 tooth...I ended up with an ACS freewheel and new Salsa 34T chain ring. Good thing I had nothing better to do today? It was a little pricey due to my impatience .. but what a great ride it was tonight!

Now for that chain tensioner issue! I have to use a spring load & am looking at trying one of the bolt on models that have no room for "spring." You guys familiar with them? Anyone here still using tensioners? :confused: I dropped my chain x2 on some bumpy downhills :mad: ... enough of that! :pThere is something called a HALF-LINK ... which, as the name suggests, allows you to shorten the chain by a half-inch. I don't know which chain(s) it is designed for ... it is available from Dan's Comp AND/OR probably the shop you bought your ACS freewheel from.

Yah, I know about the half link.. doesn't seem to be right for my set up //// frame.... anyway, I'm good with the tensioner until I get a white ind hub or a frame with vert drop... blah..just need one that i can manually tighten into place. more money money money to burn up! :D

Well, I have a 16t, 18t, and 20t ACS CLAW freewheel, and they fit on MY old road hubs ... of course, that doesn't mean they fit on all road hubs, but I don't see why they wouldn't -- the threading is the same, He was looking for a 15T freewheel, the only 15T freewheels are BMX with 30mm by 1mm threading which will not fit on a standard road hub....nothing to do with hub size 120 v. 135. These are designed to fit on BMX flip/flop hubs with normal (1.375'' by 24) threads on one side and the metric threads on the other. I bought the ACS 15T and it does not fit on a standard hub.


AFAIK -- I can't confirm/refute your observation of a mismatch with your Surly & Formula hubs (135mm?).

Most (if not all) BMX hubs are 120mm wide, AFAIK.

Not a mismatch with the Surly and Formula (also 120mm), the AC racing threads on fine, the problem is it 'hangs over' and actually rubs against the spokes. There is just not enough thread on the surly or formula to use spacers to correct this issue.

From Sheldon...
"The first ever 15 tooth freewheel to fit standard hub threads! Up until now, 16 teeth was the smallest size singlespeed freewheel available in standard threading. AC found a way to place the pawls outboard, making a 15 tooth viable.
AC freewheels are no longer carried by any distributors we know of. AC no longer answers phone, fax or email. No stock for foreseeable future. Bummer, this was a nice product!"

I'm glad you found a workaround....the half-link should work on your bike no problem though (EDIT: as long as you're using an 1/8'' chain with an 1/8'' half link), try it out before you buy a $100 + hub not to mention a wheel build to go with it.

Just another note - I have put in approx 50 miles on my new gear ratio in the past 24 & I'm ab-so-lutely loving it. That whole thing about not finding the 15T worked out perfectly in my favor! 34/16 is excellent & so much smoother feeling than the 32/15... why didn't someone tell me this a long time ago? Only thing is.. Shimano freewheeels are too wide & rub my frame, ACS seems to be where it's at for my frame, but several have told me that they get loud & loose quickly? Any truth to this??? And....BTW I'm a she notta he. :eek:

BTW I'm a she notta he. :eek:my bad...enjoy the higher ratio. watch out though, if you keep putting in miles like that you may find yourself wanting more very soon...;)

The ops original question is will a freewheel thread onto a double threaded hub the basic answer is yes for standard 1.375 x 24 freewheels. There is one huge caveat...

And that is there is another BMX size for 13-12 freewheels. The smallest freewheel I believe for 1.375" x 24 is a 14 tooth. If you thread a BMX freewheel of this size onto a double threaded hub you will cross thread and destroy the left handed threads for the lock ring. You'll if you are doing this because you will never get that small freewheel off a double threaded hub.

VTW

There were a few questions on here,

1. BMX freewheel of track hub? YES Any Standard size freewheel hub (BMX MTB ROAD whatever, and track hub cog threads are all 1.37" x 24 tpi. There's not really any strength concern. In General, track hubs have fewer threads so are a bit more vulnerable to stripping then road hubs, however, there's no difference in strength between using a track cog or a FW with a track hub. You're using all of the threads on the track hub either way.

2. Other than the AC racing 15T, The smalest available Single speed Freewheel you can use on a 1.37" x 24 tpi thread is 16T (ACS, Shimano, Suntour, White, Echo, plus some others). I'm not sure of the availibility of the AC Freewheels but they also make quality FWs in other sizes.

3. MOST 15T freewheels (except AC), and all 14T, 13T, 12T freewheels fit the BMX Flip Flop Metric thread size 30mm x 1mm. You can NOT use these on a road or track hub. *** PhilWood made (maybe still has) BMX hubs and may be able to sell you a 120mm conversion axle kit, many of their parts are interchangable between hub models. Then you could run 15-12T freewheels.

4. you may be able to re-space a good quality BMX sigle speed cassette/driver hub out to 120mm. Some of these hubs have rear drivers as small as 8T in size. Yes 8T, it's silly, and part of the current weight weenie trend in BMX. chain wrap goes way down, and chain tension and drivetrain wear goes through the roof. no good for any decent road mileage. BMX makes due though, because other things like grinding and bashing rails and ledges take toll on chains long before wearing out from pedaling.

And you don't have to worry about the lockring because the chain only pulls in one direction.

true. a lockring wouldn't even fit when using a bmx freewheel anyway, freewheels are too wide and extend out over the lockring threads.

As for good tensioners, My friend George's company Rennen (http://www.rennendesigngroup.com) makes the rollenlager bolt on tensioner that uses no springs. Uses the QR or axle as a pivot and adjusts tension with a second bolt through the der. henger. I think a few other companies are making knock-offs of this basic design now too.

The Shodow Conspiracy, a bmx company, makes a super strong (and heavy) all half link chain. KMC makes a lighter version called the "pintle", but i don't know how durable it is.