Classic & Vintage - I could use some freewheel advice

I'm hoping I can replace my freewheel to improve shifting performance. I don't know much about freewheel compatibility so I figure I will ask the experts.

Right now I have an Atom 5 speed "corncob" with a Campy NR RD and crank. I am assuming that my poor shifts are a 2 part problem of freewheel wear and design. It is my understanding that there are great vintage freewheels from suntour, sachs and others but I would prefer something new and easy to find.

It seems that Shimano and IRD are the most promising choices. What is the maximum size that the NR derailleur can handle? With 126mm rear spacing, can I fit a 6 or 7 speed compact freewheel with altering anything else? Is IRD's cost all bling factor or is there a performance difference, have there QC problems been taken care of?

I realize that shifting problems can also be caused by improper chain length. I am having a little trouble gauging whether mine is correct so I will take a picture with the chain in big-big and small-small. It may be a technique learning curve too, this is not my first friction shifting bike but it is my first with downtube shifters.

Thanks in advance for the advice.
Matt

EDIT: as promised, here are the pics.

Small-small:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3654/3366889390_3412a8f930_o.jpg

Big-big:
Removed old picture, new picture is further down in the thread

The freewheel in question:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3587/3366064829_7e4558d80a_o.jpg

With 126 spacing you can fit a 6 or an ultra-7. I don't think that Shimano made an ultra-7, at least I've never seen one. Suntour did, and I use one. The shifts are a bit more prone to skip (2 cogs for the price of one), I think, than a normally-spaced 6 would be. Without shaped teeth, friction shifting is an art learned through long practice, and familiarity with your particular equipment/setup, and I'm certainly no expert at it. But I like it, and put up with it. You could respace your rear wheel to 130 and fit a 7-speed; and you don't really need to cold-set your frame's rear end to try that.

I don't have an IRD freewheel, but I'm glad they make them still. They do have shaped teeth, so the shifting should be pretty good.

A NR derailer can do 26, maybe 28 teeth.

A Suntour Ultra 6 might be your best bet.

It would add one more gear and still fit the spacing on your wheel. Just looking, our chain looks a little tight to me. Has it been a while since you replaced it? I'm always surprised by how fast a chain can stretch when then affects how the bike shifts. A new chain makes a big difference. The usual rule of thumb is to wrap the chain around the two bigs without the RD, then add a link.

Here's a Suntour Ultra 6 that is similar in range to your existing 5 speed. Best of luck.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NOS-Suntour-Pro-Compe-Ultra-6-Speed-Freewheel-14x23_W0QQitemZ220379012803QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

You also asked how big a rear sprocket can a Campy NR handle? I run a 29 tooth on my Continental. It's tight but it works.

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/pastorbobnlnh/Continental/Campagnoloed%20Continental/NuovoRecordRD.jpg

I can vouch for the IRD freewheels. They are spedny but worth it IMHO. They also use a Shimano freehub tool for easy on and off. I was running the original Regina freewheel on my Paramount and the shifting was terrible. I replaced it with an IRD and the shifting improved dramaticaly.

I have also had good luck w/ late model Suntour and Shimano freewheels as well. They are a bit less and I have found them on ebay.

If memory serves me, I think 27th is the max for the Campy RD you have.

I will keep an eye on that auction. The chain is actually new, I may have cut it a bit short though.

Is there a suntour model line up to be learn? Thanks for the help!

-Matt

Your chain looks short to me.

Your chain looks short to me.


+1 - seems apparent in the big big pic.

As PB advised, search for a Suntour New Winner or Winner Pro Ultra-6 freewheel. These will fit your 120mm spacing.
A Shimano twist-tooth freewheel from that era will also work well.
Both will run fine with your new KMC Z chain.

6mm is a bit of stretching, but if you can find an index-capable Shimano 600 6-sp freewheel, especially an EX or newer, your shifting should be smoother. You'd probably need a new axle, though, since it will need 3mm more length per side.

