Dumb question - help please

snickwell
snickwell Posts: 72
edited November 2013 in Road beginners
Just bought an On-One Pompino, with what I thought would be singlespeed gearing. However, there is no hub to flip and there is a single cog attached to the rear wheel. I'm even more confused by the fact that when turning the pedals by hand, the back wheel continues to rotate, even when holding the pedals still (indicating it's not fixed).

Should there be a flip flop hub on this bike, or is there a freewheel attached to the hub, making it singlespeed without the need to flip? I ordered a track cog and a freewheel cog, so have no idea what's actually attached to my bike...

I don't want to get onto the road and find myself riding fixed when I expected SS, so can anyone help me out at all? I know its a very dumb question...

Comments

  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    snickwell wrote:
    the back wheel continues to rotate, even when holding the pedals still
    Then it's definitely singlespeed and definitely not fixed. On a fixie if you hold the pedals still, the back wheel will stay still. If you move either one, then the other will always move.

    Look at the back wheel, look at the cog with the chain attached to it. Is there another cog on the other side of the wheel?
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    This is a flipflop hub:
    7747.JPG
    To swap it around you take the whole wheel off, turn it around and put it back in again so the cog on the opposite side is engaged with the chain.
  • snickwell
    snickwell Posts: 72
    Thanks both.

    Definitely not a flip flop hub, but wheel definitely rotates when I'm holding the pedals still. Similarly, when rotating the pedals backwards, the rear wheel barely turns.

    Sounds like its a singlespeed freewheel, yes?
  • graeme_s-2
    graeme_s-2 Posts: 3,382
    snickwell wrote:
    Sounds like its a singlespeed freewheel, yes?
    If the rear wheel and the cranks move independently of each other then it's definitely a singlespeed freewheel, yes.
  • snickwell
    snickwell Posts: 72
    Graeme_S wrote:
    snickwell wrote:
    Sounds like its a singlespeed freewheel, yes?
    If the rear wheel and the cranks move independently of each other then it's definitely a singlespeed freewheel, yes.

    That was my initial thought. Was confused by the fact that when I let the pedals go after holding them (while the rear wheel is turning), they continue to turn with the pedals... Maybe I'm being particularly dense?
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    snickwell wrote:
    Graeme_S wrote:
    snickwell wrote:
    Sounds like its a singlespeed freewheel, yes?
    If the rear wheel and the cranks move independently of each other then it's definitely a singlespeed freewheel, yes.

    That was my initial thought. Was confused by the fact that when I let the pedals go after holding them (while the rear wheel is turning), they continue to turn with the pedals... Maybe I'm being particularly dense?

    There's always a bit of friction in the freewheel system so the pedals will continue to rotate for a bit, but you can stop them and the wheel will continue to turn. If it was fixed gear when you stop the pedals the wheel stops too. What you have is definitely singlespeed with a freewheel.

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