Resurrection

Beat but not beaten...

Rather than rebuild the rear wheel on the Cafe Scorcher with a flip-flop hub, I decided to utilize an inexpensive set of Performance Bicycles disc wheels to do the trick. I had read an article about the the Boone disc-mount fixed cogs on www.63xc.com, so I decided to get one and try it out. I figured that, since a mass-produced Dura Ace track cog will run you anywhwere from $22.00 to $28.00, paying $40.00 for a titanium bolt-on cog is a bargain.

The cog came in the mail, today. What a cool product; more a piece of art than a piece of equipment. Not only is it precision-cut from titanium flat stock, but it features a machined ridge which fits around the disc mount on the hub, strengthening the connection between the cog and the hub body. This thing is way cooler than a flat piece of metal has any right to be.

I installed it on the disc mount, and installed a single-speed adapter I had ordered form Quality Bicycle products, though my LBS, last year on the other side, producing a flip-flop fixed/free rear wheel. I had wondered how everything would line up, but apparently for no reason. Both the free side and the fixed side yield perfectly straight chainlines.

The singlespeed adapter, being black, looks like part of the hub, and really cleans up the looks of the hub.

Now, I guess I need to send the frame off for powder coat. I originally built this bike as more of a styling exercise, and painted it in a hurry. The paint isn't really holding up too well, and I am actually using the bike quite a bit. So, I should probably put a more robust finish on it.

Of course, I have a fully-lugged steel KHS mountain bike sitting around, which still has the rear brake mounts. With the freewheel side of the hub in play, that would come in really handy. Not that I plan on using the freewheel, but you never know.

So, maybe I will rebuild the original rear wheel of this bike, repaint the frame, and sell it. Then, powdercoat the KHS, and build it up as my one-gear flip-flop mountain bike.

Stay tuned, sports fans...