I went from a 6-sp Regina friction to a 6-sp Shimano 600EX and it was a different bike, like it was waiting for me to shift.

The OP lists a 126 mm OLN, suitable for any 6 sp freewheel and virtually all 7 sp freewheels (nominally 127 mm OLN). You may need to shift some spacers from LH to RH side and re-dish the wheel but Atom freewheels tend to sit 'outboard' more than Asian freewheels in my experience (depending on model).

You don't have a corncob freewheel i.e. single tooth jumps. The NR rear mech was rated to 26t, the SR to 28t but you can push both by a couple of teeth with a little care. Campag mechs work better with a longer chain than shorter.

I will keep an eye on that auction. The chain is actually new, I may have cut it a bit short though.

Is there a suntour model line up to be learn? Thanks for the help!

-Matt

Edit: I see the auction is BIN, ouch pricey!!

Well, looks like I will be buying a new chain then...rats. How about these (http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/freewheels.html) 6speed hyperglide freewheels from harris cyclery, 19.95 seems decent of course it does go to 28t.

You don't have a corncob freewheel i.e. single tooth jumps. [/QUOTE]

Ahh, I seem to have misunderstood, I thought the jumps appeared small and figured that it was. This should be a good learning experience for me.

+10 Chain too short. Go to the Sheldon Brown site, it has a simple and effective way to pick the proper chain length.

I will add what little I know. I have heard of several fellas running 28 t cogs. The problem I ran into was not the cog size but the total number of tooth difference. I had a 24 tooth difference and I had to get the chain length just right or it seemed like it would have either bent the NR derailer by being too short or it would not wrap enough chain like the chain was too long. At least with my set up the NR derailer would not have handled a 26 tooth difference. The 24 tooth was the max difference that it would handle. Just the way it seemed to me. Good luck and have fun

Ok, my chain actually checked out according to the Sheldon method. Here it is an additional link longer:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3664/3367329336_4679b0478e_o.jpg

I will add what little I know. I have heard of several fellas running 28 t cogs. The problem I ran into was not the cog size but the total number of tooth difference. I had a 24 tooth difference and I had to get the chain length just right or it seemed like it would have either bent the NR derailer by being too short or it would not wrap enough chain like the chain was too long. At least with my set up the NR derailer would not have handled a 26 tooth difference. The 24 tooth was the max difference that it would handle. Just the way it seemed to me. Good luck and have fun

+1 - I'll second this. My setup was a Nuovo Record RD with a 52/42 chainring setup and 14-28 freewheel so 24t difference - pretty standard C&V setup. With the chain adjusted just right it worked flawlessly. One tooth too many and the chain would sag, one tooth less and the whole thing would bind if you accidentally shifted into the big-big combo.

With the original Regina freewheel (similar to that Atom) it shifted terribly but shifting was great with a Shimano Uniglide (twist tooth) type freewheel. I haven't used the IRD but suspect from the design that it would work great. Beggars can't be choosers these days but the big issue with the IRDs IMO is that they are shiny nickel plated silver. If they were black, gold, brown, or whatever i would be stocking up on them.

Yeah, I actually like the look of the IRD. After seeing what the NOS suntour and hyperglides go for IRD might be a real option.

I really do appreciate all of the help, this is a very murky subject for me.

Campy Record will handle 52-42 with a 13-28 or 14-28, but not optimally. You will need a longer chain.

That was the setup for racing over Smugglers Notch back in the day.

You will need a longer chain.

That was the setup for racing over Smugglers Notch back in the day.

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean? I had the chain 1 link longer than this pic and it really sagged:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3664/3367329336_4679b0478e_o.jpg

I have heard of several fellas running 28 t cogs. The problem I ran into was not the cog size but the total number of tooth difference.

Correct, the NR (and SR) was originally designed for half-step gearing i.e. small total tooth differences. They aren't touring mechs, so either narrow freewheel/wide chainwheel difference or wide freewheel/narrow chainwheel difference.

