Tech question about Phil Wood hubs
Posted 5 months ago by dobbsSo the other day I bought some used wheels with Phil hubs on them. The rear's got a fixed cog on one side and the other side is threaded -- looks like it can take another cog.
I know Phil's are available in fixed/fixed or fixed/single... my question is whether the fixed/single status is dependent on the hub or the cog? I'd like to make the other side single... is that possible? Or is there really no easy way to tell?
Not sure I'm even making a lot of sense...
Replies
fixed/fixed vs. fixed/single is a design incorporated into the hub -- specifically in the way the threads run and the thickness of said threads.
if by "looks like it can take another cog" you mean you see two different diameters of threading on the cog, then I believe that's threaded for a fixed cog. The step is such that you put the fixed cog on the larger thread, and then screw the lockring in over the cog. The lockring threads are also reversed to ensure that it doesn't loosen under braking pressure.
If you took the fixed cog off the other end, do both sides look symmetrical? It might be that the previous owner put the fixed cog on the freewheel side.
Thanks spokenword. MeFi's fixedgear sent me a few emails about this and he says that a fixed hub can be fixed or single but a single hub can only be single--it's the presence of the lockring (and the ability to use one) that makes it fixed.
So... I'm safe. I can make it Single.
Thanks!