What the world needs now: hub that shifts fixed-free?

[LF]

I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
while riding.

Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
mode to the other while riding?

Best,
Larry

 

[Werehatrack]

On 13 Jan 2007 23:00:49 -0800, "LF" <[email protected]> may have said:

> I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
>fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
>some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
>while riding.
>
>Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
>fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
>mode to the other while riding?

Not hard at all, *but*...I don't think there's enough demand for such
a product to make it a viable item to manufacture economically. IMLE,
fixie riders tend to view freewheels as something to be sneered at,
and non-fixie riders tend to view the whole fixed-gear thing as
completely inexplicable.



--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[M-gineering]

Werehatrack wrote:
> On 13 Jan 2007 23:00:49 -0800, "LF" <[email protected]> may have said:
>
>> I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
>> fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
>> some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
>> while riding.
>>
>> Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
>> fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
>> mode to the other while riding?
>
> Not hard at all, *but*...I don't think there's enough demand for such
> a product to make it a viable item to manufacture economically. IMLE,
> fixie riders tend to view freewheels as something to be sneered at,
> and non-fixie riders tend to view the whole fixed-gear thing as
> completely inexplicable.
>
>
>
Lockable freewheels have been made in the past. I've seen them at
english swapmeets

--
---
Marten Gerritsen

INFOapestaartjeM-GINEERINGpuntNL
www.m-gineering.nl

 

[[email protected]]

On 13 Jan 2007 23:00:49 -0800, "LF" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
>fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
>some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
>while riding.
>
>Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
>fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
>mode to the other while riding?
>

Not difficult at all - it's been done. The problem was cost of
manufacturing versus demand. When I looked into it some years ago the
hub was something on the order of £150.

Post on uk.rec.cycling and someone will have the gen.

 

[[email protected]]

Werehatrack wrote:
> On 13 Jan 2007 23:00:49 -0800, "LF" <[email protected]> may have said:
>
> > I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
> >fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
> >some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
> >while riding.

Some old bikes used to have pegs on the fork to rest your feet for just
such occasions.


> >Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
> >fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
> >mode to the other while riding?
>
> Not hard at all, *but*...I don't think there's enough demand for such
> a product to make it a viable item to manufacture economically. IMLE,
> fixie riders tend to view freewheels as something to be sneered at,
> and non-fixie riders tend to view the whole fixed-gear thing as
> completely inexplicable.
>

I don't even understand the flip-flop thing.

Joseph

 

[[email protected]]

LF wrote:
> I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
> fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
> some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
> while riding.
>
> Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
> fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
> mode to the other while riding?

I seem to enjoy the extreme ends of the complexity spectrum. I have a
track bike, and a two-wheel-drive mountain bike. The mtb has a small
spring released clutch-like mechanism to engage the two-wheel-drive
system via a bar mounted lever. The clutch is attached to the rear hub
where the rear disk is mounted. A similar system could be made to
engage or disengage a fixed gear cog. Just don't engage it when you are
going 70kmh down a hill!

Somebody with access to a machine shop could make something like this,
but I suspect the demand is quite small.

Joseph

 

[Kinky Cowboy]

On Sun, 14 Jan 2007 08:29:48 +0100, M-gineering
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Werehatrack wrote:
>> On 13 Jan 2007 23:00:49 -0800, "LF" <[email protected]> may have said:
>>
>>> I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
>>> fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
>>> some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
>>> while riding.
>>>
>>
>>
>Lockable freewheels have been made in the past. I've seen them at
>english swapmeets

We used to have a thing called fix-free drive, operated by an old
fashioned Sturmey-Archer trigger

http://motoring.independent.co.uk/comment/article352505.ece

"A system called the Fix-Free Drive doesexactly that, with a lever
mounted on the handlebars. It's no longer on the market, but its
inventor, Paul Fletcher, says he would welcome enquiries, especially
from anybody interested in exploiting the patent. Call him on 01453
873541."

That's +44 1453 873541 from over there, and bear in mind that we're 8
hours ahead of the west coast of the USA

Kinky Cowboy*

*Batteries not included
May contain traces of nuts
Your milage may vary

 

[David L. Johnson]

On Sun, 14 Jan 2007 01:10:39 -0600, Werehatrack wrote:

> On 13 Jan 2007 23:00:49 -0800, "LF" <[email protected]> may have said:
>
>> I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
>>fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
>>some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
>>while riding.
>>
>>Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
>>fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
>>mode to the other while riding?
>
> Not hard at all, *but*...I don't think there's enough demand for such
> a product to make it a viable item to manufacture economically. IMLE,
> fixie riders tend to view freewheels as something to be sneered at,
> and non-fixie riders tend to view the whole fixed-gear thing as
> completely inexplicable.

I don't think I agree with the "Not hard at all" part, but I do agree with
the lack of market. The appeal of riding a fixed gear is the simplicity,
which this sort of mechanism would not be. If you want to coast down the
hills, then use a freewheel and be done with it.

--

David Johnson

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

LF wrote:
> I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
> fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
> some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
> while riding.
>
> Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
> fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
> mode to the other while riding?
>
> Best,
> Larry

Well, why not just don't coast when you want to be in that' pedal all
the time' mode and then 'coast' when ya want to.

 

[LF]

Qui si parla Campagnolo wrote:
> LF wrote:
> > I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
> > fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
> > some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
> > while riding.
> >
> > Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
> > fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
> > mode to the other while riding?
> >
> > Best,
> > Larry
>
> Well, why not just don't coast when you want to be in that' pedal all
> the time' mode and then 'coast' when ya want to.

