freecoast with the most to boast

formermtboarder said:

forgive the obnoxious title

Best freecoaster hub? I ride a profile right now so I like my crisp engagement, how terrible (or not?) will it be? I broke a chain riding park the other day and found it liberating as hell to not have to backpedal when riding fakie.

Suggestions?

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I heard its pretty bad, on some I think the engagement can even go up to 1/4 of a crank turn.

I've got a Peregrine/Suntour freecoaster on my flatland bike and it takes about 1/4 turn to engage. It's messing with my muscle memory because I'm used to instant engagement. According to the flatland forums I frequent, the Nankai freecoasters are tops. It should apply to street riding too.

http://flatlandfuel.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1093

big difference. i ride a reverse hub on my bmx. i'm sure you've heard terrible things but mine is good. its not ridden everyday or thrashed on though. i would get something cheap. poverty or the khe's on sale. if you like it, buy up the gsport coaster when its released. i want that freecoaster!

or nankai with a profile shell.

lee @ usb was telling me the other day that team rider Joe P was shredding one of these (and loves it):

http://www.danscomp.com/429022.php?cat=PARTS

lighter than profile to boot!

All freecoasters need taken apart regularly and cleaned up inside...

The constant need for maintenance is a big turn off for me.

The KHE/federal freecoasters with the straight through axel IMO are the only street worthy freecoasters on the market right now.

that being said, you will never, ever, ever have crisp engagement on a freecoaster, its simply impossible if you want to roll back without backpedaling.

Gsport is supposed to eventually come out with a freecoaster hub and that should be far and away the best when it is available, but it will probably be a while.

can't you adjust the slack on freecoasters so that its not a quarter pedal? some guy i met had hardly any give before engagement on his freecoaster.

freeridekid said:

can't you adjust the slack on freecoasters so that its not a quarter pedal? some guy i met had hardly any give before engagement on his freecoaster.

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i have a freecoaster and you can adjust the engagement but the tighter the engagement the less play you will have when rolling back. if you only have 1/8 slack then when your coasting backwards if you move your pedal 1/8 it will engage and you will fall on your butt.

im getting rid of my mtb one cause it was too weird. maybe when i get better at riding ill build another one.

climbingbubba said:

i have a freecoaster and you can adjust the engagement but the tighter the engagement the less play you will have when rolling back. if you only have 1/8 slack then when your coasting backwards if you move your pedal 1/8 it will engage and you will fall on your butt.

im getting rid of my mtb one cause it was too weird. maybe when i get better at riding ill build another one.

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yeah this guy is dialed as hell though, and he rides dj's with the freecoaster.

If like digging up this thread to brag a little bit, but also to let you guys in on some first-time riding impressions. I'm getting a KHE Geisha Street sometime this week, and I'll definitely let you know the ins and outs as I learn them.

I don't grind, so hopefully the EAS axle system will work out in my favor. I'll fool around with the internals and let you guys know what's up when I figure it all out myself.

I ride the KHE geisha street. I'm a big guy, and have not had to do anything to the hub since I put it on my bike a year ago. The pedal engagement can be adjusted on any freecoaster. It's a matter of preference. The only catch is that when riding fakie, you want more slack. It keeps you from engaging the cranks by accident. In truth it doesn't take that long to get used to. I'm running about 1/6 of a crank worth of slack. Doesn't bug me a bit any more.

Hey sorry for digging up an old thread, but better than cluttering the forum with another thread.


I've decided to pull the trigger on a freecoaster hub. What's new/good? I was looking on Dan's Comp and the KHE astern caught my eye. The fact that it is externally adjustable is a really nice feature... or is that going to cause problems? I'm basically looking for something solid that won't blow up if I look at it funny.

My KHE is still going strong. I dig the external adjustability of the new one. Let me know how that works out if you get it.

Yea I talked to a few friends who are big into street and they recommended KHE as well. I got a new (to me) frame to pick up next time I'm in Rochester, so I'm gonna try and have a wheel in time for that.

If it helps at all, the Geisha street I picked up a yearish ago has been holding up like a charm. Really. I've overshot landings from eight feet up to flat, and I've ridden dirt jumps with it too. I've cleaned the thing three or four times since I've picked it up and it still runs smooth and flawlessly. I'm not huge, but I'm also not small. I don't go big, but I certainly don't nibble around on a killarado or anything like that. I have been very pleased with the hub - especially as I picked it up second hand.

The kids over at bikeguide complained about the novelty factor of the external slack adjustment on the astern. I haven't heard bad things about the hub, so that's a good sign. But realistically, if you're on a budget, you can pick up any other KHE coaster for cheaper and have essentially the same thing. When you get into riding a freecoaster, the most you tool around with the slack happens during the first week or two. After that, you're pretty much set on a certain amount of slack. Or, at least, that's how it has worked for me.

COol. I've heard good things about the geisha too.

Yea, I can see where they are coming from with the certain novelty factor in regards to external adjustment. I agree, its only mostly useful while you are trying to dial it in, but to me its still a good attention to detail. Or when you have to replace your chain. But yea. FWIW cost/budget isn't really a factor for me.

jonKranked said:

COol. I've heard good things about the geisha too.

Yea, I can see where they are coming from with the certain novelty factor in regards to external adjustment. I agree, its only mostly useful while you are trying to dial it in, but to me its still a good attention to detail. Or when you have to replace your chain. But yea. FWIW cost/budget isn't really a factor for me.

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I have a brand new KHE geisha in the package if you want to buy it I will give it to you for 140$. I live kinda close to you.

fo rizzle? how many spokers? axle size?

edit: driver size?

I'm riding an Easystreet Freecoaster right now and love it. It's sooooooo more advanced than the Nanki or the old Standard shell with suntour insides I have been used to for decades. It's the same basic functioning design as the KHE but adjustable by moving a cone instead of an allen in the axle.