A flip-flop bike is essentially a bicycle equipped with a flip-flop hub on the rear wheel. This special hub is designed to offer two distinct riding experiences on the same bike.
Understanding the Flip-Flop Hub
The core feature of a flip-flop bike is its unique rear hub. As the name suggests, it can be 'flipped' to change the bike's drivetrain setup.
How it Works
The hub has threading on both sides. Typically, one side is threaded for a fixed gear cog and a lockring, while the other side is threaded for a freewheel (single-speed). To switch between modes, you:
- Remove the rear wheel.
- Flip the wheel horizontally 180 degrees.
- Reinstall the wheel.
This simple action changes whether the wheel is connected to a fixed cog or a freewheel.
Choosing Your Ride Mode: Fixed-Gear or Single-Speed
The flip-flop hub allows you to choose how you ride – fixed-gear or single-speed – by simply flipping the back wheel.
Single-Speed Mode
- Mechanism: Utilizes a freewheel.
- Pedaling: Allows you to easily coast on your bike without pedaling.
- Braking: Relies primarily on traditional brakes (usually including a front brake as your main mode of slowing down and stopping).
- Characteristics: Similar to a standard bike with only one gear; easier to ride casually, especially downhill.
Fixed-Gear Mode
- Mechanism: Utilizes a fixed cog directly bolted or threaded onto the hub (with a lockring for security).
- Pedaling: Your bike moves only when you are pedaling. The rear wheel's rotation is directly linked to the pedals.
- Braking: Can slow down or stop by resisting the motion of the pedals (skidding is a common fixed-gear braking technique, though front brakes are often still used and recommended).
- Characteristics: Provides a direct connection between rider and bike; requires constant pedaling; often favored for simplicity and connection to the road.
In summary, a flip-flop bike provides the versatility to switch between a single-speed setup (with coasting ability) and a fixed-gear setup (where pedaling is constant and directly controls the wheel).
