FixedFiend626

Can anyone tell me why these don't exist? I actually e-mailed them about it and I got the most ridiculous reasons of why they don't make them.

they said that they "fixie fad" was over (whatever that means, seems a little offbase) and that when "traditional track racing" starts to rise, then they'll reevaluate the situation. the guy seemed pretty anti-fixed to me. so lame...

they jumped on the outboard-bearing bottom brackets (pretty late in the game) so why not track hubs? they seem a little behind the curve over there..

Leukybear 

Hmm perhaps you asked for a fixed gear hub at first?

I wonder what his response would be if you said a track hub.....

Anyways if you want an american track hub; just get philwood.

TejanoTrackie 

Honestly, who cares? There are already so many excellent choices.

AEO

MACK hubs, american classic and white industries all make excellent hubs for track.

but I find it hilarious that chris king considers the 'fixie fad', when most of their lineup is just a colour variation of a few select products.

Do you want a road hubset in something other than silver or black? look no further than chris king.

cc700

They make very high quality components using extremely precise machining and good materials. Fixed gear hubs aren't all that complicated and they can't offer a product with much of any advantage over their competition, and they can't cut costs to a competitive price point while maintaining their high quality... so either they're anti-fixie or they're just uninterested in track racing, but the question you should be asking yourself is 'why would they make track hubs?'

i think the reason you want them to make hubs is that you like their anodizing and you like their brand. well... tough. there are other colored hubs in the world and part of why people like chris king components is because they are the best at what they are(except maybe their hubs and some of the newer styles of headsets). if they just made another track hub, they'd have to make it the best, and then even you would have a hard time rationalizing the price.

and yes, they make hubs, headsets, and bottom brackets. if you're going to make a 'few select components' that's a very legitimate grouping to limit yourself to.


the fixie thing is a fad. it's a fad that will last as long as there are bikes and streets, but it's a fad. no one's going to pay chris king prices for hubs when they can get phils for phil prices.

i'd rather have a frame that was made in portland than a hubset.

TejanoTrackie 

The remark about "when "traditional track racing" starts to rise, then they'll reevaluate the situation" is pretty ridiculous, because for the last 50 years it's been a pretty small and invisible part of bike racing. Heck, there are folks that live within a mile of my local track (Frisco Superdrome) and don't know it even exists. Trackies tend to be pretty frugal and don't spend any more than necessary on their equipment. Also, most top end wheels tend to be pre-built all carbon stuff, so there's little need for very pricey hubs for building spoked wheels.

mihlbach

There really doesn't need to be a new track hub, unless it has some major innovation, such as, for instance, the ability to adjust chainline to a greater degree, or a better type of cog/hub interface or something along those lines.Without such an innovation, a CK track hub would have essentially no advantages over a formula hub or any other decent cheaper hub.

However, I am sure that if CK make a track hub, there would be a large number of suckers out there willing to buy them.

Also, is the fixie fad over? It seems every year there are more bikes and parts to choose from. Seems to me that fixie riding has reached a state of being mainstream and pretty normal. The "hipsters" may have abandoned it (have they?), but that doesn't mean its popularity has waned any.
I remember when BMX boomed, then busted in the late 80s...eventually it transcended the whole fad thing and made a comeback as is now here to stay as a major part of cycling.
Probably the same thing will happen with FG...some people will stick with it, and it will probably remain as a mainstream type of bike (but always less common than road bikes), and the major companies that produce the bikes and parts will be different than the ones out there now.

As for fads?...whats next? I refuse to around on some mini-velo piece of crap, or some giant-tired Pugsley to stay cool.

PedallingATX

they would make FG hubs b/c it's just another way for them to make money without a whole lot of R&D. They already make killer hubs, so just do a FG shell, anodize it, charge $200 a hub and collect some cash.

Stupid bike companies letting their snobbery get in the way of their profits.

Besides, I agree 100% w/ what Mihlbach said. Pretty much EVERY other cycling fad has become a part of the cycling landscape. MTB, BMX, etc. Fixies will end up losing their "cool" appeal, but they will stick around just like other forms of cycling have.

soyboy

the fixed gear trend or atleast the crest of it has past, there will still be lots of us that ride it but it's true, the next trend is rigid 29ers, the current filler trend is as usual old ten speeds

carleton

I agree. Track racing is on the fringe of an already fringe sport (cycling).