Part of pushing the limits is finding the best fore/aft position for the rear axle to maximise chain take-up.

Hmm, this seems to be getting a little complicated, I will have to check what size the chain rings are. As you can see I have the rear axle toward the front of the drops, I assumed this was the correct position?

Hmm, this seems to be getting a little complicated, I will have to check what size the chain rings are. As you can see I have the rear axle toward the front of the drops, I assumed this was the correct position?

Moving it back is better. You may choose to remove the DO adjusters all together in order to really get it back there... it will allow a little more chain wrap which will help shifting. As far as freewheels go, you can't go wrong with a 14-28 shimano HG, ugly and all but they shift well... I have some 26T HG freewheel cogs saved up so I can convert them to 14-26. That is even more ideal for me. I don't like having to force the big 28. I am actually rocking regina DTs on both my record bikes, but I ride them so seldom it hardly matters. I have quite a few freewheels on hand so send me a PM if you are interested... I'll have to do a short survey of what I have but I recently pulled a suntour ultra 6 off a bike with the original HKK ultra-6 chain. They probably have no more than 100kms on them....

Sorry, I don't understand what you mean? I had the chain 1 link longer than this pic and it really sagged:
Yes, it will sag, especially on the smaller cogs. That's why I said "not optimally." The longer chain is for wrapping the 42/28. Old racers knew the chain was long so we just avoided using the small ring with the smaller rear cogs. Using a 52/42, "optimum" maxes out around 26, but I still don't use anything larger than a 24 on my old Record-equipped bikes.

If you want full-range performance with this gearing I recommend getting a derailleur with capacity to wrap more chain.

By the way, it looks like you've got the original 52/45 rings that came with the bike.

I'm not worried about full range, I have another bike with a 21 speed Deore DX group. I am just trying to make this group function as good as it can (hopefully).

Not saying that it is operating poorly, it just seems like it should/could be better.

What gears do you currently have in the front and rear? What gears do you think you want to change over to?

As others have said, I can also vouch for the NR rear working with a 28T rear sprocket. Honestly, I wouldn't plan on going any higher. As I recall, 14-28T/42-52T was a very common set up. It wasn't ideal in terms of shifting sequence but it was very common, gave a reasonably wide gear ratio and is known compatible with your derailleurs.

I just checked, here is what I have 14-23T/44-51T.

I seemed to enjoy riding the bike as it was, of course a wider range is probably better. I am more interested in the ability of the teeth being able to engage the chain, extra range is just icing on the cake.

I just checked, here is what I have 14-23T/44-51T.


Ouch, I can see why you want more lower gear range! I assumed a 42 on the Campy which is what they usually come with. The 144mm BCD limits how small the inner chainring can be. :(

Yeah, I guess.... The bike actually feels very nice and lively to me, of course I only have a bonded aluminum Trek to compare to. I took a video of me shifting through the gears to see if any of you can spot any other issues I may have (aside from horrible technique). I am uploading it right now and will post it when it's done.

I just checked, here is what I have 14-23T/44-51T.

I seemed to enjoy riding the bike as it was, of course a wider range is probably better. I am more interested in the ability of the teeth being able to engage the chain, extra range is just icing on the cake.

I that case I would stick with Shimano UG (UniGlide or twist tooth) or the later HG (HyperGlide or ramped tooth) or one of their clones like the IRD. They should shift very clean and crisp with none of that skating along the top of the teeth freewheeling effect that the old European freewheels had. SunTours are nice as well but I think Shimano is better.

I've even been considering seeing if I can remove the cogs from a new IRD and having them plated with something to get an acceptable appearance for a vintage bike.

They should shift very clean and crisp with none of that skating along the top of the teeth freewheeling effect that the old European freewheels had.

BINGO!! That is my number one issue, it seems to be really easy to get lost in between gears.

