Preferred BMX Cruiser rear hub

[Klunkruiser]

Thinking ahead past my generally procrastinating with indecision, trying to keep up with the Jones's build-off bike. Which seems to be headed towards a blend of klunker-cruiser-road bike-with a touch of BMX influence that has no real chance of winning.

I've began to look forward to building a simpler bike in a more pure BMX form, and have gathered a small stockpile of rear hubs along the way.

To those who have built many. Or those who are just building one. Or just considering building a 26" BMX cruiser. Which rear hub would you choose? And is there a reason for your choice?

You can have up to two choices in the poll.

 

[Klunkruiser]

It's a defensive struggle with the score knotted at zero.
Guess I'll just have to build one of each.

 

[buses 'n bikes]

Tough call! I’d automatically (no pun intended) rule out the 2 speeds for their weight and inefficiency. 3 speed gear ratios suck (too low, OK, too high) so that leaves just SS. Coaster is cool for skids but a nice freewheel sounds killer and is very efficient. That’s the route I took with my last build. Good luck!

 

[RustyGold]

Single speed, my preference freewheel, but coaster if equally fine.

BMX (racing...I try not to acknowledge anything that came from the 'freestyle' branch of the family tree ) is a sprint...there is no time or need to be changing gears and no benefit vs added weight. If you add gears to a BMX bike (especially a 26" cruiser), you've essentially just made yourself a mountain bike.

 

[Klunkruiser]

Truth be told, I don't plan on racing anything.Though I may get a little rowdy now and then. And I would like to have a "cruiser" in the BMX style.

Good points all around. I like the idea of the lower weight and simplicity of a SS freewheel. And I have a few mountain bike wheels with the screw on cassettes that should make good candidates to be recentered with a ss freewheel.

 

[thebigorangecat]

I run an internal 7 speed on my Cruiser / Strandie, It's very nice!

Now I would have to say a MORROW Coaster on my downhill Klunker would be the best choice, check this link out.

http://www.atomiccycles.com/coaster.html

 

[Klunkruiser]

I run an internal 7 speed on my Cruiser / Strandie, It's very nice!

Now I would have to say a MORROW Coaster on my downhill Klunker would be the best choice, check this link out.

http://www.atomiccycles.com/coaster.html

I have seen/read about the coaster brake challenge. Although I doubt I'll be an entrant.
It's a really long drive out to Cali from Texas. And for me, a front brake would be a nice feature anytime I might be going downhill very fast.

I have the Fuji Barnaby with a three speed coaster brake and quick release front wheel that I like to carry around with me during the week. Just a nice easy rider.

And I have a 4-speed with coaster brake laced up and ready to go. And right now, that will likely go on my build-off bike, a Schwinn TT cruiser frame. And a Nexus-8 freewheel that I'd like to lace(or get laced) in one of the 7x rims that I have, and potentially put on that bike in the future, and then the 4 speed could go on the Fuji. The build-off bike should be a decent strandie/cruiser/road bike while also being somewhat trail capable.

But I'd like a 3rd bike that's just a little more rugged and edgy. Something light and durable that I could abuse a bit. But not a mountain bike with a ton of gears and deraileurs and all that. Although possibly a long 17 or 18 inch mountain bike frame. I actually have this old Shogun that I'll probably set up for now, but a little too tall and not quite long enough.
Liking the single speed idea for this bike. And kind of now leaning towards a sealed bearing freewheel for it's mostly maintenance free design. But also wouldn't mind a bike with no levers or cables.
Everything is a compromise I guess.

 

[Klunkruiser]

Welp the 4-speed won't fit on the Fuji's aluminum frame.

Gonna use this 4-speed

on this

after I repaint it blue. With some tall swoopy chrome "BMX-freestyle" bars.

And the Bendix Automatic on this

with a banana seat, a la Schwinn Scrambler, with some equally tall chrome CW style bars

And this freewheel and matching front, after I black spray bomb the hubs with a fade on the spokes

on this

with 9-ish inch BMX race bend bars

 

[Wildcat]

I chose the one speed freewheel. The two speed auto is actuated by centrifugal force, so hitting a bump and landing from a jump (not me) will sometimes change your gear. I had a couple of the SRAM Automatix hubs that would shift when I hit a bump in the pavement. The kickback hubs would be harder to manage in an off road situation. Coaster brakes keep your feet restricted to where the cranks are, you can't set up your feet where you want them when turning sharp or standing up on the pedals. Just need handbrakes.

