Commuting - Need for Speedier Commute: 48t vs 53t

Hi all,

I need higher gearing on my current commuter. It has a 48t crankwheel. I've found someone that can upgrade it to a 53t crankwheel.

My question: Will the 53t crankwheel be noticeably faster than the 48t crankwheel?

Thanks.

BTW, I already looked into changing out the freewheel but no dice. My only option is to upgrade the crankwheel.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears/

Hi all,

I need higher gearing on my current commuter. It has a 48t crankwheel. I've found someone that can upgrade it to a 53t crankwheel.

My question: Will the 53t crankwheel be noticeably faster than the 48t crankwheel?

Thanks.

BTW, I already looked into changing out the freewheel but no dice. My only option is to upgrade the crankwheel.

Is this for a folder ?

thats pretty pricey going from 48t to 53t because typical you can't just buy a new crank that will fit, you offten need a whole new crankset. add the cost of instaltion or buying the tools then you might need a new bb too.

what gears do you run on your cassette, in the back? a 12-25 should be plenty of gears with a 48t. if its a 14 or a 16 in the back then thats not enough. cassttes are alot cheaper and easier to install than a whole new crankset. proper gearing helps alot for speed and steep climbs, but stronger legs makes a bigger differnce.

It will be approximately like changing two gears in the rear - like shifting from a 13T to an 11T.

Will it make you faster? Only if you're severely gear limited now. Very few multi-gear bikes are truly gear limited on anything but a big downhill.

Hi guys! Thanks for the replies. To answer your questions:

1. Yes, it is a folder. It has 16" wheels.

2. Currently it has a 14t - 28t six-speed freewheel. I've looked online and tried several bike shops. I wanted 11t or less but no one has a 6-speed freewheel with anything less than 14t!

3. I've looked at the Sheldon Brown gear page. I'm even more confused with all that stuff. :(

Question: Can I switch the freewheel out for an Internal Hub like a Strumey Archer 8 speed? If I can, then what would I need to do?

If I may be so snarky.. How about pedalling faster?

3. I've looked at the Sheldon Brown gear page. I'm even more confused with all that stuff. :(




You put your wheel size (16"), chainwheel sizes to comapre (53 and 48), and your smallest rear cog (14), then sellect "MPH @ 90 RPM" to get your speed at a normal cadence. I get:

____53_____ 48
14 16.3 mph 14.8 mph


So, it will give you 1.5 more mph at top gear.
Dear lord, you really do need higher gears. :twitchy:

If I may be so snarky.. How about pedalling faster?

...it is a folder. It has 16" wheels.
So according to Sheldon's site, your highest gear results in 58 gear inches (4.3 gain ratio). The 53t ring would raise that to around 64 gear inches (4.8 gain ratio). For comparison, my FG is at 72 gear inches (5.6 gain ratio). Switching to the new chain ring will move your bike 1/2" farther for every inch the pedal moves over the old chain ring, or around 21" further per crank revolution, assuming 170mm cranks.

If I may be so snarky.. How about pedalling faster?

Snarky indeed! :rolleyes:

Of course I'm pedaling faster. Duh! I'm pedaling faster than the wheels can keep up.

Dear lord, you really do need higher gears. :twitchy:

Yep. Higher gears are definitely needed.

Ok, I'm going with the larger 53t crankwheel. Next up: Does anyone know if I can change out the 6-speed freewheel for an Internal Hub? If so, do I need to buy anything else like a new chain or a new wheel to go rim/wheel to go with the Internal Hub?

Thanks! :)

Yep. Higher gears are definitely needed.

Ok, I'm going with the larger 53t crankwheel. Next up: Does anyone know if I can change out the 6-speed freewheel for an Internal Hub? If so, do I need to buy anything else like a new chain or a new wheel to go rim/wheel to go with the Internal Hub?

Thanks! :)

You need to get a whole new wheel built around the internal hub. I don't know if this is even possible for a 16" wheel.

how's the ground clearance on the current 48T?

I'd ask in the mechanic's forum for advice. If the bike will take a 7 speed freewheel, you have more options. The problem is, because the bike was so cheap to begin with, it may not be worth upgrading. Folding bikes don't always use standard components, and finding something nonstandard can end up... expensive. Worst case, it can be more expensive to do the upgrade than the bike's original cost!

In that situation, it might be better to bite the bullet and spend the money on a better designed folder.

You need to get a whole new wheel built around the internal hub. I don't know if this is even possible for a 16" wheel.