Here is my video of shifting through the gears, see if you notice any issues.... other than my shifting :o

Matt

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30894973@N04/3368850338/

... and the problem is, what? Are you new to friction shifting?

That all seemed relatively normal to me, given that it was being done on a stand. There is a skill to shifting these things crisply. It is learned and involves a high degree of muscle memory. That skill does not readily translate to shifting while off the bike (a different hand position) and no tension on the pedalsand chain (relieve pressure, initiate shift, reapply pressure).

For what it's worth, I have a Suntour Ultra-6 freewheel in 14-26 with a 47/50 front. Just about any 3 tooth differential in the front works really, really well. So, a 42/45 would also work.

You did not show the big-to-big combination. I think that will determine whether your chain is too short. It does look a little short but I would just try it, if it were mine.

I will keep an eye on that auction. The chain is actually new, I may have cut it a bit short though.

Is there a suntour model line up to be learn? Thanks for the help!

-Matt

I think your chain is short, for sure.

I'm hoping I can replace my freewheel to improve shifting performance. I don't know much about freewheel compatibility so I figure I will ask the experts.

Right now I have an Atom 5 speed "corncob" with a Campy NR RD and crank. I am assuming that my poor shifts are a 2 part problem of freewheel wear and design. It is my understanding that there are great vintage freewheels from suntour, sachs and others but I would prefer something new and easy to find.

It seems that Shimano and IRD are the most promising choices. What is the maximum size that the NR derailleur can handle? With 126mm rear spacing, can I fit a 6 or 7 speed compact freewheel with altering anything else? Is IRD's cost all bling factor or is there a performance difference, have there QC problems been taken care of?

I realize that shifting problems can also be caused by improper chain length. I am having a little trouble gauging whether mine is correct so I will take a picture with the chain in big-big and small-small. It may be a technique learning curve too, this is not my first friction shifting bike but it is my first with downtube shifters.

Thanks in advance for the advice.
Matt


I'm not real sure what a compact freewheel is, unless you're referring to one with both a narrow range of teeth and narrow spacing between cogs. The really narrow ones are called Ultra-6, can work in any frame 120 or greater, and were made by SunTour, and imitated by Maillard. I feel they have problems shifting due to the narrowness. The only reason to target one is if that's all you can get. There were also standard-spaced 6's, which are wider than 5's and need 126 or greater. Some 7's can fit in the space of a standard 6, and some are wider and need a 128 or 130 spacing.

As far as tooth design I prefer the chrome plated Sachs Aris tooth and the Shimano teeth, UG or HG. They both seem to just grab the chain and gracefully move it over. The Regina and Maillard usually only work well in corncob spreads. In my opinion the shifting with a Sachs or a Shimano can be so good that you will wonder why indexing ever caught on.

Regina and Maillard-tooth designs need to be over shifted in the up direction and down. That means if you want to move the chain one cog, you have to pull the lever typically one and a half cogs worth and then swing it back. Takes practice and perhaps talent, and it also depends somewhat on chain selection. I find the same issue with SunTour, even the Winner Pro and New Winner, their best ones ever.

The NR was spec'd to take cog size from 13 to 26. At times I've had trouble getting one to work on my very-short geometry Masi, with 13-26, but it will usually work for 14-28 on longer frames, say 43 or 44 cm chainstays. If you have a 51/42 front and a 13-26 rear, that's about the spec limit for the NR. Some people say they can get more out of an SR. Generally NRs shift better with narrower spreads. You can definitely get a NR to swing the full width of a standard-6 cogset or a narrow-7. I'm not sure they will swing across a full-width 7, like a Sachs Aris 7-speed or a Shimano Megarange 7, my two favorites.

So I think your problem with shift quality can be solved by getting a Sachs Aris or Shimano 6-speed freewheel. Look for a Shimano 600 or Dura-ace, or a Sachs-Maillard chrome plated one. The Sachs models generally spin great.

