Affix hub; specifications and internal details

[Brucey]

A simple cable-operated control would allow the rider to switch remotely between fixed and freewheel modes via spring-loaded slip rings. The configuration would be arranged so that the default mode (ie. with a slack control cable) would be fixed.

The idea of a fixed/free hub controlled by a "shift lever" is insane for the simple reason that activating the switch by mistake (or snagging / breaking a cable) on a long descent would rip your legs off. That's one of those things that a product designer (and the manufacturer's legal team) would look at and go "NOPE!"......

thank you for your comment; however, in the event of such a fault, the likely outcome would probably be nothing more than a foul 'don't do that again' type noise as fixed mode failed to engage.

[Dr H Tool]

Nearly on

[Dr H Tool]

[Dr H Tool]

Back to basics with a twist of elegance.

[Dr H Tool]

Well here is my initial review of the Affix hub.

It’s genius and so well engineered. A comment that is was heavy doesn’t hold as a bike needs some stability and I see plenty of riders who hold more fat or heavy muscle than is needed.

Another comment that it could engage the fixed on a descent, not possible as it is designed to disengage to the freewheel and would need applied force to all the springs to re engage to the fixed.

It is very well designed for servicing.


As for eye catching it’s certainly attracting some attention. I was at a bike auction last weekend full of stalwarts and enthusiasts I had just picked up the finished wheel and was apprehended many time to answer questions on it. Surprisingly not one of them had seen it before.


I think we can safely say it was very poorly marketed.

[rareposter]

Another comment that it could engage the fixed on a descent, not possible as it is designed to disengage to the freewheel and would need applied force to all the springs to re engage to the fixed.

Not in it's original guise; my comment was aimed at Brucey's idea for an "improvement" to have it cable operated. His subsequent explanation that it would "only" break the hub instead of your legs doesn't seem like much of a fail-safe to me...

I think we can safely say it was very poorly marketed.

It got done very positive reviews when it was launched, I think it's just a very tiny market. Especially so now when the fixed gear scene has largely vanished. Even the London Fixed Gear & Single Speed forum is no more. All those couriers smashing it around London on fixies have been replaced by people on illegal electric motorbikes.

They're cool hubs, I did admire the general principles of it when it came out. Never felt the need to get one though, in spite of having a SS road bike that would be an ideal candidate for one.

[Dr H Tool]

Believe me Rareposter, you would love it. People from my local club keep telling me I’m F***ing mad riding Fixed around here, when I first went out I felt like I probably was but with tenacity and self belief I worked at and got through the hard bit.

It’s sad that probably the majority of the couriers have been replaced by the electric brigade but I do know a group that are very much active.

I believe that cycling has moved on too much and been watered down to a marketers dream of making too much money out of it. No way was I trying to keep up with the bandwagon of all those gears and all the cost, it sounds like you have a similar ethic. I’m not trying to force Fixed riding on anyone but I can tell you it’s wonderful, it’s ignited the passion again and it’s a test and a challenge.


The Affix is the icing on the cake for me

[Dr H Tool]

Hi Brucey

Is there a chance of the grease drying up over a period of time and then the loss of viscosity allowing the locking ring to move more freely and in some cases disengage with vibration. Did you apply a generous amount when you reassembled it?

The Affix hub allows quick selection between fixed gear and freewheel modes via a selector disc between the sprocket and the spokes.




I had one of these (new and unused) which -having realised I'd probably never use it myself- I have recently built up and sold to a fellow forum member. Since the specification and internal details of the hub don't seem to be well documented anywhere and I had dismantled it anyway (in order to make it so that it could be lubricated via a grease port) I thought I'd share the details here.

The hub uses a 14mm diameter hollow aluminium axle, and there are four 6902-2RS bearings; two for the hubshell, and two for the freewheel body.

Image01832.jpg

the bearings are separated by spacers throughout. The parts seem nicely made and the bearings are a nice fit in the hubshell; not too tight and not too loose. The whole lot is retained by the axle end adaptors which screw into the axle and also allow (by use of longer adaptors and spacers) respacing from 120mm to 130mm or larger. When disassembling you can use two 17mm spanners on the axle ends; one or the other will come undone, and this will allow the whole axle to be withdrawn if necessary. There are flats on both ends of the axle itself, so that the other axle end can be unscrewed if necessary.

In the hub I had, I drilled the hubshell so that the main bearings could be lubricated. However the freewheel mechanism needs to be slid off the axle to allow access for lube to the pawls etc, and once it is off, the spacer between the bearings in the freewheel body can be slid to one side so that lube can be introduced between the freewheel body bearings. In my hub, all four bearings had their inner seals removed, so that a suitable lube (eg a semi-fluid grease) can be used in the freewheel body and the hubshell itself, with free lube access to the bearings. There are six chunky pawls, so it looks as if it ought to be strong enough.

The external parts are shown below;

Image01833.jpg

being from (left to right), the selector disc, the dog ring, sprocket and lockring respectively. They are not in the correct order; the dog ring goes behind the selector disc when the hub is assembled. The dog ring engages with a matched opening in the hubshell, and that gives the 'fixed gear' function. The dog ring has a slight radius on one side, and that side faces the hubshell. There are six small springs which disengage the dog ring; in the photo the exact size is noted since these springs may need to be replaced at some point. 0.29mm is the 'wire diameter' of the spring.

The lockring uses a 38mm spanner to tighten it. Once the lockring is off the sprocket, selector disc and dog ring come off, and the six small springs can then fall out too. The sprocket is a nine-spline sprocket with a DX pattern spline, so shimano UG, shimano DX, Sturmey Archer S3X, Brompton 6s, and modified HG sprockets will fit, amongst others. Standard three-lug IGH sprockets will also fit, since the Affix spline has curved roots.

