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Montano Velo is the shop behind the Broakland bicycle brand, and has a few other tricks up their sleeve beyond their in-house designed frames and ace mechanics. One said trick is this fixed disc converter—while flip/flop hubs with fixed threading on one side and fixed or freewheel threading on the other are readily available, at this point Surly, Phil Wood, and Paul Components are the only manufacturers to make a fixed hub with a disc mount on the opposite side, and then only in 135mm rear spacing. But what if you want a disc equipped, 120mm spaced ‘cross or track bike? Just thread it on with the $25 threaded 6-bolt ISO disc adapter. This fits on the non-drive side of a flip/flop hub and converts it into a disc brake mount without any permanent modifications. Perfect for those bike freaks looking to run a true reverse thread locking on their track cog on one side and a disc brake on the other. There may not be many people into such things, but for those that are this is the solution.
I bet that adapter will be a ton of fun to take off the hub after a couple good stops…
Surly isn’t the only manufacturer of 135mm disc/fixed hubs– Paul offers one too: http://www.paulcomp.com/fixeddisk.html
http://mackhubs.com/ also can make any hub you want, even double disc mount
Phil Wood is also doing a 135 mm disc / fixed hub. However, unless I’m missing something the main benefit of this is the possibility for something other than 135 mm spacing… though I’ve yet to see a non-135-mm spaced disc brake capable production frame. Custom is another matter though.
Will Montana Velo / Broakland warranty the hub this is used on? Doesn’t a disc brake have the capability to generate a LOT more force on the threads than any strong man via the drivetrain?
Read carefully: “at this point Surly, Phil Wood, and Paul Components are the only manufacturers to make a fixed hub with a disc mount on the opposite side, and then only in 135mm rear spacing” (emphasis mine).
The point of these is for folks who DON’T want to or can’t run a hub bigger than 120mm OLD. I think this is a fantastic idea, and very affordable — oddball adapters like this are usually quite expensive.
I’ve got to back jdmitch on this one. When was the last time you saw a 120mm frame with a disc mount?
I assure you there are a few 120mm spaced custom cross bikes out there. It allows you to use a track chainline and keep the q-factor nice and narrow if you’re into that sort of thing. There aren’t many, but Montano Velo isn’t planning on selling a million of these things either.
another option to use this would be to convert a single speed disc hub to a double fixed hub or just a disc-fixed hub, using a bolt on cog like this – http://tomicog.blogspot.com/
uh, i take it back. it would still unthread. stupid me.
@ Brad
Ok, let’s see here, “120mm spaced custom cross bikes” with disc brakes, hmmm that ain’t UCI legal.
It’s a good thing they don’t plan on selling a bunch of these, because this is beyond “limited niche market”. This is in the “couple of nutjobs” category.
Unless I’m missing something this makes no sense. I have to ask why exactly would a fixed gear rider need a rear disc brake?
probably the same reason anyone would use a disc brake, unless I’m missing something…
Not every fixed rider is in it for the concept of riding fixed (not that there’s anything wrong with that) The fixed gear drive is just another way to go. I like riding fixed in the city where there is more stopping and starting and maneuvering because I like to feel the direct response from leg to wheel, I never have to foot-down, I don’t have to switch gears while hurdling toward the stop signs that seem to be at the bottom of every hill in Pittsburgh.
None of those things contradict wanting more braking power.
This is interesting.. though, I’ve seen them before amongst the cobwebs at a bikeshop I used to work at. They were made a little over a decade ago for BMX use. Before the cassette hub took over, BMX bikes had thread on freewheels, and even occasionally used free/free flipflop hubs. Some of the race frames at that time had disc mounts, and this is what they’d use to adapt the hubs.
I thought Surly rethought the release of something like this? Deal is all it takes is one yahoo to hop on the bike and start busting out tailtaps, abubacas, fufanus, or any type of trials activity and zip! the thing unthreads from the hub leaving the rider in a bad way. Not against innovation and all, but unfortunately the world has a few too many loose screws, and all the warnings in the world can’t keep folks from going out and doing something silly that ends up hurting them or others. And who gets the blame?
