[BikeSATORI]

Hey, just curious, wondering if anyone here is rocking a freecoaster rear hub, like a Geisha or something...
I've only ridden one a LONG time ago on a Hoffman flatland bike and pretty much hated it at the time, but now it seems pretty intriguing... just don't have much experience with one as they are fairly rare and a bit pricey... so wondering what everyone else's thoughts were on the piece...

photo courtesy of the USB site (on one sick hot taMolly that should mos def. be checked out, I should add...:thumbsup: )

my bag of fakie tricks def. isn't so big unfortunetly, but something like that may be motivation to work on my 180's if I could get my confidence up to land some high speed stuff to fakie...

 

[Vinny A]

From what I hear free coaster hubs are very delicate and require an ass load of work to keep them running smoothly. I really just suggest you work on riding fakie. You'll feel more accomplished when you finally are able to ride fakie without any "crutch"

 

[XSL_WiLL]

Yeah, they are a bit tricky.

The 2hip crew does a BMX show for us every year, one of the flatland guys had one. It got messed up if you try to backpedal. Cool concept though.

 

[BikeSATORI]

From what I hear free coaster hubs are very delicate and require an ass load of work to keep them running smoothly. I really just suggest you work on riding fakie. You'll feel more accomplished when you finally are able to ride fakie without any "crutch"

Hey, thanks for the tip... but I'm not too worried about working on my fakie skills right now... just wondering if mach speed fakie would be easier with the freecoaster (and hopefully natural feeling, unlike what I thought of the sic neutral ring)... and instead of getting a cardio workout trying to backpedal.

 

[Vinny A]

Well if you have the time and patience to work with one then go for it. Just be prepared to do alot of work on it.

 

[snaky69]

Sorry for the thread hijack, but I understand how a normal freewheel hub works, but I don't understand how a freecoaster works, in terms of being able to pedals but still being able to ride backwards.

 

[Vinny A]

I am pretty sure it uses a set of 2 clutches. The size of the clutches means pretty small parts which means its really hard to work on.

 

[J-dogg]

its basically if you take the brake pads outta a freecoaster hub and you dont have a reverse engagement so you just roll, their ok, but they are so weird your first time on one, i may get one but i hate bike maintenaince so... oh yeah you hafta take it apart every month or 2 and clean it and it just feels weird, talk to brad, he knows a lot about it

 

[ihatemybike]

Here's a Nankai Freecoaster rebuild. I'm sure you'll see how it works.

 

[---->SWERVE76<----]

I have a geisha hub for my molly. Just waiting on a rim to build it up. Shop owner at the lbs has one on his flatland bike. He let me borrow it for a week. It takes practice to get used to, but its a lot of fun.

 

[snaky69]

Here's a Nankai Freecoaster rebuild. I'm sure you'll see how it works.

Thanks.

 

[Leethal]

The geisha is supposed to be pretty durable... and the hub has adjustable slack or whatever they call the response time for it to re-engage when you pedal forward. The hub comes with a 9 tooth driver but if you go to www.flatlandfuel.com you can get an 11 tooth cog for it.

http://www.unionstreetbikes.com

 

[---->SWERVE76<----]

I got mine from empirebmx.com. They've got 36h/48h with 9 or 11 tooth drivers.

 

[BikeSATORI]

Thanks for the tips guys... looks like a spicy combo with the molly for sure... and I've only heard pretty good things about the geisha too, esp. compared with older freecoasters that were too unreliable. probably not going to actually pick one up, but if I did, 36h w/ 11t in brown would be perfect. Surprisingly, it isn't that heavy either, lighter than a macneil cassette...

Vinny A, can you tell me the sort of problems you've had with a freecoaster, and which model you used?


on a side note, I thought empire shut down their online sales? I could be wrong though.

 

[---->SWERVE76<----]

empire still has an online store. It just occasionally does not work.

 

[jake2119]

Last week while trying to get one of the guys I ride with to learn fakie, someone mentioned just practice rolling without backpedaling, no feet on pedals. I try it and couldn't roll back at all. After backpedaling my body must have gotten use to constantly shifting its weight. I'm not that good at riding fakie but I couldn't imagine just coasting backwards. I think you would have to reteach yourself all over again.

 

[Leethal]

It definitely is much different and harder than one would imagine. I have seen riders do some wacky things with them though like jump a box backward, hit wall rides rear wheel first etc.

www.unionstreetbikes.com

 

[ihatemybike]

Grab some old BMX videos from the mid-90s and watch Krt Schmit and Rick Molinterno work their freecoasters. I can still picture Krt pulling a high fakie on the vert wall at the FunBox comp in Appleton, WI then airing the box jump in reverse 180ing and landing going forwards. Fast, smooth, sick.

 

[Sudden_Judgement]

I absolutley love freecoasters! Check out this video if you like fakie tricks

I am buying a geisha street edtion and lacing up with a halo 24''

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[E30Evolution]

I absolutley love freecoasters! Check out this video if you like fakie tricks

I am buying a geisha street edtion and lacing up with a halo 24''

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That guy is sick!