Just got my Specialized Langster.... too bad the wx turned crappy in Michigan. I was surprized that it came as single speed and not fixed. I had the shop add a fixed cog on the flip-flop hub. Its on with a lock ring.

My question is: Would it be a good idea to ride the fixed side with the lock ring off? Even though the bike has front and rear brakes, maybe it would be a good idea in the beginning to ride fixed with the lock ring off?

Your thoughts please.

Kilo

Would it be a good idea to ride the fixed side with the lock ring off?

No. Even with brakes, any back pressure you put on the pedals will work to unthread th cog. Once it slips off, your chain drops someplace nasty, locks your rear wheel, likely destroys the hub, and pitches you to the ground.

Some folks who don't have lockring threads will use loctite to keep the cog in place, but even that would make me nervous.

So, leave the lockring in place.

Enjoy your new ride. And welcome to the world without derailleurs. It's a fun place to be.

Course you can ride without a lockring but at somepoint it will become apparent why they're a must.

Anytime you do any of the fixie things to stop, resisting the pedals, skidding, hopping, slaloming etc you will be putting pressure on the cog, you need to have a lock ring. If you're just using the brakes obviously this doesn't apply but you may easily forget or be tempted to try without one...

I would slap one on there just for piece of mind.

maybe it would be a good idea in the beginning to ride fixed with the lock ring off?

Your thoughts please.

Kilo

first, congrats on the bike!

second, I ran my 42/17 without a lockring or Locktite and never had a problem (std. DuraAce hub). When I switched to 42/16 I added a drop or two of blue Locktite. No ring. Still slip-free. Not that I condone that, but it works for me. I'm 175 # and don't make a habit of track skids or quick stops. Well, not many :)

Jeff

I spun the rear so hard it bound up with the lock ring I had installed. That was under "soft" skids at slow speeds on a flat. By cranking everything back down and really working the lock nuts I've been aok. I also had a girl, maybe 120lbs soaking wet, come into the shop. She had brakes front and rear, but on a long decent she spun her cog through her locktited alloy lock ring. Ripped the threads right out of the damn thing. Go for a lock ring, make sure its steel, and make sure stuff is tight. Seattle has bigger hills then some places, but I really don't see not using one, especially if you have a track hub and ring at your disposal.

Hey, PdxMark, did Sacha make that one for you? Pics appreciated! He does great stuff, and I lusted for a fixie from him before I moved up here and blew all my denaro on inflated cost of living....

Not sure I understand what you are asking. Do you think you can freewheel with the lockring off ?
You can't.

But since it's on anyway leave it on.

Mark

Hey, PdxMark, did Sacha make that one for you? Pics appreciated!

Sacha will be finishing one for me anyday. It'll be a bit of a Frankenbike. Horizontal rear drops for fixed/SS, but with a derailleur hanger so I can switch back & forth. It'll start life as multi-gear so I can see if I can finish a brevet series. During the summer I'll switch it to fixed for a week-long tour in September. Will post pics whenthe little tyke comes home.

I was told that as a beginner, it might... and I repeat, might.... be safer to run with it off a couple of times so that I don't get bucked off or make some other stupid mistake. Again, it was just a suggestion. Looks like it I will leave it on and just keep saying to myself "No coasting... no coasting... no coasting!!!"

Kilo

Just got my Specialized Langster.... too bad the wx turned crappy in Michigan. I was surprized that it came as single speed and not fixed. I had the shop add a fixed cog on the flip-flop hub. Its on with a lock ring.

My question is: Would it be a good idea to ride the fixed side with the lock ring off? Even though the bike has front and rear brakes, maybe it would be a good idea in the beginning to ride fixed with the lock ring off?

Your thoughts please.

Kilo

I just put a 17t cog on the fixed side of my Langster and the ring is staying on. No reason not to use it, you have brakes just in case you decide to stop really quickly. Just be careful that you don't get the wheel flipped around on you...the guys in my shop like to play with my wheel, they think it's funny to try to get me bucked. I guess I think its funny too, until it happens. Enjoy the Langster.
Where in Michigan do you live? I went to school in Berrien Springs.

Where in Michigan do you live? I went to school in Berrien Springs.

Spring Lake/Grand Haven area..... about an hour or so north of you on US31.

I can't see advising anyone to set up a fixie so that the cog unwinds if you try and coast. Granted, you might get a few wheel revolutions before the cog actually falls off, meaning that you could avoid catastrophe if you quickly remember to start pedaling again, but the downside of dropping a chain is that the back wheel usually locks up.