General Cycling Discussion - Looks like 10 speed Thread on freewheels now exist!

Looks like 10 speed Thread on freewheels now exist! DNP is making them, 11-32 gear range.

Now showing at a few online stores but not in stock yet. Guessing this spring ('12)

being at the lighter end of the scale and having an old PhilWood hub that I can have the axel changed to 130mm on, I'm pretty thrilled. Will make a great extra wheelset for my winter bike.

Why would anyone want one? I don't see a reason for 10-speed anyway, but that's another matter. Assuming you want 10-speed, why risk a bent axle when cassettes are more readily available and superior. You'd have to redish an existing freewheel hub anyway, so it's not much more work to relace the wheel with a different hub.

I quit after 7 speeds on the rear freewheel/cassette. I just don't see the need or the point for most riders. They are more complicated, finicky to keep adjusted and consume wear parts at an alarming rate. I have a pair of bikes that are all but identical, one was mine, one my brother's. We both put drop bars and brifters on them, his brifters broke, can't buy replacement parts or fix the broken one, so that bike is going back to the flat bars and thumb shifters. Technology is great stuff, but it isn't always an improvement.:50:

FWIW I feel the same way about IGH too. I have a Sturmey-Archer 3 speed hub on an old Raleigh that has gone well over 30,000 miles with nothing more than basic maintenance, maybe 2-3 chain replacements. I have a newer Shimano hub 8 speed that has a broken internal part, after maybe 7,000 miles, can't get replacement parts...:wtf: That my friends IS NOT an improvement.:notamused:

Aaron:)

My thoughts exactly. Newer stuff is only an improvement if it actually improves something.

Thing about freewheels is they do not necessarily go on straight,
with a little wobble and friction shifting, there is not such an issue.

Cassette drivers let the cogs run straight, thin gaps to stuff in #10/11 of them that is important.

Why would anyone want one? I don't see a reason for 10-speed anyway, but that's another matter. Assuming you want 10-speed, why risk a bent axle when cassettes are more readily available and superior. You'd have to redish an existing freewheel hub anyway, so it's not much more work to relace the wheel with a different hub.

Reason(s) for wanting one…

Why would I want 10 speeds? how 'bout because thats what both my bikes run?

Biggest reason is I have my old Phil wood freewheel hub that I have on hand and is still as smooth running as the day I bought it. and it has an oversized axle. That combined with my sub 150lb weight means and that I'm probably safe from bending it.

Yes Cassettes are superior in pretty much every way, but if I don't have to pay $400 for a new phil wood rear cassette hub to match my front wheel I'd be happy. This will make a decent winter wheelset for me for a very small investment. -Yes the wheel would need to be rebuilt, but I like to tinker.

I would expect the hub to outlast the hubs on My Fulcrum 5's and the Ksyrium equipes that I already use to swap between road and cross on my winter bike. Will probably use Phil Wood Set as a home for my studded snow tires.

For my purposes I think its an okay investment. If I weighed 50lb's+ more and or and was trying to resurrect an old 600 or dura ace hub I'd hope someone would slap some sense into me. Also will have to send the hub back to phil wood first for them to swap out the axle for a 130mm. -Waiting to hear what that will cost (they do advertise the service). Still It should be a lot cheaper than the $400 alternative.

and as for Fietsbob's point of wobble thats a good one. Will have to wait and see if its enough to make it hop gears.

Good discussion!
Trevor

Reason(s) for wanting one…

Why would I want 10 speeds? how 'bout because thats what both my bikes run?

Biggest reason is I have my old Phil wood freewheel hub that I have on hand and is still as smooth running as the day I bought it. and it has an oversized axle. That combined with my sub 150lb weight means and that I'm probably safe from bending it.

Yes Cassettes are superior in pretty much every way, but if I don't have to pay $400 for a new phil wood rear cassette hub to match my front wheel I'd be happy. This will make a decent winter wheelset for me for a very small investment. -Yes the wheel would need to be rebuilt, but I like to tinker.

I would expect the hub to outlast the hubs on My Fulcrum 5's and the Ksyrium equipes that I already use to swap between road and cross on my winter bike. Will probably use Phil Wood Set as a home for my studded snow tires.

For my purposes I think its an okay investment. If I weighed 50lb's+ more and or and was trying to resurrect an old 600 or dura ace hub I'd hope someone would slap some sense into me. Also will have to send the hub back to phil wood first for them to swap out the axle for a 130mm. -Waiting to hear what that will cost (they do advertise the service). Still It should be a lot cheaper than the $400 alternative.

and as for Fietsbob's point of wobble thats a good one. Will have to wait and see if its enough to make it hop gears.

Good discussion!
TrevorWell, you've answered most of the points I was going to raise, but I have no interest in such a beast. I'm in the process of "upgrading" a 9 speed set-up to 8 speed. I don't need the extra gear, and the improved durability and cheaper cost of components just makes more sense for me.

Would be interested in hearing how it works out if you go forward.