Bicycle Mechanics - BMX freewheel removal tools

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View Full Version : BMX freewheel removal tools


JonathanGennick
07-28-11, 07:13 AM
I encountered a BMX freewheel last night having four notches in it. I want to order the appropriate tool. Danscomp lists four different such tools. It's unclear to me whether the four notches are a standard size. Are they? Or is there more than one standard. I don't mind buying two or three tools to cover the bases, if that's what I need.


fietsbob
07-28-11, 09:17 AM
drag the wheel to a bike shop, they see things with eyes..
text is not as good for visual information.

Perhaps the brand of freewheel in mentioned on the part?

JonathanGennick
07-28-11, 09:27 AM
@fiets, it's easier and cheaper for me to order two or three tools than to drag the wheel to a shop. I was just hoping that someone familiar with BMX would be able to tell me whether there is one standard or many.


BloomBikeShop
07-28-11, 10:09 AM
If it has four notches, get the tool with four prongs. Like this:

http://www.parktool.com/uploads/images/blog/repair_help/FR6.jpg

http://www.danscomp.com/products-TOOLS/811033/Freewheel_Remover_4-Prong.html

The two-prong and four-prong are pretty standard tools. The exception is that some brands of freewheel use their own pattern, but that's usually mentioned in the product description for the tool.

JonathanGennick
07-28-11, 11:41 AM
The two-prong and four-prong are pretty standard tools.

Thanks! I'm going to order one today then. I had looked at what Danscomp had. Some of the prong sizes looked different in the photos. That's why I decided to ask and double-check. I'll order one of the four-prong models then, and go from there. Thanks for your help.

fietsbob
07-28-11, 12:00 PM
wow gas prices, must be really killing folks , if UPS shipments are less..

JonathanGennick
07-28-11, 12:19 PM
wow gas prices, must be really killing folks , if UPS shipments are less..

Gas prices are indeed hurting. It's a 50-mile each way trek to the nearest bike shop. Plus, their hours are such that I need to take time off from work in order to go. A typical trip to the not-so-local-bike-shop costs me about four hours of my day + at least $20 in gas + a meal out + a couple hours of vacation time.

Worse, in a case like this, I'd need to make two trips, because the shops here don't stock much in the way of tools. It really is easier to just order a couple of different tools on spec and enjoy my evenings at home. The time is really the big issue for me. I just have so little spare time these days.

BloomBikeShop
07-28-11, 04:50 PM
Some of the prong sizes looked different in the photos.

Just to be clear, some of the less common freewheels still use four prongs, but they're a slightly different shape or pattern. Like the specific tool for the Odyssey 13t freewheels.

And that's all assuming it's a 16t freewheel, which was the most common stock size on bmx bikes. If you happen to have a 14t on there, it probably needs one of the other four prong tools. Regardless, as long as you match the brand and/or number of teeth to the Dan's Comp description, you should be all set.