If you need a wider range, that's a whole different issue, but I would target Sachs freewheels rather than Suntour.

BTW, "Atom" = "Maillard" but "Sachs-Maillard" is a much more modern design.

6mm is a bit of stretching, but if you can find an index-capable Shimano 600 6-sp freewheel, especially an EX or newer, your shifting should be smoother. You'd probably need a new axle, though, since it will need 3mm more length per side.

I went from a 6-sp Regina friction to a 6-sp Shimano 600EX and it was a different bike, like it was waiting for me to shift.


I am surprised that frame is a 120, but hey, if it is, it is.

The better shifting you'll get with a Sachs or Shimano is worth the effort or $25 to $35 it will cost to have the frame spread correctly. RobbieTunes is exactly right, the bike is just waiting for you to shift!

I would also definitely get a longer axle. The little stubs that stick out will all but disappear when you add spacers to move the locknut faces from 120 to 126. The little stubs serve the purpose of bearing against the position adjustment screws, and put the wheel in the correct alignment for you when you install the wheel and lever down the skewer. They also help guide the wheel into the dropouts.

Doing some research for this thread I was looking for Sheldon's rave review of the newish 7 speed freewheels from Shimano, but I couldn't find it. If anyone recalls he went on at length about the great improvement in design of the new freewheel, though it sacrificed the ability to customize gearing.

Regardless, it comes in a 13-28 and should work with your wheel (perhaps with a small washer.) I haven't tried it with a NR rear mech yet, but there is one in the box out back.

I'm not worried about full range, I have another bike with a 21 speed Deore DX group. I am just trying to make this group function as good as it can (hopefully).

Not saying that it is operating poorly, it just seems like it should/could be better. I

I think its definitely risky or inconvenient or non-aesthetic to go with a 28. I hate non-optimal operation on my bikes, because I can never remember not to go into the "bad" gear combinations. On my collectible Masi or any other bike I own, I do not want to break anything or even come close. I also think bikes should be as silent as possible, so I don't like any extra grinding or grauching. It bothers me, because it sounds like imminent breakage.

If you can handle riding on a 24 tooth big cog rather than a 26 or 28, I'd get the IRD 13-24, keep the dropout adjuster screws, and size the chain right. You'll mash a bit more, but you'll have great shifting and smooth running for a long time.

Doing some research for this thread I was looking for Sheldon's rave review of the newish 7 speed freewheels from Shimano, but I couldn't find it. If anyone recalls he went on at length about the great improvement in design of the new freewheel, though it sacrificed the ability to customize gearing.

Regardless, it comes in a 13-28 and should work with your wheel (perhaps with a small washer.) I haven't tried it with a NR rear mech yet, but there is one in the box out back.

I've tried a 14-28 and only had fair results, and found it impossible (edit: to use with a Nuovo Record) on one of my bikes. Edit: It works fantastically well with different derailleurs.

I recall Sheldon's comments, too, and the gist was that the internal mechanism was sealed and very reliable, with excellent tooth metallurgy and design, all for $20. Problem for me is, too many teeth. Right now I'm looking for another 13-26.

I just checked, here is what I have 14-23T/44-51T.

I've been riding 14/28s with Nuovo Record since the early 70s. Should work fine with the 44/51, though a 42 should work fine too. Personally, I've found the Suntour 5 or 6s to be my favorite. Bulletproof, and you can always get them off (neverseize on the threads please).

I'm not sure about the chain too short comment: I always make the chain as short as it needs to be to fit the large/large combo, which is as long as it would ever need to be, though you wouldn't ride in that position, would you?

I've tried a 14-28 and only had fair results, and found it impossible on one of my bikes.

Yeah, I read you guys posting that, I'll bet I have easily 15 bikes running that....

I don't know what to say.

Road Fan, you are mistaken on a couple of items.

The OP pointed out a 126 mm OLN, not 120 mm OLN as you assume.