Thanks for the reply.

I did some poking around the official SA site: http://www.sturmey-archer.com/hubs_8spd_XRF8_A.php#

155 mm hub = 28 spoke holes
170 mm hub = 36 spoke holes

My 16" wheels have 28 spoke holes. So it's a match for the 155 mm hub's 28 spoke holes! Yay! :D

Where do I measure to see if I need the 155 mm hub or the 170 mm hub?

Thanks!

how's the ground clearance on the current 48T?

There's a metal "foot" on the bottom of my folder to protect the crankwheel when folded down. There's about 3/4" between the crankwheel and the ground when folded so I don't see a problem at all with the 53t crankwheel's clearance. :)

Thanks for the reply.

I did some poking around the official SA site: http://www.sturmey-archer.com/hubs_8spd_XRF8_A.php#

155 mm hub = 28 spoke holes
170 mm hub = 36 spoke holes

My 16" wheels have 28 spoke holes. So it's a match for the 155 mm hub's 28 spoke holes! Yay! :D

Where do I measure to see if I need the 155 mm hub or the 170 mm hub?

Thanks!

An 8 speed internal hub will run you about $150. You will need to pay a bike mechanic to build the wheel around it. So you're looking at $200+ to upgrade a cheap folder. As Torrilin noted, you're better off with a new folding bike.

I'd ask in the mechanic's forum for advice. If the bike will take a 7 speed freewheel, you have more options. The problem is, because the bike was so cheap to begin with, it may not be worth upgrading. Folding bikes don't always use standard components, and finding something nonstandard can end up... expensive. Worst case, it can be more expensive to do the upgrade than the bike's original cost!

In that situation, it might be better to bite the bullet and spend the money on a better designed folder.

I was initially going to do that but I recently rode a Brompton and, less than a week ago, a Downtube NS. I also checked out a Bike Friday Tikit, a Xootr Swift and three Dahons in a bike shop. Unfortunately, they aren't the bike(s) for me. :(

I love the bike that I currently have. It fits me perfectly. I love riding it. It makes me happy. It just needs to go faster. I know it's doable. I've seen other people modifying their folders in similar fashion.

I don't mind spending the extra money to make it faster. It's better than dropping $2,000+ on a bike that I'm not happy with and will wind up right back on these forums asking how I can modify it to make it suit me better. No dice.

I'm sticking with what I've got. All I need is to upgrade the gearing and I'm set! :)

An 8 speed internal hub will run you about $150. You will need to pay a bike mechanic to build the wheel around it. So you're looking at $200+ to upgrade a cheap folder. As Torrilin noted, you're better off with a new folding bike.

Thanks for the input. I'm very much aware of how much the hub costs and the mechanic costs.

I'm keeping what I've got and upgrading the gearing, thanks! :)

13x28 6 speed freewheels are available http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/freewheels.html#6 here, for one, a 53 ring with a 13 low freewheel cog would help your speed. I'ld look into seeing if a 7 speed freewheel, the 11x28, would fit, they are just a smidge wider than a 6 speed.

I love the bike that I currently have. It fits me perfectly. I love riding it. It makes me happy. It just needs to go faster. I know it's doable. I've seen other people modifying their folders in similar fashion.

OK! You have options. A 53t crank will improve top speed, but make going up hills murder... if your daily ride doesn't include a lot of the steep stuff, this may be just the upgrade you're looking for. If not, then you still have options. Sclumpf and Truvativ make internally-geared cranks that have a "high" and "low" setting you change by tapping a button at the crank with your heel... no front derailleur needed. Also, there are places that will make freewheels with custom cogs. Between those two options, you will probably achieve a good clip with your little bike... but be aware that other bikes with bigger wheels will go faster by nature. There's no substitute for wheel diameter when it comes to go-fast.

A 53t crank will improve top speed, but make going up hills murder...

53x28 on 16" wheels (assuming 16x1.5" tires) is an easy gear. It's lower than a 1x1 ratio on a 700x23c-wheeled bike. My triple-crank road bike doesn't even go that low (30x27 is the lowest gear and I can get over pretty steep hills on the road).

13x28 6 speed freewheels are available http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/freewheels.html#6 here, for one, a 53 ring with a 13 low freewheel cog would help your speed. I'ld look into seeing if a 7 speed freewheel, the 11x28, would fit, they are just a smidge wider than a 6 speed.
Does anyone really make a freewheel that takes an 11-tooth cog? If so then that would be a good solution since dropping the 14 to an 11 would increase the gearing by over 21% whereas going from a 48 to a 53 chainring only increases it by about 10%.