Riding fixed-gear has a rhythm of its own, a quite enjoyable one. It
works well here, with New England's rolling landscape. Different from
"just not coasting." Mostly, I really like it. Your suggestion would
put me on a single speed with a free-wheel. Not a bad idea; just not
what I'm looking for.

Ciao "my other bike is Campag" Larry

 

[[email protected]]

On Sun, 14 Jan 2007 11:58:12 +0000, Kinky Cowboy <[email protected]>
wrote:

>On Sun, 14 Jan 2007 08:29:48 +0100, M-gineering
><[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Werehatrack wrote:
>>> On 13 Jan 2007 23:00:49 -0800, "LF" <[email protected]> may have said:
>>>
>>>> I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
>>>> fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
>>>> some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
>>>> while riding.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>Lockable freewheels have been made in the past. I've seen them at
>>english swapmeets
>
>We used to have a thing called fix-free drive, operated by an old
>fashioned Sturmey-Archer trigger
>
>http://motoring.independent.co.uk/comment/article352505.ece
>
>"A system called the Fix-Free Drive doesexactly that, with a lever
>mounted on the handlebars. It's no longer on the market, but its
>inventor, Paul Fletcher, says he would welcome enquiries, especially
>from anybody interested in exploiting the patent. Call him on 01453
>873541."
>
>That's +44 1453 873541 from over there, and bear in mind that we're 8
>hours ahead of the west coast of the USA
>
>Kinky Cowboy*
>
>*Batteries not included
>May contain traces of nuts
>Your milage may vary

Dear Kinky,

A mad scientist who isn't up well past midnight isn't worth the
thorazine needed to introduce yourself.

Cheers,

Colin Clive

 

[[email protected]]

On 14 Jan 2007 06:21:55 -0800, "Qui si parla Campagnolo"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>
>LF wrote:
>> I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
>> fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
>> some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
>> while riding.
>>
>> Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
>> fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
>> mode to the other while riding?
>>
>> Best,
>> Larry
>
>Well, why not just don't coast when you want to be in that' pedal all
>the time' mode and then 'coast' when ya want to.

Cycling on a fixed-gear machine is different than continuously
pedaling on a freewheel machine; the original poster wished to have
both available without dismounting; the mechanics have been worked out
- why should he not avail himself of the mechanism?

 

[Werehatrack]

On 14 Jan 2007 06:21:55 -0800, "Qui si parla Campagnolo"
<[email protected]> may have said:

>
>LF wrote:
>> I'm too lazy to flip or to flop my flip-flop hub, so I just stay in
>> fixed mode. But, on a longer ride, it sure would be nice to coast down
>> some of those bigger hills. I wish I could do this with a shifter --
>> while riding.
>>
>> Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
>> fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
>> mode to the other while riding?
>>
>> Best,
>> Larry
>
>Well, why not just don't coast when you want to be in that' pedal all
>the time' mode and then 'coast' when ya want to.

Can't pedal-resist forward motion with the freewheel working. (To you
and me, this is not a disadvantage, I know, but not everybody gets
their jollies from the same things.)

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[Tim McNamara]

I thought it was "what the world needs now is love, sweet love..."

 

[dabac]

I don't even understand the flip-flop thing.

If that is a question about what it means; it refers to a rear wheel with different sized sprockets on both sides. By the simple and quick action of flipping the wheel over the rider has the luxury of the choice of two different ratios while retaining the simplicity of the fixie.

If this is a question why someone would be charmed by such a setup, then I can't help you

 

[Werehatrack]

On Sun, 14 Jan 2007 11:18:22 -0700, [email protected] may have
said:

>A mad scientist who isn't up well past midnight isn't worth the
>thorazine needed to introduce yourself.

But if you don't have enough thiotimoline to be able to reach him at
his preferred hours of availability, why should he talk to you anyway?

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[Werehatrack]

On Sun, 14 Jan 2007 16:24:36 -0600, Tim McNamara
<[email protected]> may have said:

>I thought it was "what the world needs now is love, sweet love..."

Since the fall of pseudocommunism, the slogan has become "cash, sweet
cash." It doesn't rhyme, but it mirrors the opinions of the too much
of the world much better.

--
My email address is antispammed; pull WEEDS if replying via e-mail.
Typoes are not a bug, they're a feature.
Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.

 

[[email protected]]

Werehatrack wrote:
> On 13 Jan 2007 23:00:49 -0800, "LF" <[email protected]> may have said:
>
> >Any guesses how difficult it would be to design a hub that would be
> >fixed or free, at the riders preference, and could be changed from one
> >mode to the other while riding?
>
> Not hard at all, *but*...I don't think there's enough demand for such
> a product to make it a viable item to manufacture economically. IMLE,
> fixie riders tend to view freewheels as something to be sneered at,
> and non-fixie riders tend to view the whole fixed-gear thing as
> completely inexplicable.

I think there would be some market for this sort of hub for the
freestyle BMX crowd. Watching those hot shot bmx stunt riders roll
backwards where they have to back pedal makes me think this sort of
device would be perfect for them. A handlebar mount unlockout device
to free up a fixie or to allow a single speed freewheel to freewheel in
both directions.

Also, i've seen the original Bendix cable shift 2 speed coaster brake
converted to a fixie that retains the cable shift option. (ps, this is
NOT the newer auto or kick back hub versions with red or blue or yellow
twin bands)

Rick