New fixed gear rear wheel

[Alexander Kahn]

Greetings. I'm replacing my rear wheel on my Surly Steamroller with something newer, lighter,
stronger. There seem to be a lot of rims and hubs I can choose from, so I'm looking for some help or
recommendations.

I want a fixed/free hub, about 23-25mm rim and I have no preference for how many spokes the wheel
has. It just needs to be strong enough for heavy city use. So far, I was thinking Surly New hub with
Salsa Delgado Cross rim. I haven't given thought to spokes or nipples.

So, does that sound like a good wheel to all the fixed riders out there? Have any
recommendations? Thanks!

P.S. I'm in the $150 price range.
--
Alexander Kahn

 

[Alan]

Try asking on the fixed gear list. Lots of experience over there.

http://lists.davintech.ca/mailman/listinfo/fixed-gear

--

alan

Anyone who believes in a liberal media has never read the "Daily Oklahoman."

"Alexander Kahn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:QZrga.248261$qi4.128802@rwcrnsc54...
> Greetings. I'm replacing my rear wheel on my Surly Steamroller with something newer, lighter,
> stronger. There seem to be a lot of rims and hubs I can choose from, so I'm looking for some help
> or recommendations.
>
> I want a fixed/free hub, about 23-25mm rim and I have no preference for how many spokes the wheel
> has. It just needs to be strong enough for heavy city use. So far, I was thinking Surly New hub
> with Salsa Delgado Cross rim. I haven't given thought to spokes or nipples.
>
> So, does that sound like a good wheel to all the fixed riders out there? Have any
> recommendations? Thanks!
>
> P.S. I'm in the $150 price range.
> --
> Alexander Kahn

 

[Peter Cole]

"Alexander Kahn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:QZrga.248261$qi4.128802@rwcrnsc54...
> Greetings. I'm replacing my rear wheel on my Surly Steamroller with something newer, lighter,
> stronger. There seem to be a lot of rims and hubs I can choose from, so I'm looking for some help
> or recommendations.
>
> I want a fixed/free hub, about 23-25mm rim and I have no preference for how many spokes the wheel
> has. It just needs to be strong enough for heavy city use. So far, I was thinking Surly New hub
> with Salsa Delgado Cross rim. I haven't given thought to spokes or nipples.
>
> So, does that sound like a good wheel to all the fixed riders out there? Have any
> recommendations? Thanks!
>
> P.S. I'm in the $150 price range.

I don't know anything about that rim. My inclination is not to go light or low spoke count in a
fixed rear wheel, especially for city use, it just gets too much abuse. You didn't mention your
weight, and that's a big factor. I like a bomb-proof rear, my Sun CR-18 has held up well and is
pretty cheap.

 

[Alexander Kahn]

alan <[email protected]>
> Try asking on the fixed gear list. Lots of experience over there.
> http://lists.davintech.ca/mailman/listinfo/fixed-gear

Thanks. I didn't know such a group existed. I'll ask there as well.
--
Alexander Kahn

 

[Alexander Kahn]

Peter Cole <[email protected]>
> I don't know anything about that rim. My inclination is not to go light or low spoke count in a
> fixed rear wheel, especially for city use, it just gets too much abuse. You didn't mention your
> weight, and that's a big factor. I like a bomb-proof rear, my Sun CR-18 has held up well and is
> pretty cheap.

What exactly is low spoke count? I've never chosen a wheel by features before, only on availability
and price. I may or may not have mentioned that these will be 32 spoke. I weigh 155 lbs. Thanks
for the recommendation on the rim.

--
Alexander Kahn

 

[Mike S.]

"Alexander Kahn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:QZrga.248261$qi4.128802@rwcrnsc54...
> Greetings. I'm replacing my rear wheel on my Surly Steamroller with something newer, lighter,
> stronger. There seem to be a lot of rims and hubs I can choose from, so I'm looking for some help
> or recommendations.
>
> I want a fixed/free hub, about 23-25mm rim and I have no preference for how many spokes the wheel
> has. It just needs to be strong enough for heavy city use. So far, I was thinking Surly New hub
> with Salsa Delgado Cross rim. I haven't given thought to spokes or nipples.
>
> So, does that sound like a good wheel to all the fixed riders out there? Have any
> recommendations? Thanks!
>
> P.S. I'm in the $150 price range.
> --
> Alexander Kahn

If this is an exercise in how little you can spend and get something good, start with your LBS. If
they have any high-end freewheel hubs floating around, I'll bet that you can get one for a steal.
All you'll really have to do is get a longer axle, and re-space the hub to make the chainline right.
Last Am. Classic hub I bought was $5, and it was even brand new!

My track wheels all have about 16mm of spacers between the hub and the outside of the locknut.

Then start looking around for either new or slightly used Open Pros, Reflexes, MA40s, etc. and
run with it.

I've had great luck with American Classic hubs with the track axle kits, Specialized/Sansin sealed
bearing hubs, and even old style Dura Ace hubs. The nicer the hub was originally, the better. I've
wanted to do a fixed gear wheel with an old Campy hub, but I've never run across one.

So, for less than $100, you'll have a nice wheel, and enough $$ left over to throw a raging kegger.

Mike

 

[Peter Cole]

"Alexander Kahn" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:upOga.256434$qi4.140834@rwcrnsc54...

> What exactly is low spoke count? I've never chosen a wheel by features before, only on
> availability and price. I may or may not have mentioned that these will be 32 spoke. I weigh
> 155 lbs. Thanks for the recommendation on the rim.

I think a 32 would be OK for your weight, I wouldn't go any lower. If you haven't already check out
Sheldon Brown's site and his fixed gear articles and components for sale.

 

[Jim Edgar]

alan at [email protected] wrote on 3/26/03 5:35 PM:

> Try asking on the fixed gear list. Lots of experience over there.
>
> http://lists.davintech.ca/mailman/listinfo/fixed-gear
>

And there are a lot of fixed-folks who hang out on rec.bicycles.tech (do a Google Advanced Groups
search), including Sheldon Brown, who has already posted extensive info on his site:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/fixeda.html

and the goodies are here:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/fixed.html

As far as the original post: Alexander Kahn at [email protected] wrote on 3/26/03 4:55 PM:
> I'm replacing my rear wheel on my Surly Steamroller with something newer, lighter, stronger. There
> seem to be a lot of rims and hubs I can choose from, so I'm looking for some help or
> recommendations. I want a fixed/free hub, about 23-25mm rim and I have no preference for how many
> spokes the wheel has. It just needs to be strong enough for heavy city use.

newer, lighter, stronger is not necessarily my aesthetic in a fixed gear for heavy city use...

I'd tend to go "bombproof, proven, solid"...

and am extremely happy with the QBP Suzue flip/flop MA-3 36h setup.

which comes in built up and happy from Sheldon's site at the $150 level:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/fixed.html#wheels

I had to do a little bit of final truing/tensioning, but it hasn't budged since the first ride. I
have a page on my fixed project here:

http://home.earthlink.net/~cyclofiend/bikes/Project_fixedpana.html

Hope that helps,

-- Jim