My Bike Friday came with a 60-tooth chainring and an 11/28 cassette to give reasonable gearing - and it has 20" wheels vs. the OPs 16". So I agree that he certainly does need higher gearing. If a freewheel is available with an 11-tooth cog then that would be easiest. Otherwise he'll need to change the hub (i.e. rebuild the wheel) using either an internal gear or one that takes cassettes with smaller cogs.

Just changing the front ring from 48 to 53 teeth (i.e. 10% larger) doesn't seem like enough of a change to make it worthwhile.

^^^^Well, they used to recently, Shimano went to the trouble of improving the engineering of the 7 speed freewheel, first with a 11x34 alpine gearing megarange model, which I have, and later an 11x28. I'm having trouble locating one now though at the usual suspects (Harris and loosescrews,for a couple).

Thank you all for your input. I appreciate it. :)

A few more questions about options and general pricing:

1. Can I change to a 6-speed CASSETTE with 11t by rebuilding the wheel? If so, approximately how much do you think it would cost?

2. Can I somehow squeeze a 7-speed CASSETTE with 11t? What would I need to do to accomplish this since the 7-spd takes up slightly more room than the current 6-spd, I assume?

3. Taking into consideration the option to put in the SA 8-spd Hub and the two options listed above, which is the best or easiest option?

Thanks in advance! :)

Hi guys! Thanks for the replies. To answer your questions:

1. Yes, it is a folder. It has 16" wheels.

2. Currently it has a 14t - 28t six-speed freewheel. I've looked online and tried several bike shops. I wanted 11t or less but no one has a 6-speed freewheel with anything less than 14t!

3. I've looked at the Sheldon Brown gear page. I'm even more confused with all that stuff. :(

Question: Can I switch the freewheel out for an Internal Hub like a Strumey Archer 8 speed? If I can, then what would I need to do?


Thank you all for your input. I appreciate it. :)

A few more questions about options and general pricing:

1. Can I change to a 6-speed CASSETTE with 11t by rebuilding the wheel? If so, approximately how much do you think it would cost?

2. Can I somehow squeeze a 7-speed CASSETTE with 11t? What would I need to do to accomplish this since the 7-spd takes up slightly more room than the current 6-spd, I assume?

3. Taking into consideration the option to put in the SA 8-spd Hub and the two options listed above, which is the best or easiest option?

Thanks in advance! :)

Well, first I would determine if I had a freewheel or cassette hub. If you have a freewheel, you can directly screw on a 13x28. If you have a 6 speed cassette hub, (and if it's Shimano) you can directly replace your 6 speed cassette with a 12x34 like this http://loosescrews.com/index.cgi?d=single&c=Cassette&sc=Complete%20Shimano&tc=6%20Speed&item_id=LS-UN61234&id=206075315591. You also might need to add a couple links of 6 speed chain. In combination with the bigger chainring, you will able to go 19 mph at the comfortable 90 rpm mentioned above with a 53x12 combo as opposed to the 15 mph you are going now in your 48x14 combo at the same rpm. This seems to me to be the easiest and cost effective option given your irrational attachment to this bike! :)

Cost would be about $80-$100 bucks

Or...
they make 58 tooth chainrings in the popular 110 and 130 diamaters, wihich would get you 3 mph for about $35.
http://loosescrews.com/index.cgi?c=Crank/Chainring&sc=130mm%20BCD,%205%20bolt&id=206075315591
http://loosescrews.com/index.cgi?c=Crank/Chainring&sc=110mm%20BCD,%205%20bolt&id=206075315591
Easy peasy, Napolean Dynamite could do this upgrade in 5 Seconds!

With a 16 inch wheel gearing becomes challenging and with a 53:11 you are still going to top out in the 20 mph range (at 90 rpm) which is similar to what I get with my fixed folder that runs a 52:14 on 20 inch wheels at the same rpm.

A 7 speed freewheel with an 11-x could replace the 6 speed and will require a drive side spacer and a small re-dish to the rear wheel or you could build a new wheel around a cassette hub and have a better wheel.

The dropout spacing on your bike is 126mm but you could squeeze a 130 mm hub in there or cold set the frame if it is steel to use a newer hub.

My folder is a Phillip's 20 so getting parts that fit isn't as problematic and it is easier to set up decent gearings... as a fixed gear it runs a 52:14 which is a nice all round gear and the same as what you would get with a 53:11 on a 16 inch.