What tool would you use to tighten it on/take it off. I can think of a lot of ways to damage it……but no ways to do it properly. Unless I’m missing something.
hey – good people. interesting response to our little invention. I love to see that it has generated this much thought (positive or negative). Yes, it is really niche – so much so that it was really only invented to go on our Broakland CX frame (WeedWagon). We wanted to make an SS/Fixed CX frame that could be assembled with track parts, have track spacing, take a real track crank and have proper chain alignment with a real track chain. Why? well we like our track parts and have a bunch of them laying around and we figured why would we wanna buy a bunch of extra parts for our CX bike – shit, just make it work with everything out there that is good already. We designed the disc adapter on the same tip – - make it work with all the great hubs and wheels that are already out there – keep it simple and take advantage of what is already working – - just add to it and transform it to suit your needs – to me, that is the catalyst to a sound invention.
well – I’ll try to address the questions or concerns in the order I saw them come up in the discussion (I think I’m doing this mostly for myself here – - because I am really interested in how this is received)
*the rotor once mounted to the adapter and threaded to the hub is easily tightened up by applying brake force – it simply tightens up much like tightening up freewheels – wanna take it off? remove your lock ring and hit the brake in reverse (though our newest model has slots for a lock ring tool as well)
*yes, a disc rotor is further out from the center of the wheel and will generate more force and more dynamic force than a cog, but you cannot forget about the other factors involved – - what do you think will give first? the threads on the hub?, or the grip of the tire on the surface? Tire loses every time. The system needs to only generated enough force to lock up a rear tire – which is roughly 20-30% of your front/rear braking ratio. Next thing to give would be the brake pads to rotor.
*No – there are not 120 spaced disc bikes out there, but there could be! We make one – - and you can add the rear disc option to any bike – - you could run your Deep V non machines with a rear brake etc or whatever your into. Next time you have someone make you a bike you can ask them to add our system – go ahead, make our day!
*The UCI legal thing makes me laugh – we thought about that too but hey when the UCI starts sanctioning SS & Fixed races and outlaws discs for those events then we’ll rethink it. However the comment that this is only for nut jobs is absolutely right!
* why would you want a rear disc on a fixed (or SS) cx bike – - try dismounting fixed or free as you approach a barrier with only the front brake and it will become very clear to you.
* to install or remove you would need a good set of lock ring plyers (hozan makes a sweet one)or go to your LBS – they should have a set.
* the system locks in both directions though I don’t know how it would hold up to fixed trial use (is there such a thing? and if so how will that differ from fixed no brake trial use – sounds sketch – sounds fun!)
well – that actually helps me – I think that the responses are challenging and I love a good challenge. Will this thing change cycling or the fixie world – probably not – - but it’s been a great invention for us and has solved a problem that we had in one of our bike designs – it’s been put to good use and has been braking for over a year of hard use – - – I have frame manufacturers calling and interested in designing there bikes around rear disc brake options to use it and who knows, maybe they will – - polo bikes I guess love to have rear brakes (who knew?) People seem to be coming up with all sorts of positive ways to use it –
have fun doing it!
jason montano
This thread look like it has died, but I wanted to write that I really like this idea.
I had an exchange with the folks at Surly a couple of years ago when I was thinking of adapting my 135 mm surly fixed/free hub to run disk brakes. I wanted to do this as there is nothing wrong with my wheel, and I wanted to run disk brakes. They confirmed that had developed a similar product to this adapter, but were not planning on marketing it for some of the concerns expressed above.
If your adapter work on the fixed side of a fixed free hub for a mountain frame application, I would like to know how I could get one. I would be happy to post my results and experiences with the adapter if there is one available.
Cheers,
Colby
how do i buy this?
if i can’t buy it soon, i’m just going to machine one for myself
Hi, sorry i need this adapter disc 6 bolt iso. How i can order? thank you.
Hi Jason,
Thanks for thinking outside the box. I run a track geo SS/FG cross with 120 spacing and had I thought of this or knew it was an option, I would have went with disc brakes instead of canti’s. Next time, for sure.
Keep up the niche products for us 1 percenters!
Ordered the stainless steel version form Jason. Great guy to deal with. Looking forward to running it on my SS MTB with Clarks or Avid BB7 Mech Discs.
For anyone who says this is useless:
I use this on my motorized bike which has a fixie(ss) underneath because I needed a disc brake mount to attach a drive sprocket securely.
Good product