http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2008/sept/2/GordonTaylor.htm
Ive got one real similar to this, even got COOL BLACK SPOKES, only real difference is mines got a cog that won’t fall off. I can’t imagine deciding to go on a 2100 mile seven country fixed wheel tour without a proper hub and lockring.
If you’ve got front and rear brakes you don’t really need a lockring. I can’t imagine that bloke wanting to pull awesome skids with fully loaded panniers.
You don’t need a lockring if you use brakes and don’t backpedal. My first fixie didn’t have a lockring because the hub didn’t have the reverse threads. Never had a problem with the cog coming off in the 2-3 years I rode that thing.
If I don’t get $20,000 in non-sequential, low denomination, unmarked bills, brown paper bag, this Fri delivered by A White in a red polka dot dress, I will email this URL to Damien Hirst with a CC to Shep Fairey.
You don’t need a lockring if you use brakes and don’t backpedal. My first fixie didn’t have a lockring because the hub didn’t have the reverse threads. Never had a problem with the cog coming off in the 2-3 years I rode that thing.
I figured they use thier brakes, but i just can’t see why you would leave that open to posibility, Why do these mysterious long distance riders prefer not to use lock rings? anybody know?, i would find it hard to ride 2100 miles with out wanting to pull at least one bitchn power slide.
Brakes aside why in sweat holy fuck would you ride fixed if you are not planning a little backpedaling?
I mean if you don’t back/resist pedal then why do you need a fixed cog?
If you are riding 1200+ km in less than 4 days, you are usually concentrating on being efficient, not wasting energy. You may have energy to burn in that situation, most don’t.
The main reasons for no lockring are:
on the rare occasions when a chain is thrown, the cog can unscrew if needed.
after a few days, the cog isn’t coming off as a result of backpedaling anyway.
with that sort of mileage, tyres wear out fast enough without skidding as well.
I had the same bike set up once with as a singlespeed and a fixedgear using the same gearing. I very rarely backpedal these days. Both feel very different and ride very differently.
Yes … being able to slow down by back pedaling is one of the characteristics of fixed riding. But there are other aspects like not being able to coast, better rear wheel grip, assistance from the motion of the rear wheel, even less parts to breakdown compared to an SS, etc etc.
Well a quick email to the owner of the aforementioned lockring-less surly reveals that he just doesn’t see a lockring as necessary. Two brakes and a heavily loaded touring bike means backpedalling is unnecessary and, given the weight when fully loaded, pretty pointless. Been running like that on multiple bikes for years, never had a cog unscrew. Nohing to do with ease of cog-switching either, these days he chooses a gear and sticks with it.
So, there you go, that’s one man’s rationale.
Nice guy too, check out his website - he’s done some loooong rides :