fixedgearinker

Hey, hope everyone had a good weekend? I have a question about using an 8 speed free-wheeel. I want to upgrade my 6speed Chorus with an 8 speed freewheel. I really like my wheel-set and would like to still use it. I have found a few 8speed Sachs freewheels on E-Bay, however am not sure as to the feasibility/durability of such a change. I understand that I will need to space the locknut on the drivetrain side of my rear hub, as well as re-dish. Is this a wise modification? Or should I just go with a 7speed freewheel?

garage sale GT

* how much do you weigh?

* does Sachs use Campy threads?

Sixty Fiver

8 speed freewheels were not used for a very long time due to the high incidence of axle breakage due to the greater amount of unsupported axle.

For a lightweight rider and / or a bike that is not going to see hard use it might be okay but if you want 8 speeds, a cassette hub is the way to go.

fixedgearinker

I'm pretty stocky, crank the pedals fairly hard... that combined with the less than smooth roads of western PA probably makes the 8speed option not so wise afterall.... i asked about the compatibility and was told that the sachs freewheel will thread onto the campy hub...

thenomad

I just fixed a 6 speed freewheel axle that was snapped on an older bike. Maybe you just want different gearing?

fixedgearinker

thanks. I really wanted to retain the original wheelset. I think I might hunt up a matching MA40 rim and build a new rear wheel with a Campy cassette hub and still use my orig front wheel....

Jeff Wills

Yes, it'll thread on, but (IIRC) there were Sachs 8-speed freewheels made for Campy (5mm between cogs) and Shimano (4.8mm between cogs). You'd have to get the correct one for your shifters.

You are far better off either minimizing the number of cogs on your bike or converting to a cassette hub.

Garthr

What is exactly are your needs that you want the extra gears for? It would help if we knew.

That said, a 7 speed is the most I would use with that hub. Leave the wheels as they are, don't re-dish.

The only hub to use for 8 speed FW is a Phil Wood as the axle is oversized, though it's for 130mm or 135mm spacing. But, think long term. What is the availability of 8 speed FW's for the future? Sunrace makes them for now.... even 9 speed ones. Buy a bunch,as who knows for how long!

As stated .... if you want the mega gear route, a cassette may serve you better though. But, with reservations, and frame widening(simple)..... the 8 speed Phil would work.

HillRider

As noted, there were very few 8-speed freewheels made for good reason. 6 and 7-speed freewheel hubs broke a lot of axles. 8-speed made it that much worse.

Note that neither Shimano or Campy ever made them. Sun Race is adequate stuff but just.

fixedgearinker

I have campy Chorus 6-speed friction shift on now. My goal really is to gain a reliable and accurate index shifting. my thoughts on 8 speed was the availability of 8 speed index stuff versus 7 speed index. Will my Chorus (ist gen Chrous I believe?) rear der work with later Campy indexing shifters? What is my best choice for 7 speed freewheels? I would love to retain as much of my current drivetrain since it is the original to the Basso.... I realize by going to 8 speed I would have probably needed a new rear der, and obviously a new cassette hub would have been in order. Any suggestions on how to achieve a nice indexing system while retaining as much of the orig components? Thanks

thanks

Garthr

IRD makes the best freewheels now. https://www.interlocracing.com/freewheels_steel.html the have 13-24, 13-28 and 13-32 7sp. Sunrace also makes 13-28 ones for less, quality is likely not quite as good. Shimano also started making a $20 13-28 again, but I don't know much about it.

For indexing you'll need any Shimano indexed shifter, as long as it's for at least 7 speeds. It can be for 8 or 9, but the extra positions just wont' be used. Friction FD shifting is fine.

As you know..... indexing is a system...... so a new RD, chain, rear hub, dt shifters or brake lever shifters is needed. Your FD and crank should be okay, but with brifters I'm not sure how that would work without a new FD and crank, as these are designed as systems. Someone else will have to chime in there.

Ex Pres 

I had an older Chorus RD, mine had an adjustment barrel for use with indexing. I think it was made for 7 speed, and I used it with 8s Ergo shifters and 8s Campy rear. It worked, but it was never quite right. I bought a 9s Chorus (cheaper than the 8s I bid on), and it indexes with my shifters just fine.

DannoXYZ 

I've got a couple of Sachs 8-spd freewheels that I used with Mavic 500/550 hubs (has beefy 15mm axle). It actually works on 128mm spacing, so the axle-breakage rates won't be much more than 7-spd freewheels. However, the teeth-profile sucks for snappy shifts; Suntour's beveled-corner cogs or Shimano's twist-tooth Uniglide teeth works a lot better. Hyperglide trumps them all.

Garthr

I concur about Sachs freewheels, but I'm not in a hurry anymore so it's not a big deal. I think the old Suntour Winners shifted better. Both however .... last and last. . . . and last.