Can you build a fixie using a freehub?

[swee'pea99]

Bought an old 653 bike off ebay planning to make it a fixie, one bonus being that I got it really cheap because the freehub 'seized up completely'. Which suited me just fine - try out a few of the sprockets, choose my favourite, then just leave the block in place. That was the plan.

All went fine till I went for my first test ride and pedalled back to brake. Felt something give, and the 'seized up' freehub unseized. Which would be great - if I wasn't planning on a fixie.

So it looks like my plan is scuppered, and I'm going to have to do it properly. But can I put a single 15 tooth sprocket on a freehub? Can I get it on? And even if I can, won't it still freewheel?

Am I going to need to use a freewheel wheel? (I have one in the cellar I could use, but it's not such a good wheel - so I'd prefer to use this one if I can.)

Many thanks for any advice.

 

[spandex]

Yes you can have a look at VeloSolo which was London Fixie Bike

 

[Joe24]

If its a back wheel that takes a screw on block, get a 15t sprocket and put that on. You might have to mess about with chainline, and you will need to put it on tight for it to be safe, but it can be done.
On my £3.09 and a half P bike, i got an old geared wheel that takes a screw on block and put a sprocket on that. Its got a BB lockring to act as a spacer to get the chainline right.
If you dont need to use one as a spacer and can just have the sprocket on and put a BB lockring on to act as a sort of lockring for the sprocket.
If its not one, then Spandexs link above will do it.

 

[RedBike]

So it looks like my plan is scuppered, and I'm going to have to do it properly. But can I put a single 15 tooth sprocket on a freehub?

Without 'damaging' the freehub in some way or another the bike will be a single speed not a fixed wheel. If it's a Shimano hub you might be able to use one of these.
http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=5892&src=froogle

Am I going to need to use a freewheel wheel?

I'm not sure what you mean by freewheel wheel. If you mean the older screw on freewheel type wheel then i'm afraid technically the answer is you still can't do it.
A fixed sprocket will fit but back pedalling will unscrew sprocket. There are various 'cheats' like using bottom bracket rings and locktite to help keep the sprocket in place but it's not the correct way to do it. This type of setup is often known as 'suicide fixie'

You want a track hub with two threads. One for the fixed wheel sprocket and a left hand thread for a lockring to stop everything coming undone. Most track hubs are 120mm whereas your frame will probably be 130mm spacing. You will need to be careful that you get the correct width hub.

 

[MessenJah]

...

 

[swee'pea99]

Yes you can have a look at VeloSolo which was London Fixie Bike

Thanks for this. Will the top one do, or will I just end up with a singlespeed rather than a fixie? (Ie, I don't want to coast, I want back-pedal braking. I'm never sure in my googling whether people are distinguishing between fixed and singlespeed.)

Thanks for other responses, but this seems the most likely route thus far.

 

[Joe24]

You will just have a singlespeed if you have the top one.

 

[swee'pea99]

Is that true for everything on Velosolo?

 

[Joe24]

JUst had a look on the page you linked to and it is all singlespeed on that page.
The disc mount hubs are the fixed bit on there, the rest looks to be singlespeed.
Do any of the wheels take a screw on block by any chance?
If they do then you can put a sprocket onto that and have a cheap fixed back wheel, which when you have enough money, you can upgrade to a better proper fixed back wheel.

 

[swee'pea99]

Hmmm. Yes. As per me OP, I have one in the cellar I could use, but it's not such a good wheel - so I'd prefer to use this one if I can. Looks like it might have to be that one after all.

 

[Joe24]

[quote name='swee'pea99']Hmmm. Yes. As per me OP, I have one in the cellar I could use, but it's not such a good wheel - so I'd prefer to use this one if I can. Looks like it might have to be that one after all.[/QUOTE]

It would be the cheaper option for now.
Or you could go with the Surly thing, which is cheaper here and use the good wheel. But to be honest, unless its pretty decent i wouldnt bother, id just buy a rear wheel thats already fixed for that price.

 

[Tel]

Or perhaps buy some track hubs and have them built into the rim that you have...

 

[mickle]

Has the 653 got horizontal drop-outs s'weepy99?

 

[swee'pea99]

Near enough, Mickle. Not exactly - this isn't a track frame - but not more than about 10 degrees off, if that.

Incidentally, I found this googling last night:

If you do not want to go through the cost of getting a track hub you can also use a standard threaded rear hub, although they are getting harder to find in this age of cassette hubs. Take the standard hub and flip the axle around so the side spaced for the freewheel is on the left side. Then redish the wheel so it is centered over the axle again. Put the fixed cog on and secure it with a bottom bracket lockring. You can Locktite the lockring if you want but I have never found it necessary.

Does that sound about right? (I've given up on the Freehub idea - I'll go with the old screw-on freewheel.)