I have another 20 folder that I would like to set up as a geared road bike and will use a 52 tooth ring and road crank with an 11-28 in the rear to give me a very decent gear range.

Yep. Higher gears are definitely needed.

Ok, I'm going with the larger 53t crankwheel. Next up: Does anyone know if I can change out the 6-speed freewheel for an Internal Hub? If so, do I need to buy anything else like a new chain or a new wheel to go rim/wheel to go with the Internal Hub?

Thanks! :)

Harris Cyclery lists 6 speed IRD freewheels as available with a 13 tooth minimum size sprocket. Help some at minimum cost, particularly along with the 53 tooth chainring.

An IGH conversion needs to take into account the width of your frame at the dropouts or you need to get them spread to the required width. Most 7 and greater number of speeds IG hubs are 135mm wide. Only Sturmey Archer makes a narrower one that should fit your stock dropouts. Check OLD dimensions as well as axle length. Here is a link to the latest Sturmey Archer catalog as their web site is not up to date last that I checked.

http://www.sturmey-archer.com/pdfs/Sturmey-Archer_2009-2010_Catalogue.pdf

The SA 8 speed hubs have internal ratios that are typically best for a small wheel bike application. Go with the latest versions with a (W) in the model number as these have been strengthened internally and have a wider set of ratios overall, both worthwhile changes particularly the strength increase IMO.

Harris Cyclery lists 6 speed IRD freewheels as available with a 13 tooth minimum size sprocket. Help some at minimum cost, particularly along with the 53 tooth chainring.

Will a 13t freewheel give me a noticeable bump in speed compared to my current 14t freewheel?

Thanks. :)

A 7 speed freewheel with an 11-x could replace the 6 speed and will require a drive side spacer and a small re-dish to the rear wheel or you could build a new wheel around a cassette hub and have a better wheel.

When I went to several bike shops they all said putting a 7 spd freewheel on my bike wasn't doable which I thought wasn't the truth. It can be done. Thank you! Can you point me to a place where I can get all the stuff for the 7 spd freewheel conversion or the more involved 7 spd CASSETTE conversion?

Thanks! :)


The dropout spacing on your bike is 126mm but you could squeeze a 130 mm hub in there or cold set the frame if it is steel to use a newer hub.

How do you know my bike's "dropout spacing"? Where did you find that info?

I'm trying to do some research on Sheldon Brown's website. Is there anything else I should know about "cold setting", spacers, hubs, 6spd freewheel to 7spd cassette conversions?

http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

Thanks! :thumb:

KitN--
I'm watching this thread with interest, since as you know I have the same bike you do. How much were you quoted for the upgrade to a 53t crankset?

By the way, we aren't too worried about the low gears - I've used 1st maybe once. If the hill is so steep that I need my current 1st gear, I'll go just as fast if I get off and walk it.

Will a 13t freewheel give me a noticeable bump in speed compared to my current 14t freewheel?

Thanks. :)

Your current 14-48 top gearing gives a high gear ratio of 3.42. Multiply times rear wheel diameter of about 16" gives a high gear of 55 gear inches. A 13 tooth freewheel and the proposed 53 tooth chainring would give an overall ratio of 4.08 and a top gear of 65 gear inches. Still relatively low for a top gear but a close to 18% increase which would definitely be very noticeable.

When I went to several bike shops they all said putting a 7 spd freewheel on my bike wasn't doable which I thought wasn't the truth. It can be done. Thank you! Can you point me to a place where I can get all the stuff for the 7 spd freewheel conversion or the more involved 7 spd CASSETTE conversion?

Thanks! :)

How do you know my bike's "dropout spacing"? Where did you find that info?

I'm trying to do some research on Sheldon Brown's website. Is there anything else I should know about "cold setting", spacers, hubs, 6spd freewheel to 7spd cassette conversions?

http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

Thanks! :thumb:

I do this for a living and have had to do a fair bit of cold setting with many older frames so that they would accommodate hubs they were not designed for.

If it has a six speed freewheel then it is quite likely that the dropout is 126mm (or should be) and a 7 speed freewheel can be swapped in with very little fuss and at very little cost.

A modern mtb cassette (7-9 speed) will have 135 mm spacing while a modern cassette road hub (8-10 speed) will have 130mm spacing.

