Also I have to agree with you on other points, this one doesn’t feel bad. There’s a similar “issue” on Schlumpf hubs and it never felt too strange either on the Schlumpf or the FF hub.
It has not been made public yet, but at least 3 PPF hubs broke since May. They don’t hold so great in muni, in particular with drops and jumps.
I’ve read about one PPF which broke after side hop (half meter drop half meter far) I can uderstand how side hops can be harmful for unis but for this price it feel bad. I ride mine PPF mostly on intermidiate muni with ocasional drops and while landing straight.
I’m curious how other PPF broke.
I think there is a big difference in how much play does a Schlumpf vs Flickflock have. I didn’t have a direct comparison but tried both and on Schlumpf it was barely noticeable and not a huge deal, while on Flickflock the delay reminds me of the time when I was riding drunk… I can imagine getting used to it after a few rides though.
̶W̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶d̶o̶ ̶y̶o̶u̶ ̶m̶e̶a̶n̶ ̶b̶y̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶?̶ ̶I̶s̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶r̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶r̶e̶a̶s̶o̶n̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶ ̶n̶o̶t̶ ̶d̶i̶s̶c̶u̶s̶s̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶t̶h̶a̶t̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶a̶ ̶p̶u̶b̶l̶i̶c̶ ̶t̶h̶r̶e̶a̶d̶ ̶o̶n̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶f̶o̶r̶u̶m̶?̶ ̶T̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶I̶ ̶h̶e̶a̶r̶ ̶a̶b̶o̶u̶t̶ ̶F̶l̶i̶c̶k̶F̶l̶o̶c̶k̶,̶ ̶t̶h̶e̶ ̶m̶o̶r̶e̶ ̶i̶s̶ ̶s̶o̶u̶n̶d̶s̶ ̶l̶i̶k̶e̶ ̶a̶ ̶s̶c̶a̶m̶ ̶ I take it back, I got the hubs mixed.
I was disappointed, but not surprised by the limitations of the hub that Qu-Ax themselves mention, as a sprag clutch that can hold up to the loading on drops has to be pretty ginormous. Back before that hub came out, there was some communication with Onyx racing about their sprag clutch hubs and potentially getting some custom made for unicycling, and it was clear that we’d need the largest and strongest sprag clutch option for it to stand a chance.
Regular freewheel hubs have it easy as even pretty rubbish ratchets are extremely strong when the pawls are locked in.
Don’t get the hubs confused. It’s Pipifax hubs that have broken. I knew at least two had.
Oh sorry, I got that wrong…
It’s a real shame that no more of those have been made.
As it’s been three years since my last email, I’ve sent Josh over at Bicymple another mail to see if there’s been any change around production, or if it would be possible to hook someone in the unicycling world up with whoever he had make the hubs…
The website is still all up with bikes for sale, but nothing has changed in years (including the fact they’re on sale) so I imagine it’s just the last bits of stock that’s being sold off now.
I am the one who broke his hub on a side hop. The other two, I’m not sure how they broke. @turtle, do you know how the Pipifax hubs broke?
What broke on the sidehop?
My Pipifax hub.
No no, I got that much. I meant what part of it? 
Spoke flanges? Hub shell? Sprag clutch (it now freewheels both ways)? Main bearings (it now wobbles side to side)?
Oh! Well, I don’t know for sure. The freewheel went both ways (under load, otherwise it was fixed both ways without load), but it is not what David expected, so not the sprag clutch itself. Apparently, another of the bearings inside the hub.
Interesting as my experience is exactly the opposite. Admittedly, I have not had nearly as much much ride time on the Schlumpf.
But I have ridden the Flick-Flock in fixed mode quite a lot (2 long trips where it was my only muni as a beginner freewheeler and also did long rides with lots of uphill in fixed mode). And while the hub is noticeably heavier, and I sometimes worry that I might damage it, and it does sometimes make funny noises, I have almost zero problems with the “play” in the cranks. If I hit really technical terrain then I will switch to fixed and it is almost the same as my normal fixed muni (OK, technically the Flick-Flock often feels easier and more controlled in technical terrain as it’s 27.5” and my regular muni is 29”). But my point is that the weight seems to be the only control disadvantage (in addition to ghost shifts in both directions but I have removed the buttons so at least I have fewer. In fixed mode I still frequently get a ghost shift from a UPD when the uni impacts the ground, but I notice it right away when I pick it up so no real danger).