Virtually all 7sp freewheels are narrow spaced, about 5 mm c-to-c spacing. The only exception with a wide-spaced 7 sp that comes to mind is an early Shimano Freehub (cassette, not freewheel) using standard 5 sp spacing of about 5.5 mm.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-spacing.html might be of assistance to you.

The geometric difference between the NR and SR mechs that increased the specified maximum cog size was a change in shape to the inner cage plate which might otherwise contact the side of the 28t cog before the change was completed (depending on the size of the second largest cog).

... and the problem is, what? Are you new to friction shifting?


Yeah, I freely admit this is part of the problem, I am 25 so it is a bit before my time. I have ridden other bikes with friction shifting but with stem mounted levers. You guys are going to slaughter me for saying this, I had a Miyata with a Suntour VX RD and I seem to remember it being easier to use. It might have been the rachet style levers?

I'm glad that you say it looks normal, always nice to get advice from someone with experience.

The downtube levers seem a bit sticky, I did use some grease when I assembled them....good or bad?

Road Fan: my frame is for spacing is 126mm, I think someone misunderstood earlier. I think I will probably select a range close to what I have now anyways, since I am having so much trouble with the chain already.

I may just run it to the LBS and see what he thinks about the chain too, one of the guys there is into C&V stuff.

Hmmm, here is a pic of my current chain length, just in case you guys are looking at the old pic (which I am going to remove). You can see in the Big/Big combo the chain still has an S shape in through the RD. I used the Sheldon method but added twice the amount of extra links (about 2 inches)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3664/3367329336_4679b0478e_o.jpg

Yeah, I read you guys posting that, I'll bet I have easily 15 bikes running that....

I don't know what to say.

Yeah, either do I. I am risk-averse on my best frames, so maybe I'm more intolerant to noise and sagging chains than others are, plus I don't like to have to remember what combos to avoid. I think bikes should be silent and versatile. I'm not the only one who posted here about limited quality resulting from using the NR with cogs bigger than 26T.

That aside, maybe there are just some tricks I am missing. But I'm pretty experienced, and if the tricks are that subtle, I wouldn't advise anyone else to try it. Nobody here is explaining exactly how they got it to work right. In a long past thread I went through how I didn't get it to work on my Masi.

I'm not saying, "Matt, don't attempt this." I am trying to say, "it doesn't always work perfectly, and perhaps that's related to Campy's recommended range of application and the fact that we are going beyond it." Earlier in the thread I mentioned the sorts of problems I have seen. Another poster did so as well.

We are trying to be helpful here.

Road Fan, you are mistaken on a couple of items.

The OP pointed out a 126 mm OLN, not 120 mm OLN as you assume.

Virtually all 7sp freewheels are narrow spaced, about 5 mm c-to-c spacing. The only exception with a wide-spaced 7 sp that comes to mind is an early Shimano Freehub (cassette, not freewheel) using standard 5 sp spacing of about 5.5 mm.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/cribsheet-spacing.html might be of assistance to you.

The geometric difference between the NR and SR mechs that increased the specified maximum cog size was a change in shape to the inner cage plate which might otherwise contact the side of the 28t cog before the change was completed (depending on the size of the second largest cog).

Thanks for pointing out Sheldon's cribsheet. I've used it in the past. Regarding the 120, I was primarily responding to PastorBob's recommendation to use an Ultra-6. Personally I think they are to be avoided, but this is probably mainly due to my bad experience with the SunTour and Maillard tooth designs.

I have several 7-speed freewheels, and they do not all fit on my Woodrup with a stock Campy SR hub the same way. One of the Sachs-Maillards causes the (SRAM 9-speed) chain to grind on the dropout when in the smallest cog. The solution was to space the hub to 128 and re-dish. I did this because that freewheel had the right set of cogs. Perhaps the problem is spacing and perhaps it isn't. It could also be the distance between the freewheel seating surface and the plane of the biggest cog. It could also be that long ago someone put it together with the wrong spacer. Nonetheless it has been a problem, and it means that not all 7s are the same, in the real world of C&V parts. I haven't had to re-dish to use 7s on my other frames, with both Campy and Shimano hubs. I am not talking about freeHUBS at all.

