6 speed to 7 speed?

I have recently revamped an old Raleigh Equipe and it has had it's maiden journey on a 307 mile touring holiday to the TDF over the summer.

As with many people of this parish, I seem condemned to keep making upgrades wherever possible! After all, the job is never really finished it?!

Anyways, it's currently running a rather splendid 6 speed mega range freewheel at the back but I am tempted to see if it will stretch to a 7 speed? Does anyone know if this is possible without having to carry out some bending of the rear triangle? Or should it just slot in without much trouble?

My current shifters and rear mech are the original bog standard mid-80s indexed affair but they are crisp and very accurate and have given me no trouble whatsoever, which was a blessing on a lengthy touring holiday.

Any advice would be gratefully received!

if there is room on the axle, a 7spd may fit but the last cog may also foul the stays

Being a steel frame, if the rear drop-outs are too narrow then they will easily be persuaded to spread out a little to accommodate the wider rear axle.

You might find that the axle on the back wheel will also need an additional spacer on it so that the 7th sprocket doesn't foul the frame.

However, if you've got an indexed system that's working nicely, then you may find that the biggest problem is that it's a 6-speed indexed system which, simply put, doesn't have a 7th click to enable you to get that 7th ratio.

TBH, I don't really get the importance of 'upgrading' by one gear because the range of ratios is the key thing - if the large sprocket on the freewheel gives you a low enough gear and the smallest one enables you to maintain the top speed you're after then an extra ratio between those is unlikely to make all that much practical difference.

I agree with S1m0nR, I have a Raleigh Clubman of 1985 vintage and I researched the gearing as above, I was struggling on the hillier climbs with the 13-24T 6 speed, I was lucky enough to locate a 14-28T 6 speed as a direct replacement and this has made hills easier.

It depends on the reason behind wanting the extra gear of a 7 speed as there are things that can be done to the setup you have already

S1m0nR":67fdgc9t said:

However, if you've got an indexed system that's working nicely, then you may find that the biggest problem is that it's a 6-speed indexed system which, simply put, doesn't have a 7th click to enable you to get that 7th ratio.

Click to expand...

It's more than that: 6 and 7 use a different sprocket pitch (5.5mm for 6, 5.0mm for 7) so the shifters are completely incompatible.

In the end, this upgrade-itis can lead you to refit the entire bike with 11-speed Campag Record, in which case you might as well buy a new bike anyway.

Oh, interesting - that's one of the reasons I read this forum. That pitch difference explains why I could never get my Mrs's bike's gears to index properly when I put a 6 speed freewheel on a 7 speed SIS system.

Cheers for the info.

So it's a resounding 'no' - leave the Equipe as it is, but if the ratios aren't to your liking just change the freewheel to one with as many speeds but different ratios, oh and make sure it's compatible with the indexed system...

That's a pretty good summary. Alternatively, switch off the indexing on the lever - it'll work fine! People seem to have a perception that shifting is impossible without indexing these days. :roll:

hamster":s3kzfdz0 said:

That's a pretty good summary. Alternatively, switch off the indexing on the lever - it'll work fine! People seem to have a perception that shifting is impossible without indexing these days. :roll:

Click to expand...

I ride non-indexed

MOrning,

There is an easy option (IMHO) - source an Ultra 7sp FW - it fits in the same space as a normal 6sp FW. You will have to go with friction shifting though - easy peasey!!!

Richard