Pure Cycles Original flip-flop hub: fixed gear and freewheel are different
The Pure Cycles Original flip-flop hub description concerns two different operating arrangements. The manufacturer says one side can be fixed and the other can use a freewheel. Establish the arrangement fitted to the actual bicycle before treating the familiar single-speed silhouette as a complete drivetrain description.
What the Pure Cycles Original flip-flop hub record says
Pure Cycles' help answer names Original and Premium wheelsets as having a flip-flop design. Its Original overview separately describes a reversible rear wheel for fixed-gear or freewheel use. These statements concern the wheel's intended arrangements, rather than selectable gears operated from a handlebar shifter.
The detailed Original specification labelled 671003 lists a 15T sprocket and a separate 16T freewheel. It also identifies the rear hub as alloy, 32H, 14G, with a 3/8-inch bolt-on axle and the qualification “For Fixed and FW.” Preserve these separate entries when asking what is actually installed.
Separate one ratio from the ability to coast
A freewheel permits the wheel to turn while the rider stops pedalling. Fixed drive connects wheel rotation to pedal rotation. One visible rear sprocket does not, by itself, tell you which behaviour to expect. The difference concerns the mechanism, not the number of sprockets visible in a photograph.
The white comparison bicycle has a single visible rear sprocket and no visible rear derailleur. Its photograph cannot establish whether the mechanism freewheels, whether the hub is reversible, or whether the hardware matches a Pure Cycles build. It is useful precisely because an apparently simple drivetrain still leaves those questions unanswered.
Describe the wheel you are enquiring about
The local model reference is Pure Cycles Original Bike — Juliet. Distinguish the named manufacturer specification from the components on the particular bicycle. For an existing owner build, note the actual hub and fitted side rather than assuming that an older product description records later changes.
This is an explanation of the records, not a wheel-reversal procedure or permission to remove braking equipment. The Pure Cycles introduction covers the broader transition from simple drivetrains to other model families.
FAQ: identifying the operating arrangement
Does single speed necessarily mean fixed gear?
No. A single-ratio bicycle can use a freewheel; identify the actual operating mechanism.
Does the photograph prove a flip-flop hub?
No. The visible rear sprocket does not establish the hidden mechanism or the opposite-side equipment.
Are 15T and 16T interchangeable descriptions?
No. The detailed sheet assigns them to separate sprocket and freewheel entries.
Find the related model references in the Pure Cycles topic.
Manufacturer references: Original fixed/freewheel help (https://help.purecycles.com/en-US/what-if-i-dont-want-to-ride-fixed-gear-on-an-original-series-165866); Original series overview (https://www.purecycles.com/pages/original-series-overview); Original 671003 specification (https://www.purecycles.com/pages/original-specs-671003); Original product and geometry (https://www.purecycles.com/products/original-21154).
Photograph credits and permissions
Photograph 1
Original title: Minimal White Road Bike
Creator: erik odiin (Erik Odiin); creator URI: https://unsplash.com/@odiin; primary photo attribution: https://unsplash.com/photos/white-fixie-bike-LWv3bsFvpPc
Copyright notice: No individual-photo copyright notice supplied. NegativeSpace footer ©2026 NegativeSpace.co is a website notice, not photographer copyright.
Original source URI: https://negativespace.co/minimal-white-road-bike/
License / permission: CC0 1.0 Universal
License / permission URI: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/deed.en
Modification notice: Exact source-supplied 1062×708 JPEG preserved without changes. The source Download Free Stock Photo link supplies the file named thumb-1.jpg; no camera-original or highest-resolution claim. No crop, resize, recompression or metadata removal.
Source disclaimer: No individual-photo copyright notice supplied. NegativeSpace footer ©2026 NegativeSpace.co is a website notice, not photographer copyright. The provider says it vets photographs but users remain responsible for the validity and safety of reuse. CC0 makes no warranties; other rights may apply; no endorsement is implied. The NegativeSpace page was published on May 17, 2017 and modified on September 23, 2018; the primary Unsplash photo page was published on July 24, 2017. These different publication dates do not establish the capture date or the bicycle model year. This is a different unidentified road-style bicycle, not proof of any selected native product, current model or year, measurements, parts, fit, load, safety, condition or compatibility.