Standard Axle on an All City Nature Boy?

[fredd]

Originally Posted by Mark McM

Why not? QRs were used reliably with horizontal road dropouts.

Maybe it's being over cautious, but the idea is that track dropouts being fully horizontal rather than road dropouts which are usually diagonal will convert all the drivetrain power to pulling the wheel.

Besides that, fixed gears will see drivetrain streses that typical road bikes don't when slowing down.

[EB]

Originally Posted by fredd

Maybe it's being over cautious, but the idea is that track dropouts being fully horizontal rather than road dropouts which are usually diagonal will convert all the drivetrain power to pulling the wheel.

Besides that, fixed gears will see drivetrain streses that typical road bikes don't when slowing down.

Also, track dropouts face backwards.

[fredd]

Originally Posted by cah485

Hmmm...guess I'm going to have look a little closer this evening. Was pretty sure it was that exact All City branded hub, but I see what you mean about it being bolt on only - no option for QR. Will check this evening and will follow up with additional questions.

Thanks!

All City hubs are just rebranded novatecs. Should be really easy to find a spare axle.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by fredd

Maybe it's being over cautious, but the idea is that track dropouts being fully horizontal rather than road dropouts which are usually diagonal will convert all the drivetrain power to pulling the wheel.

Besides that, fixed gears will see drivetrain streses that typical road bikes don't when slowing down.

On a track dropout, if the axle slips forward under chain forces, the wheel will be pulled deeper into the dropout. But on a horizontal road drop out, if the axle slips forward, it can be pulled completely out of the dropout (a more dangerous situation). So using a QR is more dangerous on a road dropout than a track dropout - and yet people have gotten along just fine with QRs on road bikes with horizontal dropouts.

So why do track bikes use nutted axles? Because there's no advantage to a QR axle on a track bike. You're never further than 100 meters from your toolbox, and if you get a flat tire your race is over anyway. But the All City Nature Boy is a road bike, where you might have to fix a tire on the road, so a QR can be more convenient.

As far as the braking forces, two comments: The All City Nature boy has brakes, so even if running it fixed gear you don't need to back pedal to brake.* And even if you do brake by back pedaling, you can't apply as much force as is possible by forward pedaling (according to the laws of physics).

*Laws vary by state, but here in Massachusetts, it is effectively illegal to ride a fixed gear without brakes.

[bicycletricycle]

Originally Posted by fredd

This ˆˆ

You don't want to be riding QR rear wheels with track style dropouts.

I did that for a long long time. If you have a good skewer it works fine

[cah485]

Originally Posted by BRad704

So just to throw in a curveball... I bought a cheap fixie wheelset years ago that someone had "converted" to QR by grinding down the hollow bolt-on axles until they could use a QR skewer instead. It worked fine enough as long as I used track tensioners. Maybe that's why it seems like an orginal wheel but with a QR.

But I understand your concerns about theft, more than rigidity in the system.

BTW, if you're out riding and enjoying bikes on purpose, you are a real cyclist.

So this is exactly what the deal is...previous owner cut the bolts with a hacksaw (ugly cut), then ran a QR skewer through the hollow bolt. Functional. But I'd like to replace the bolts.

[cah485]

Originally Posted by fredd

All City hubs are just rebranded novatecs. Should be really easy to find a spare axle.

Thanks. So I want to pull the old axle, and replace it. Not a real cyclist. Is there fairly straightforward?

Can you point me to which one of these would fit? https://bdopcycling.com/novatec-parts-track-axles/

Thanks again,

[BRad704]

Originally Posted by cah485

Thanks. So I want to pull the old axle, and replace it. Not a real cyclist. Is there fairly straightforward?

Can you point me to which one of these would fit? https://bdopcycling.com/novatec-parts-track-axles/

Thanks again,

Only by descriptions, this one fits your need. But I don't know if there are different novatec flipflop hubs or if yours is fixed free (this has to do with the threading on each side of the hub for cogs/freewheels).

Hub: A166SB-T Fix/Free

At minimum you'll need to drive out side bearing with a mallet, pull and replace the axle and press the bearing back in. It's held captive by the bearings themselves.

[cah485]

Ok, so I ordered the correct Novatech axle from BDop several months ago. Finally got around to having it installed, and it turns out the company sent me a 120mm axle, not the 130 that I had ordered, which is now out of stock. Any idea where else I can get this axle? It's to replace one that had been cut on the rear wheel of an All City Nature Boy. Thanks!