In contrast, on the Schlumpf I always felt on the verge of lack of control and the play really tired me out.
Sure, the Flick-Flock in fixed feels different but it neither reduces my technical control or my secure feeling nor does it tire me out. Of course, the Schlumpf play is also in high gear, so that in itself makes it more strenuous. But the Schlumpf play in high gear is the main reason I don’t ride it so much, while the Flick-Flock play has never been even the slightest problem for me.
So after a break of some time, i had quite a few freewheel rides in the last few weeks and was pleasantly surprised that the longer break almost seemed to help my freewheeling. My brake coasting has really improved.
I have noticed that when I switch back to fixed or ride my normal Muni, that it feels really weird. Subjectively I think that I presently ride fixed quite a bit slower, as I’m using more effort to stay within the balance point (Although I hope only temporary, as I am doing the Swiss muni DH and XC races in a week-and-a-half). Anyone else experienced disadvantages in fixed riding ability after freewheeling a lot? I think long-term it will help as it t requires paying attention to your body position and should improve my overall balance. At least I hope so.
And on my ride last Saturday I had my first real freewheel crash. My brake coasting was doing really well, and I managed to do about the first 2 hours of an XC ride completely in freewheel mode without switching to fixed. I even managed to do the uphills without landing on my back, was even able to do quite a bit of brake-assisted hopping, e.g. turning around on a trail without dismounting. And I was brake coasting down the DH sections pretty much coasting the whole time, and a few times even gaining a little speed. Nothing really technical, but I successfully rode one short DH section that in the past I could rarely ever even ride in freewheel, and I rode it 3 times from top to bottom and coasted the whole time. The last 2 runs were pretty clean and even over the roots and a few ledges while coasting. So I was quite happy.
Then as it was getting a little darker due to an approaching storm, on a relatively easy DH section I had my second scary freewheel experience (the first was coasting down an asphalt rode when it ghost shifted to fixed and unexpected and violently threw me forward - lucky to land on my feet).
So there was a slight low spot followed by a raised section that I did not see, so kind of like a really small invisible been jump. I was brake coasting and hit that combination of low spot abd berm and completely lost my balance. So I was sitting on the muni with my feet on the pedals but no longer in control at all. I think I tried to use my legs which of course had no effect. I was completely uncontrolled but still riding downhill. It bounced me pretty good and I probably rode out of control for about 2-3 meters and then not sure if I tried the brake or just fell, but I suddenly catapulted forward and did a Superman to the front. I was wearing XC knee protectors, elbows and gloves and my left kneepad got pushed down and I got a minor bruise abd pretty good scrape on my kneecap under the pad that was pushed away. I think I then rolled as my backpack was totally muddy and my left elbow protector did its job well. The knee scrape was superficial and hurt mostly when sleeping for 2 days, but now it is just a big scab.
After the crash I rode for another hour or so and was a little more cautious, but I was still able to coast pretty well.
So despite the scare, I am happy with my improvement in the last few weeks.
So great that you are enjoying freewheel so much.
I agree that it feels weird to ride fixed after a bunch of freewheel riding, the experience is so different that when you go back to fixed riding you don’t know if your are going better or worse.
Last week Samue Spirig (freewheeler from team ursli) and I spent six days in Valais for muni riding. We did around 11’500 meters of uphill (hiking) plus some cablecars, 15’500 meters of downhill riding and 145 km distance. We had all kind of weather: sunshine, rain, clouds, snow, storm… we have seen almost every day ibexes, chamois and marmots, once we found even some Edelweiss. We crossed the Europabrücke (one of the longest cablebridges: 494 meters), passed the famous Hörnlihütte 3262 masl (right at the Matterhorn), stayed at the Arbenbiwak 3224 masl, climbed the Mettelhorn 3405, the
Platthorn 3345, the Oberrothorn 3414 masl and the Barrhorn 3610 masl. We crossed two small glaciers and climbed the Schöllijoch.
Here is a long video of this trip:
you probably need the spring
Where can I order the spring?
no idea but im sure its a fairly standard dimension so i guess wherever you get your springs. someone else here might know the dimensions
Those should have a standard singular size so if you can find a BMX hub with a small size sprocket you can take that apart for extra pawls and a spring
