Chain for Raleigh Winner '10 speed racer'

[Midlife]

"new block and chain".

Were chains really that much harder wearing than they are today?

Or were the freewheels relatively "soft"?

I'd expect a modern cassette to see many chains (+10) before even thinking it might be worn.

That's just the way it was I'm not sure if it was the materials being used or the design but put a new chain on an old block and it would skip on mainly the smaller cogs. Might have been the design of rear mechs as the wrapround of the chain was pretty minimal....

I got pretty good at changing them Didn't even bother to charge customers at the time for labour if they bought them from us. Not sure if it was a sales ploy LOL

Shaun

 

[ScillySuffolk]

Interesting either way Shaun, many thanks!

 

[Al1000]

From my experience Shimano HG (Hyper Glide) freewheel (quite common and cheap) and modern 8 speed chain give excellent results. Quiet, quick and smooth gear changes. I would recommend this set. Just be aware of capabilities of your derailleur in handling bigger cogs size. Most of the derailleurs can go up to 26, but it's better to check it. I have bad experience with new 'economy class', brand new freewheel, that after few rides started to produce strange noises and didn't coast smoothly, so I removed it quickly. I will never again buy something like that.

Ok, I'm convinced. This is the item I bought with what would be an "economy class" freewheel:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/27x1-1-4-MULT ... 6vfB0NOqCA

The freewheel that's on it is 14 -28. I would like a smaller sprocket for the highest gear, and found this:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SHIMANO-FREEW ... Sw3ydVpQ2I

I take it that should do the trick?

 

[Al1000]

Those are freewheels not cassettes, the difference between the two is far from academic or pedantry.

Please excuse my ignorance. I have only just learned what the difference is, and have not argued that it is academic or pedantry.

The "new" freewheel is clearly not new: the wear is obvious.

I bought it new on 1/3/16.

 

[predki]

When you change 5 speed freewheel for 6 or 7 you may have a problem because 6 or 7 speed freewheels are wider and you may not be able to fit wheel back onto the frame or the smallest cog could rub the chainstay. In that case you would need to add a spacer between cone and locknut on the drive side and redish the wheel.
Wheels for 5 speed frewheel are designed for use with wheels that have 120mm spacing, 6-7 would probably need 125 or more.

 

[Al1000]

There is 123.4 mm clearance (measured with rear wheel removed). The old 5 speed freewheel seems to have quite a large spacer as it is.

I imagine I could probably "persuade" the 123.4mm clearance to be another couple of mm wider if necessary, and would hope a slightly wider freewheel might fit if I use a smaller spacer.

 

[predki]

That seems to be a lot of space. 6 speed frewheel should be ok, maybe 7 as well...

according to this: http://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mecha ... width.html 7 speed freewheels had the same overall width with narrower spacers between cogs

'standard 6 adds a cog, with the same spacing,
so frame spread went to 126.
7 speed, thins the gaps between cogs, to get the extra cog in a 126 frame'

 

[Blackbike]

Re:

Suntour "Ultra-6" narrow spaced 6 speed freewheels put six speeds in the space of 5 and fits with 120mm OLN. The ultra spacing is 5mm instead of the 5 speed standard of 5.5mm and uses 7-8 speed chain (5mm ultra spacing was adopted as the standard for 7/8 speed freewheels). I agree with Predki, it looks like a 6 speed standard freewheel will fit and a 7 speed freewheel will probably fit, might be worth a try.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/suntour-freewheel.html



: Mike

 

[mattr]

I'd expect a modern cassette to see many chains (+10) before even thinking it might be worn.

You are probably binning your chains really really early. And spending far too much money on them. I usually reckon on 3-5 chains per cassette. Depending on use.

Using the chain gauges is a common mistake. As they massively overestimate the wear of the chain. Better to use a rule over 24 links/12" and work the wear out from there. I've had brand new chains showing nearly .75 (park gauge) before they've even been fitted.

Some people prefer to run the chain/cassette into the ground, so you have to work out how much it's costing you to do your "system" to work out if it's best for you. With the level of kit i buy, 3-5 chains then a new cassette is the right level of spend and effort.

The "new" freewheel is clearly not new: the wear is obvious.

FWIW some of the really cheap cassettes/freewheels are made from some never before seen "metal" that corrodes faster than aluminium in coke and is softer than plasticine.

We had an old guy who used to come into one of the shops i worked at to have a new cassette put on about once a month. They were all utterly destroyed, but only a few weeks old. He was happy to pay a tenner to have them swapped, as he was paying about 5 quid for them from the market. The half way decent one we eventually fitted (cheapy regina IIRC) cost something like 25 quid and lasted a couple of years.

Bit of a false economy. Paying 150+ quid in parts and labour for the cheap stuff, or 30-35 quid to have something halfway decent fitted once every two years............

 

[Midlife]

The space between the smallest cog and the frame in the picture above would tend to suggest the frame is actually 126mm and you could put a normal 6 speed freewheel in without problem?

Shaun