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Which LBS to go to?

Submitted by bikeroo on July 21, 2008 - 11:37pm
in

First time poster, please play nice ;)

My current commuter bike is a fixed gear, but for winter rides I figure I'd get a coaster brake on the rear. Does anyone know of a decent place to find 700c wheels with coaster brakes? Or even budget fixed/single speed wheels for a beater bike?

I saw this online: http://nycbikes.com/item.php?item_id=618 and am awfully tempted to pick it up (especially as I will be going to NYC this fall) but if there is any local shops worth looking into it'd save me the hassle of lugging 2 wheels back to town.

Thanks

‹ Great article from Counter Punch NIGHT RIDES ›

USD$169 sounds pretty reasonable

Expect retail to run here $32 for spokes, $80 for rims and $30 for a pair of hubs plus time it takes to assemble $60, thats $202 for a pair of 32 hole handbuilt wheels on cheapo hubs and OK hoops. Almost any shop could handle it such as Urbane, Dukes or Biseagal.

Might also consider running a front brake on that setup....

Dave (not verified) July 25, 2008 - 6:07pm #

I ride a fixed commuter as well. When I was researching fixies, one of the advantages was supposed to be for winter riding. The first advantage was that, without a freewheel, there was very little to get damaged by moisture and salt (just clean and lube on a regular basis). And secondly, the fixed is supposed to give you a better sense of available traction (if it is slick or icy, you'll feel it as much less resistance through the pedals).

I tend to hang the bike up once we start getting really wet/snowy weather, so I don't have a lot of experience. But, I've hit ice on the fixed gear and managed to stay up ... didn't feel like I would have kept it together on another bike!

Not sure how a coaster brake would fair with constant exposure to moisture and salt, nor how easy it would be to modulate under slippery conditions.

Tone (not verified) July 25, 2008 - 9:18pm #

When I was researching fixies, one of the advantages was supposed to be for winter riding.

I find that fixed gear riders will claim that everything about a fixie is an advantage. It depends on the rider. Bikes that have a real advantage for winter riding have extremely wide tires.

About the coaster brake: it's probably not a good idea. Just get a free wheel and have a rear brake installed.

Ben July 28, 2008 - 9:11am #