Classic & Vintage - Normandy Freewheel Threading

I just rebuilt the hubs on a set of tubular Mavic rims laced to Normandy hubs. The freewheel is a 5 speed Normandy with a very wide "alpine" gearing. I would guess the wheel set is mid-late 70s. My question is what sort of threading will this freewheel have? I only have a Shimano freewheel puller so I am asking before I drag it to my LBS. If it is something bizarre I will just leave the freewheel on and live with it, but I would really like to get a closer gear ratio on the freewheel.
Thoughts?

French thread hubs are pretty rare in the U.S. I've been messing with French bikes for 30 odd years and I've never seen one in person that I know of.

So Dirtdrop, are you saying this hub probably has standard freewheel threading and is worth getting pulled?

Yes, and I would agree.

I have the original sew up wheels from my Gitane that came with a Normandy freewheel. I was planning to transfer it to the new clincher wheel set that I planned to use but it would not thread on without forcing it, which I declined to try. Other Normandy freewheels that I have would thread on easily. I just didn't want to risk chewing up a Tipo hub after going to the trouble of lacing and truing the wheel.

I still have no idea why.....

The Normandy hubs I have, '62 vintage, as well as the "Schwinn Approved" labeled ones from the '70s, all take Shimano, Suntour, and Regina freewheels. You should be fine.

... it would not thread on without forcing it, which I declined to try. Other Normandy freewheels that I have would thread on easily. I just didn't want to risk chewing up a Tipo hub after going to the trouble of lacing and truing the wheel.

I still have no idea why..... It sounds as though you were trying to put an Italian-threaded freewheel onto an ISO-threaded hub, or vice-versa.

French threaded freewheels are on ebay all of the time, I sold one not too long ago, a 13-17 5-speed Regina, NOS. It was nice.

As for your Normandies, I bought a wheelset from France, from the early 50s with Normandy hubs and they turned out to be English threads. But, I have a set of FB hubs (Italian made) with French threads. So you never know. As for it being worth it, sure, and buy what you want. Here is a corncob for sale today,

http://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-VINTAGE-CYCLO-COMPETITION-FREEWHEEL-6-Speeds_W0QQitemZ370017468963QQihZ024QQcategoryZ56197QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

What sort of extractor will you need to remove the freewheel? If the freewheel has a large diameter opening and 24 splines, Bicycle Research had once made an extractor for these [# CT-3] which also fitted some older Maillard and some "Schwinn Approved" freewheels. "Normandy" on the freewheel would suggest to me it's an older model, but NOT necessarily French threaded.

Pretty good chance the hub would have standard threading, so probably worth taking it down to the shop to check for sure. Besides, how much can they charge you for 2 minutes of labor, anyway? :)

FYI...
The hub in my avatar is my '75 high flange Normandy off a Peugeot. It's English-threaded.

FYI...
The hub in my avatar is my '75 high flange Normandy off a Peugeot. It's English-threaded.


FWIW the hub on my '82 PH12 is French thread.....


Scroll down....

http://cyclespeugeot.com/Threading.html

French thread hubs are pretty rare in the U.S. I've been messing with French bikes for 30 odd years and I've never seen one in person that I know of.

Zeus (Spanish) components were often made in French thread (or Swiss in the case of BB shells). I have several French thread Zeus freewheels in my basement. Zeus was also sensible enough to actually label their freewheel bodies with a stamped "B" to indicate British thread or "M" to indicate metric (also called "French") thread.

I have a French threaded Normandy hub on a Peugeot, but the owner had brought the bike back with him from France, which he'd bought new in 1975. This was not uncommon. I did the same around 1971. Both travel and the cost of bicycles in Europe was once a great bargain against a strong dollar.

I also have a Campy Record high flange hubset with French threads (how weird is THAT!). They were take-offs from a Rene Herse bike from around 1970. Apparently the owner later decided they were just not good enough - and had them replaced with Maxi-car hubs. Of course, Record hubs are just Record hubs, whatever the threading. But, in this case the insides of the cutouts in the flanges were lined with a vermillion colored enamel which had matched the lettering on the bike. Talk about obsessive silly details! :lol: