jack pot 

anyone familiar with LEVEL COMPONENTS fixed hub ... bolt on a LEVEL COMPONENT cog ... switch cogs quick and easy ... seems like a solid and quick set up BUT BUT BUT $200.00 for the hub and each cog is app $ 50.00

seau grateau

Reinventing the wheel, or in the case the hub, usually doesn't go very far. I don't see it as being more functional or convenient than other solutions already on the market.

Rolla

I'd want to cinch those bolts down pretty tight, but those look like they take a 3mm wrench.

j_e_r_e_m_y

Exactly. I'm not sure it's gonna be all that feasible to get those tight enough.

veganbikes

ISO 6 bolt is fine, Threaded cogs are even better and even the carrier stuff is fine even if proprietary because it does make cog changes easy. this is just dumb. An odd three bolt system using 3mm hex heads not gonna fly for a fixed cog. Also the price is a bit off putting I can get an American made Paul hub that is hand polished for 200 smackaroons or a Phil Wood for $30 more or a Mack hub with sheriff star cut outs, stainless bearings and WCS stripes. I can also get my favorite hub set the All City New Sheriff SL for right around that 200 bucks or just go for the rear and spend an extra 30 on top of 200 and get an EAI Gold Medal Pro cog.

mihlbach

There are many front disk hubs that can easily be converted into fixed gear hubs using a cog drilled with the ISO 6 bolt rotor mount pattern. It's a very reliable system. Disk brakes are built to withstand far more torque than you could ever apply to the drive train so there is no chance of it failing. However, it mostly solves a non-existent problem. A properly installed track cog and lockring have virtually no chance of failing. I can see the merits of the bolt on system if you change cogs frequently because it negates the need for chainwhips and lockring wrenches, or other janky methods such as rotafix. However, I don't see the point of paying big money for a hub with a proprietary 3-bolt system when you can easily convert a mountain bike hub to do the same thing.

https://www.velosolo.co.uk/756hubcvt.html

veganbikes

Yes but if you change cogs often. I would rather have a thread on system one thing to unthread rather than 6 bolts and if I am really swapping a lot, a lot I would go with the Miche or White Industries splined system. Though I will say that XT hub conversion is kinda dope. Also love they do single speed spacers in color.

Agreed on that 3 bolt but you already knew that. If only ISO bolting was the same as the old RockShox 3 bolt pattern so it was all cross compatible. Justyne at Bike Recyclery had a ton of old White Industries RS Disc hubs at low low prices and would have been cool to have but I think the pattern is different enough that it wouldn't work even if safe to ditch 3 bolts from the set up.

mihlbach

Another example that is way less costly than the Level hub.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Novatec-D56...0AAOSwepNdKBWs

jack pot 

............................... global knock off at a fraction of US retail ............... y'all made me happy with the cogs i already got

mihlbach

I may be misinterpreting what you mean by "knock off", but if you are suggesting it is an inferior imitation, that is not correct. Novatec is a well-known Tiawanese hub OEM that designs and makes hubs for many brands. The basic design of the hub is the same as their standard track hub (their design) but with the addition of the disk brake rotor mount. The bolt pattern is the ISO standard. It's an unusual hub, but it isn't a knock off of anything.

IAmSam

If any of you guys ends up getting one of those disc hubs I have a NIP 16t 3/32 VeloSolo disc cog + the set of bolts they make you buy that I might could be talked into parting with...

acoustophile

Another alternative would be a Miche carrier system.

mrmb

The old-school thread on system with a thread on lock ring is nowhere near as secure as the disc-brake mount system. Plus, the threads are rather fragile on the thread on system. I don't know about you, but I find it rather difficult to remove a thread on cog that has been in place for any length of time. Added bonus with the XT hub...the cogs are reversible without changing chain-line. You get a LOT of life out of those cogs. I have a few bikes that use the bolt-on system with velosolo cogs. Very nice.

veganbikes

I haven't had issues with a standard thread on cog but I don't often remove mine but I have removed some pretty tough ones in the past without too much issue. If you use grease and tighten everything properly you should be good.

The 6 bolt isn't a bad idea and can be quite secure but for swapping often 6 bolts is a lot. That is the thing I was talking about.

ryan_rides

The LEVEL COMPONENTS brand caters to FGFS riders. The bolt on style hubs and cogs they sell are for convenience of removal of the cogs.

79pmooney

I'm not an animal so I cannot say that regular threaded cogs are reliable. They certainly are for me. Yes I've killed a couple of hubs but in 45 years and 110,000 miles, all on the road.

I ride frequently carrying the cog wrench seen in my logo and done countless road changes. It's 22" long and the job is easy. Takes about 5 minutes. Three not so small parts to keep track of. (The cogs and the lockring.) Tools are also large and hard to lose. (Keeping it simple is important because one of these changes happens when I am blown at the top of major climbs.)

Conventional cogs ARE reversible. It's a long story I won't tell here but I have a bike where I run several cogs on different chainlines and one is a 21 tooth flipped. (Low flange Miche hub. I can run flipped as small as 18 teeth without spoke interference.) The fact that the cogs are asymmetrical makes this work.

Novalite

I find a bolt on cog the easiest swap out there.
I have 2 allen keys, M5 (cog) and M6 (chain tensioner, rear wheel) in my wallet, all that is needed.
This noon I flipped one (which should be done now and then, to prevent sharkfin teeth that wear faster due to chain harder to disengage teeth).

Some things experienced:
- I had to tap out the hubs flange 6 drilled and threaded holes. For some reason, the original thread caused the bolts to require alot more force to be turned in which stresses the allen keys and may deform/strip the hubs alu thread. My spare wheels hub was the same story, confirming no production tolerance/error. Now riding 3 years without problems since.
- don't use threadlocker - it may damage the alu thread. I put some grease rated for aircraft doors etc on the thread.
- beware of stainless steel bolts - galvanic corrosion can dissolve the alu of the thread. I use 12.9 steel bolts, and protect them well against rust (grease also inside bolt heads).
- Replacing or flipping a cog (measured from wheel already unmounted) is a < 10 min job. Not that problem, I'd say. First losen all a bit (take off tension) with allen key long end, then allen key short end and quickly spin out. Then back in opposite way, tensioned opposing couple at a time. After 1st ride check tension.
- use bolts of length so that they reach the end of the drilled holes. Least thread wear, least chance on stripping and no holes filled with dirt.

django6.3

Hey guys so I'm looking at buying a bolt on cog for my fixed gear bike. it's a Ready Converted Shimano XT M756 Hub that was mentioned above previously. My only thing is I have NO idea what size I need in terms of spacing/chainline. Does it matter that much?? I just want to make sure I can make it work regardless of what size I order. Thanks!

IAmSam

You can see from earlier in this thread that is a VeloSolo dealy and from the couple times I bought something there one thing I do recall is that they give a buttload of info in their item listings. If you can't find what you are looking for about your hub there it ain't findable.

BTW are you in the US and do you need a disc cog? I still have that NIP 16t VeloSolo cog + the bolts they charge you extra for - I mentioned earlier in this thread. Not looking for much - maybe postage & beer money? PM if interested.

Good luck...

django6.3

Hey im located in the US and definitely interested in your disc cog. I can't PM yet since i only posted 1 time. can you pm me? or just email me at mpearsonn28@gmail.com thanks!!

IAmSam

emailed