 

[Klunkruiser]

I chose the one speed freewheel. The two speed auto is actuated by centrifugal force, so hitting a bump and landing from a jump (not me) will sometimes change your gear. I has a couple of the SRAM Automatix hubs that would shift when I hit a bump in the pavement. The kickback hubs would be harder to manage in an off road situation. Coaster brakes keep your feet restricted to where the cranks are, you can't set up your feet where you want them when turning sharp or standing up on the pedals. Just need handbrakes.

I agree completely. Only the bottom bike will have real off road capabilities. It'll be the lightest, and most manageable in almost all situations.
The other two will just be comfortable cruisers with a bit of BMX style. Although the 4-speed should have the most on-road top speed potential.
The Bendix kickback is more of piece of nostalgia that goes with the old 63 Schwinn.

 

[Klunkruiser]

Welp the 4-speed won't fit on the Fuji's aluminum frame.

Gonna use this 4-speedView attachment 100640 on this View attachment 100641
after I repaint it blue. With some tall swoopy chrome "BMX-freestyle" bars.View attachment 100643

And the Bendix Automatic on this View attachment 100644 with a banana seat, a la Schwinn Scrambler, with some equally tall chrome CW style barsView attachment 100645
And this freewheel and matching front, after I black spray bomb the hubs with a fade on the spokes View attachment 100646 on this View attachment 100647 with 9-ish inch BMX race bend barsView attachment 100648

Welp...this plan is getting revised, as I couldn't get the five speed freewheel off of the JoyTech hub.
So now I'm going to use the higher quality, but low flanged, Suzue sealed hub on the other set of 7x rims on the Kona for the true BMX cruiser.

Then the 4-Speed is going on the old vintage Shogun mountain bike that those wheels came off of.
And I'm going to try my hand at lacing a wheel when I attempt to lace the 8-speed in place of that Joytech rear hub for the buildoff bike.
I'll have to figure something else out for the old Schwinn.

 

[ParkRNDL]

This is a great thread. I am currently running a kinda junky coaster on my build-off bike, and gathering the pieces to upgrade it to a Red Band, but there's a little nagging voice in the back of my head that keeps telling me I ought to go freewheel. I don't see it happening anytime soon, but maybe a project for next summer will be a whole new freewheel wheelset and BMX handbrakes. Lots of good information here.

 

[Klunkruiser]

This is a great thread. I am currently running a kinda junky coaster on my build-off bike, and gathering the pieces to upgrade it to a Red Band, but there's a little nagging voice in the back of my head that keeps telling me I ought to go freewheel. I don't see it happening anytime soon, but maybe a project for next summer will be a whole new freewheel wheelset and BMX handbrakes. Lots of good information here.

The freewheel is great for a lightweight setup with a BMX race vibe.

But I gotta say, I also am really liking my old Nexus-4 for a real versatile cruiser hub. Although it is very wide with the coaster brake and would require spreading the frame on most cruiser style frames.
And I haven't got the sprocket and chainring ratio dialed in just right yet. Would like second gear to be where first gear is right now. But right now, I'm leaning towards keeping this 4-speed on an 18-ish inch mountain bike frame that already has the right width between the stays.

 

[ParkRNDL]

The freewheel is great for a lightweight setup with a BMX race vibe.

I just had an epiphany...

Nothing about my build-off bike is lightweight. But I have a Speedster camelback frame here that's set up as a kind of mongrel Collegiate with off-brand 5-speed wheels and drivetrain. I have been thinking it needs a makeover, maybe with a BMX feel to it. The Camelback frame isn't exactly light, but I think its probably a lot lighter than a 26" cruiser frame. That's the bike that needs the freewheel and handbrakes...

 

[Klunkruiser]

I just had an epiphany...

Nothing about my build-off bike is lightweight. But I have a Speedster camelback frame here that's set up as a kind of mongrel Collegiate with off-brand 5-speed wheels and drivetrain. I have been thinking it needs a makeover, maybe with a BMX feel to it. The Camelback frame isn't exactly light, but I think its probably a lot lighter than a 26" cruiser frame. That's the bike that needs the freewheel and handbrakes...

Yeah, go for it!
There are no rules in this game.
Build what you like. And then swap'm around to other bikes and see if you like that more.

I've got about five freewheel wheelsets that from old mountain bikes I bought cheap.
One is real low end. And then I have a mid-range Suzue low flange sealed bearing hubs laced to Araya 7x 26x1.75 that is my most BMX-y retro setup.

And the one set of Araya/high flange Joy-Tech that the 5-speed sprockets wouldn't come off of. So that rear rim will get either a Nexus-8 freewheel, a high flange Nexus-3 freewheel, or a Bendix Automatic 3-band. I think they all take the same spoke length.

But I'm in the process of building about four BMX cruisers with these wheels.
Not sure what's going to stick where yet.