If necessary the freewheel body can be removed as a complete unit (i.e. with the sprocket and selector disc still attached).

Hubshell details; flange spacing ~54mm, flange drilling 58mm PCD. Drilled 32h, for 14/13G spokes.

Image01502.jpg

freewheel mode;


fixed mode


I hope the above information is of some use to others.

cheers

[Brucey]

I 'm sorry, I don't recall. mig might know.

[andrew_s]

Even the London Fixed Gear & Single Speed forum is no more.

The LFGSS forum didn't close because of any lack of interest, but because of the Online Safety Act, and the resulting potential penalties against those running the forum and the bureaucracy involved in trying to prove nothing nasty was going on

[mig]

Hi Brucey

Is there a chance of the grease drying up over a period of time and then the loss of viscosity allowing the locking ring to move more freely and in some cases disengage with vibration. Did you apply a generous amount when you reassembled it?

The Affix hub allows quick selection between fixed gear and freewheel modes via a selector disc between the sprocket and the spokes.




I had one of these (new and unused) which -having realised I'd probably never use it myself- I have recently built up and sold to a fellow forum member. Since the specification and internal details of the hub don't seem to be well documented anywhere and I had dismantled it anyway (in order to make it so that it could be lubricated via a grease port) I thought I'd share the details here.

The hub uses a 14mm diameter hollow aluminium axle, and there are four 6902-2RS bearings; two for the hubshell, and two for the freewheel body.

Image01832.jpg

the bearings are separated by spacers throughout. The parts seem nicely made and the bearings are a nice fit in the hubshell; not too tight and not too loose. The whole lot is retained by the axle end adaptors which screw into the axle and also allow (by use of longer adaptors and spacers) respacing from 120mm to 130mm or larger. When disassembling you can use two 17mm spanners on the axle ends; one or the other will come undone, and this will allow the whole axle to be withdrawn if necessary. There are flats on both ends of the axle itself, so that the other axle end can be unscrewed if necessary.

In the hub I had, I drilled the hubshell so that the main bearings could be lubricated. However the freewheel mechanism needs to be slid off the axle to allow access for lube to the pawls etc, and once it is off, the spacer between the bearings in the freewheel body can be slid to one side so that lube can be introduced between the freewheel body bearings. In my hub, all four bearings had their inner seals removed, so that a suitable lube (eg a semi-fluid grease) can be used in the freewheel body and the hubshell itself, with free lube access to the bearings. There are six chunky pawls, so it looks as if it ought to be strong enough.

The external parts are shown below;

Image01833.jpg

being from (left to right), the selector disc, the dog ring, sprocket and lockring respectively. They are not in the correct order; the dog ring goes behind the selector disc when the hub is assembled. The dog ring engages with a matched opening in the hubshell, and that gives the 'fixed gear' function. The dog ring has a slight radius on one side, and that side faces the hubshell. There are six small springs which disengage the dog ring; in the photo the exact size is noted since these springs may need to be replaced at some point. 0.29mm is the 'wire diameter' of the spring.

The lockring uses a 38mm spanner to tighten it. Once the lockring is off the sprocket, selector disc and dog ring come off, and the six small springs can then fall out too. The sprocket is a nine-spline sprocket with a DX pattern spline, so shimano UG, shimano DX, Sturmey Archer S3X, Brompton 6s, and modified HG sprockets will fit, amongst others. Standard three-lug IGH sprockets will also fit, since the Affix spline has curved roots.

If necessary the freewheel body can be removed as a complete unit (i.e. with the sprocket and selector disc still attached).

Hubshell details; flange spacing ~54mm, flange drilling 58mm PCD. Drilled 32h, for 14/13G spokes.

Image01502.jpg

freewheel mode;


fixed mode


I hope the above information is of some use to others.

cheers

when riding with the hub in freewheel mode there is fairly easy access for rainwater into the hub innards so i would keep on top of the lubrication as a matter of course. that said it appears to me that your bike - lovely as it is - might never see much inclement weather....?

would the lockring shake loose from vibration? i can't see that happening in any circumstance. the lateral movement to engage it is just too much. i am several winters 'in' using this hub and i haven't had any slippage issues under heavy load (it climbs hard for times a day.)

[Dr H Tool]

Good afternoon Brucey,

Thanks for all that information especially the last bit, very helpful. You are right about my new bike, I’ll be taking a lot of care of it and as I have another fully kitted winter bike there is no need to put it under too much pressure. All the skills I’m learning on it transfer seamlessly to my other steeds.

The odd thing I’ve luckily come across another piece of kit that has become obsolete in virtually the same way, too much put into it to be cost effective. It’s a portable headphone amplifier and the quality is exceptional. The developers chucked it and went into mobile phone production instead. Of course I don’t have it on when riding

Yours
Rod

[Brucey]

Good afternoon Brucey,

Thanks for all that information especially the last bit, very helpful. You are right about my new bike, I’ll be taking a lot of care of it and as I have another fully kitted winter bike there is no need to put it under too much pressure. All the skills I’m learning on it transfer seamlessly to my other steeds.

The odd thing I’ve luckily come across another piece of kit that has become obsolete in virtually the same way, too much put into it to be cost effective. It’s a portable headphone amplifier and the quality is exceptional. The developers chucked it and went into mobile phone production instead. Of course I don’t have it on when riding

Yours
Rod

I think it is mig you should be thanking.

[Dr H Tool]

That isn’t Big Mig by any chance is it?

[Dr H Tool]

I believe I owe you a big thank you for the detailed technical information you have supplied on here, it has been a great help to Phil my friend who built it up to a wheel for my new bike and myself.

I’ve not been able to use it a lot as the weather here has taken a real turn for the worst, either icy or stormy but next season have some great rides planned around the Vales of York and Evesham.

Cheers