If it has a 126 mm spacing then using a road hub with 130mm spacing will require less cold setting (the frame has to be steel to do this) and the frame itself might even have enough flex to allow the 130 mm hub to fit.

Aluminum frames cannot be cold set so a proper sized hub has to be used... my hybrid has mtb spacing but runs a road tyre so when I was building new wheels I had to use an mtb hub.

My longbike has an older rear triangle with 126 mm spacing so I used a 130mm road hub.

Conversely...I have retrofitted some older frames with 3 speed hubs (114 mm spacing) and then the dropouts have to be narrowed.

Here is a guide to dropout spacing...

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_sp-ss.html

If it has a six speed freewheel then it is quite likely that the dropout is 126mm (or should be) and a 7 speed freewheel can be swapped in with very little fuss and at very little cost.

A modern mtb cassette (7-9 speed) will have 135 mm spacing while a modern cassette road hub (8-10 speed) will have 130mm spacing.

If it has a 126 mm spacing then using a road hub with 130mm spacing will require less cold setting (the frame has to be steel to do this) and the frame itself might even have enough flex to allow the 130 mm hub to fit.

My bike's frame is definitely 100% steel. I even stuck a refrigerator magnet to it 20 minutes ago. Yep, 100% steel indeed so cold setting is doable.

So if an 8, 9 and 10 speed cassette road hub has the same exact 130mm spacing, can I just use a 10 speed cassette hub to get even more gears than a 7 speed mtb cassette?

Re: gear hub. IGH's use the same drivetrain as a singlespeed. As such,you need to be able to tension the chain. If your bike has vertical dropouts,you'll need to either add a tensioner,or keep the rear derailleur and repurpose it.

Re: rear speeds. Understand that different speed clusters have different size chains. Changing the rear cluster will mean a different chain and might mean you'd still have to change the front ring to make everything compatible. Also,if you're going with older 6-8sp components,you might not need to spend the dosh on new parts. Pretty sure NYC has at least one bike co-op where you should be able to find what you need on the cheap.

Re: posting. Have you posted this to the Folding forum? You might be able to find someone over there who has done this before. Not hammering you,just pointing out that for a question like this the Folding and Mechanics forums might get you more/better info.

Yep. Higher gears are definitely needed.

Ok, I'm going with the larger 53t crankwheel. Next up: Does anyone know if I can change out the 6-speed freewheel for an Internal Hub? If so, do I need to buy anything else like a new chain or a new wheel to go rim/wheel to go with the Internal Hub?

Thanks! :)

Hey KitN, I've been wondering how long it would be before you decided to upgrade to an internal hub!
the 53T chain ring will help a little; you can get a 60T from loosescrews and that will help more, but what you really need... well, you already know what I'm going to say. Cut your losses and do the job right.

Yes, what you need is the Sturmey Archer 8 speed hub, preferably the new improved version, but the older one is fine (if you get the older one, be sure it's cheap!). A Shimano Nexus 4 is a good cheap option; there's a store in Brooklyn that's selling them for fifty bucks, last I checked. A Nexus 7 or Nexus 8 is not a workable option with 16" wheels.

You probably have a 28 spoke rim, and finding a 28 hole hub will be somewhere between difficult and impossible. Easiest would be to get a new 36 hole rim and new 36 hole hub and just build yourself a whole new wheel. But if you're ambitious, you can lace a 36 hole hub to a 28 hole rim. It's a bit complicated, but can be done. If you've never built a wheel, you are in for a bit of a shock, but I'm sure you can do it.

Re: posting. Have you posted this to the Folding forum? You might be able to find someone over there who has done this before. Not hammering you,just pointing out that for a question like this the Folding and Mechanics forums might get you more/better info.

Hi. Thanks. I thought about that very thing but I thought that we're not supposed to "cross-post": Posting the same exact thread in different areas. Are we allowed to? :eek:



the 53T chain ring will help a little; you can get a 60T from loosescrews and that will help more, but what you really need...

I think the 60 will be too big and will interfere with folding. What is the diameter or a 60t chainwheel so I can check to make sure?



A Shimano Nexus 4 is a good cheap option; there's a store in Brooklyn that's selling them for fifty bucks, last I checked.

OMG where?!? :eek:

Where is this shop and what's the name? I can go down there today and pick it up. BTW, what is the gear ratio and top speed that I can get with the Nexus 4 and the 53t chainring?