Not to discount the value of Sheldon's contributions, but do you really think he captured all possible design variations? Standard but special is common in the world of bicycles. For example, perhaps my parts predated the specifications he found.

Ultimately one has to make THE PART work, not what's in some database, no matter how well-intentioned.

The OP lists a 126 mm OLN, suitable for any 6 sp freewheel and virtually all 7 sp freewheels (nominally 127 mm OLN). You may need to shift some spacers from LH to RH side and re-dish the wheel but Atom freewheels tend to sit 'outboard' more than Asian freewheels in my experience (depending on model).

Sachs freewheels also sit a little more outboard than Asian freewheels in my experience. Sachs freewheels are a lot less common nowadays than Shimano or other Asian freewheels though.

Road Fan, I think we ultimately agree, to a large extent. If the OP fits a Shimano 7sp freewheel, his chances of problems (clearance restrictions or shifting problems) are fairly low. Most aspects we are nitpicking each other about are comparatively esoteric.

We are trying to be helpful here.

Absolutely, I know that and appreciate the advice that has been given :thumb:

As I said above, I am likely going to get a freewheel close to what I have now instead of trying to operate out of the suggested norm. I am also going to use a 6s instead of a 7 to avoid problems. I am going to see if my LBS has some old ones shoved away before I narrow down what I want.

I have read in previous threads the Shimano UG and HG freewheels are the smoothest and quietest but may have problems with ghost shifting, can anyone speak from experience about that?

Hmmm, here is a pic of my current chain length, just in case you guys are looking at the old pic (which I am going to remove). You can see in the Big/Big combo the chain still has an S shape in through the RD. I used the Sheldon method but added twice the amount of extra links (about 2 inches)



Now, show us a pic of the small-small combo.

There is no reason to just stay with what you've got. If you want a larger rear, go get it. The way to select gears is to know what you want and go get THAT. Pick your rear gears. Pick your chain rings. Don't just accept what the LBS has on the shelf left over from 30 years ago. You might have to buy two (compatible) freewheels to obtain and interchange the cogs you want. Retailers used to sell individual cogs but that was a while ago. YellowJersey still does this. Even so, this is the thing to do to get what you want.

I recently purchased a Suntour Ultra-6 in exactly the gears I wanted. I got it on ebay France, of all places, but it was from a seller here in the USA (norhren California).

I agree and I don't plan to just rush in yet. The LBS had a NOS suntour ultra 6 for $30.00, I'm not sure that is what I want so I passed. I am leaning towards a Shimano HG or the IRD freewheels because of the shape of the teeth.

Like I said earlier too, NE Ohio terrain is pretty tame and I do have a 21 speed bike to ride as well.

I ended up buying an old Zefal frame pump too, so I need to go donate some plasma.

I agree and I don't plan to just rush in yet. The LBS had a NOS suntour ultra 6 for $30.00, I'm not sure that is what I want so I passed. I am leaning towards a Shimano HG or the IRD freewheels because of the shape of the teeth.

Like I said earlier too, NE Ohio terrain is pretty tame and I do have a 21 speed bike to ride as well.

I ended up buying an old Zefal frame pump too, so I need to go donate some plasma.

I don't know through personal experience but just reading what Frank Berto said back in the day, he felt the standard 6 speed shifted much better than a narrow spaced 6 speed like the Ultra 6 or a 7 speed. Either a standard 6 or a 7 speed will go right into your 126mm spaced frame and work with the derailleur so it doesn't matter that way but since you're most concerned about shifting performance and you don't have requirements for a wide range freewheel, I would go with the standard Shimano HG or IRD 6 speed as you are already leaning.