Yes, the fixed gear fad is waning. Also, most FG riders are on a budget. Phil Wood makes some nice fixed hubs, yet all of you guys don't have them, right? Phil Wood hubs are rare on the track racing scene as well. So, I agree with the sentiment that a Chris King Track hub set is probably not worth the R&D and retooling (setting up the factory).

To put things into perspective: Let's say we wave a magic wand and make King hubs available. How many do you think would actually buy a pair in 2011? 50? 100 pairs, maybe? A businessman will say it's not worth the gamble.

As I told a friend that opened Shop Gentei in Baltimore: "Why open a fixed gear shop? Most fixie riders are young adults with very little disposable income. They are internet savy and are *always* hunting for bargains. You will be very hard-pressed to get MSRP from them for ANYTHING."

Remember all of the super-duper nice stuff that comes out of Interbike? How many of you actually went and bout that stuff? Not many.

Squirrelli

Truth hurts, man...

carleton

Now, guys, compare that with the road riding/racing scene:
- How much does the average FG vs Road rider spend on upgrades?
- How much discretionary income (READ: Money to blow on toys and fun) does the average FG vs Road rider have being that the typical FG rider seems to be under 25 and the typical Road rider seems to be over 25. (Yes, there are exceptions. I am one of them. But you get my point.)
- The FG scene was built on the idea of either conversions or budget bikes.

There isn't THAT much money in the bike game to start with, and it's getting worse with the inexpensive Asian equipment gaining a bigger foothold every day. The last argument against that stuff was that it's gonna break on you. But, now the stuff isn't breaking.

TLDR: It's just business. It's nothing personal against FG riders.

Thirteen.

carleton - Can I worship you? You always drop valuable knowledge and very logical and valid points in all of your posts. Are you a professor of some sort or are you just the all knowing almighty? Either way, you are my idol on this forum if not, on all of the internet. Hands down.

Squirrelli

He's just an experienced track racer who have seen it all.

carleton

Haha! Thanks, man!

Thanks! I'm not all that experienced of a racer. There are lots more that know lots more.

wearyourtruth

and last time i went in there, i don't think i saw a single bike-related product just a bunch of skater clothes and decks.

erpdat

While we're on the topic, just how noticeable is the difference in a good track hub (phil, DA, etc) vs Formulas?

Hubs are the last upgrade before my bike is completely solid but have been having a hard time justifying making the purchase.

iBgearLess

I have a friend that rebuilt his wheels using phil hubs. I went over and he was siting there spinning the wheel by hand saying how smooth they were and that they spun forever. I asked him how they felt while riding and he simply said "about the same as his formulas did". I think I will stick with Formula hubs.

mihlbach

Funny, when I first joined this forum, there was a lot more discussion about Phil Hubs, expensive NJS parts, and other unnecessarily expensive stuff. Seems like everyone had to have NJS bikes with super blingy parts and BD was almost universally hated.
Now its totally the opposite...everyone embraces BD and other cheap, functional parts from Asia. The expensive fashionable stuff is basically ignored. I mean, how long has it been seen there has been a discussion about $75 NJS chains? Its been years since this was a common topic of discussion. I don't think FG ridership has diminished. If anything it has probably increased, but the buying tendencies of FG riders have certainly shifted in a pretty dramatic way and CK knows this. I still think people would buy them...just not enough to make it worthwhile.

Thirteen.

vixtor / carleton - In my opinion, I am impressed by carleton's knowledge not only about bikes but also about many other things and pretty much life in general. His level of knowlege in everything seems to pass off to me as one belonging to an academic professor of some sort. (also noticeable in his error-proof construction of sentences and his use of language.)


On a side note, pardon my super duper off-topic posts. Apologies to all.

Squirrelli

And I'm just a squirrel.

carleton

Thanks, man. I'm not a professor, I've just been around a few blocks. Regarding grammar: I believe that when words are the only thing being used to represent me, I should spend a little more effort on how I form them.

carleton

I've never forgiven Vixtor for this:

PedallingATX

jesus dude, why don't you just blow him already?

vw addict

Why did this turn from a thread about hubs to a homoish ego boosting sausage session?