You probably have a 28 spoke rim, and finding a 28 hole hub will be somewhere between difficult and impossible. Easiest would be to get a new 36 hole rim and new 36 hole hub and just build yourself a whole new wheel. But if you're ambitious, you can lace a 36 hole hub to a 28 hole rim. It's a bit complicated, but can be done. If you've never built a wheel, you are in for a bit of a shock, but I'm sure you can do it.

Yep, I have a 28 spoke rim. Where can I find a 36 hole rim for 16" wheels? Thanks! :)

My bike's frame is definitely 100% steel. I even stuck a refrigerator magnet to it 20 minutes ago. Yep, 100% steel indeed so cold setting is doable.

So if an 8, 9 and 10 speed cassette road hub has the same exact 130mm spacing, can I just use a 10 speed cassette hub to get even more gears than a 7 speed mtb cassette?

yes.

But then you need 10 speed chain and 10 speed parts which are $$$.

I'd avoid that since you aren't building up a racing bike.

Hi. Thanks. I thought about that very thing but I thought that we're not supposed to "cross-post": Posting the same exact thread in different areas. Are we allowed to? :eek:

I don't think it would be a prob to post this in Folding and Mechanics since it applies to both. You're not trying to SPAM anything.


Where is this shop and what's the name? I can go down there today and pick it up. BTW, what is the gear ratio and top speed that I can get with the Nexus 4 and the 53t chainring?

Gearing calculator:
http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/internal.html

Realise that Nexus hub is only 4 speeds. That means you'll have two fewer than before. You could wind up with a pretty narrow gear range. Click the link to Sheldon's standard gear calculator and plug your current numbers in to compare(there's no 6spd cassettes listed,so just check the teeth on your cogs and plug them in the custom blocks). Also,remember my previous post about IGH's:


Re: gear hub. IGH's use the same drivetrain as a singlespeed. As such,you need to be able to tension the chain. If your bike has vertical dropouts,you'll need to either add a tensioner,or keep the rear derailleur and repurpose it.

OMG where?!? :eek:

Where is this shop and what's the name? I can go down there today and pick it up. BTW, what is the gear ratio and top speed that I can get with the Nexus 4 and the 53t chainring?




Gearing calculator:
http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/internal.html

Realise that Nexus hub is only 4 speeds. That means you'll have two fewer than before. You could wind up with a pretty narrow gear range. Click the link to Sheldon's standard gear calculator and plug your current numbers in to compare(there's no 6spd cassettes listed,so just check the teeth on your cogs and plug them in the custom blocks). Also,remember my previous post about IGH's:

The shop in question had them in stock a couple months ago and I was thinking of getting one, a second one, but then I decided to use the one I have, which was on a bike I don't like to ride. So I never went there. They were also selling the hubs on ebay, which was how I found them. At any rate the store was in Brooklyn just north of the Williamsburg Bridge; so I'm thinking it was the Bicycle Doctor. Give them a call, maybe?

Dynaryder is absolutely right, the Nexus-4 is only 4 speeds, and its range is not terrific. Work out the details on Sheldon's gear calculator. The important thing is: The Nexus Inter-4 is an overdrive hub, like the Sturmey Archer 8. So your lowest gear would be direct drive, and other ones would be higher. You could use your existing crank.

I have this hub on the cheap yellow folding bike I use when my Downtube Mini is down for repairs (such as today). The gear range is good enough for NYC use. I have a 21T cog on it. PM me if you want to test ride it; I'll have it with me in NYC for the next week or so while the Mini is in the shop.



Yep, I have a 28 spoke rim. Where can I find a 36 hole rim for 16" wheels? Thanks! :)
You can get the 36H rim from Niagara Cycle Works (http://www.niagaracycle.com/product_info.php?products_id=22494), or from Bikepartsusa.com (http://www.bikepartsusa.com/bikeparts/item/01-124247/rim-16_inch/Alex--16x1.5%2C-X-101%2C-36-Hole%2C-305x20%2C-Silver-Alloy-Rim&category=rim-16_inch), or no doubt from many other places.

But wait, I have another idea. You can get a Sturmey Archer 3-speed hub with 28 holes dirt cheap on ebay (http://cgi.ebay.com/Sturmey-Archer-Hub-3-Speed-AW-28-Hole-1976_W0QQitemZ230339066770QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item230339066770&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50). With a 14T cog, your 2nd gear (direct drive) would be the same as your highest gear now; 1st gear would be 75% of that, and 3rd would be 133% in 3rd-- quite an improvement over what you have now. This would be your cheapest option by far, and in many ways its a good one.