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6 to 7 Speed Freewheel Upgrade

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6 to 7 Speed Freewheel Upgrade

Old 01-09-12, 04:04 PM
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6 to 7 Speed Freewheel Upgrade

Disclaimer:

My bad if this particular topic has already been covered in another thread here. Be kind enough to guide me to it and disregard the rest.

Preamble:

I want to convert my 89 dollar big box mtn bike (yep, some of us are just too poor for Trek or Cannondale) freewheel from 6 to 7 speed. I've had this bike a year and half and it's serving me surprisingly well: no broken parts, flats, or funny noises. Replaced the chain, frayed shifter cables, rubber brake pads in that time. Me (55 years old) & Big Red (bikes name) average anywhere from 50 to 90 mile per week. Two successful 240 mile round trips to NYC from PA. I no longer drive or own a car but bike anywhere rain, shine, or snow -day or night, 365 days. Big Red will carry 40+ pounds of tools to job sites on front and rear racks. On lucky Saturday nights handle bars have easily hauled dates home with me from church socials. What more can a poor man ask of his beloved bike?

Here are the facts:

1. 26 x 1.95 wheel with reliable but unpronounceable Chinese or Taiwanese brand wheel hub, rim is still true within 1/8th of an inch from the brake pad.
2. Bike frame has more than enough clearance to accomplish the the modification.

Specific questions:

1. Will the current 6 speed hub accommodate the 7 speed freewheel upgrade? I believe the Sheldon Brown website implies that it's do-able but, because of the sites encyclopedic proportions, I can't exactly find where I read it.
2. Will the addition of the extra gear require re-dishing of the wheel/spokes or can I get away with ignoring this for the intended application?

How to play nice:

Please, poverty sucks and the questions are simple: only serious and adult responses. If you want help me I am appreciative and grateful. If you want to jib-jab juvenile about your expensive bikes for the purpose of smug derision get back home to mommy, your dinner's ready and getting cold.

Thanks, people.
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Old 01-09-12, 04:12 PM
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Do you have INDEXED or FRICTION shifters?

https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/freewheels.html
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Old 01-09-12, 04:25 PM
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Friction shifted (bar end) I use 6 standard width, and 7 speed freewheels interchangeably.

Ultra 6 was an earlier design to fit 6 speeds in the space of 5 standard.

8 was an N+1 on the end of a 7 speed cluster..

Last edited by fietsbob; 01-09-12 at 04:29 PM.
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Old 01-09-12, 04:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill Kapaun
Do you have INDEXED or FRICTION shifters?

https://sheldonbrown.com/harris/freewheels.html
Hi, Bill.

I have a set of basic Shimano grip shifters, RevoShift, friction on the crankset end and indexed (numbered click shift) at the freewheel.
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Old 01-09-12, 04:44 PM
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you will find the clicks are too wide , when #7 is crammed into the space of 6

so stick with 6 speed,

fine tune the tooth counts, to get the ratios you need.

.. and indexed (numbered click shift) at the freewheel.
Nope, the indexing is the thing on the handlebar end ,
want to add #7, think about friction shifting both , first.
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Old 01-09-12, 04:50 PM
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For hub width, standard 6 and 7-speed are interchangable (the frame spacing is 126 mm for both) and the wheel will not have to be redished for this change but indexed shifters are specific to the number of speeds. If you change to a 7-speed freewheel, your 6-speed indexing shifters won't work. However, you may be able to find 7-speed shifters at low cost and that would make the change practical.
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Old 01-09-12, 05:05 PM
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Hi Fietsbob, Bill.

I neglected to state that, in addition to the 7 speed freewheel, I intend to upgrade front and rear derailleurs as well as shifters. I'm considering Shimano Tourney 7 speed rear derailleur and Tourney thumbshifters as well as the Tourney FD-TX51 triple front derailleur. They are within my budgetary requirements and represent an obvious improvement over the existing factory powertrain (apologies for the car analogies). What's your opinion, guys?
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Old 01-09-12, 05:13 PM
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Hi HillRider.

AHA! Thanks HillRider, I was hoping to hear that! I was not looking to change out the existing hub. Everything seems to be working so well on this bike I wouldn't want to push my luck by tampering with a reliable hub. Sweet, I won't have to re-dish the wheel either. The local bike guy is willing to change out the freewheel for 15 dollars thereabouts, I was thinking about purchasing the correct Park Tool to diy it myself, just for the experience. (Maybe I should just let him do it).
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Old 01-09-12, 05:20 PM
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break a spoke and you will need the freewheel remover to get at the broken one,
so buy one for the new freewheel. new chain too , of course.
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Old 01-09-12, 05:21 PM
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Buy the Freewheel tool! <$10, and you'll have it in your tool box.
You'll need a wrench that opens to 1" to turn it. (crescent wrench will work)

You probably don't need a new RD unless you are going to a larger "big" cog on the freewheel.
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Old 01-09-12, 05:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Bill Kapaun
Buy the Freewheel tool! <$10, and you'll have it in your tool box.
You'll need a wrench that opens to 1" to turn it. (crescent wrench will work)

You probably don't need a new RD unless you are going to a larger "big" cog on the freewheel.
Hmm, 10 bucks for the tool, not bad. I have plenty of adjustable wrenches. The ratios on the 7 speed freewheel are standard enough, I suppose (Shimano 13-15-17-19-21-24-28 ).
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Old 01-09-12, 05:34 PM
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
break a spoke and you will need the freewheel remover to get at the broken one,
so buy one for the new freewheel. new chain too , of course.
I'm sold. I'll buy one with the rest of the gear I need to complete this project. Matter of fact, I'm convinced: I'm going to diy this thing myself.
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Old 01-09-12, 05:53 PM
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Mr. Bill Kapaun, Mr. Fietsbob, Mr. HillRider.

Thank you for your helpful and gentlemanly replies. Your scholarship of things bicycle has given me the calm and confidence to follow through on the freewheel upgrade without too much fear of the unknown. I'll get back to everyone to let everyone know how it went.

Again, thank you.
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Old 01-09-12, 05:56 PM
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good luck with the upgrade , your new freewheel puller (tool) may work with both the old & new freewheel ,so you can do it diy .
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Old 01-09-12, 06:30 PM
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Originally Posted by sooopy
in addition to the 7 speed freewheel, I intend to upgrade front and rear derailleurs as well as shifters. I'm considering Shimano Tourney 7 speed rear derailleur and Tourney thumbshifters as well as the Tourney FD-TX51 triple front derailleur. They are within my budgetary requirements and represent an obvious improvement over the existing factory powertrain (apologies for the car analogies). What's your opinion, guys?
Before you buy all this stuff, search your local craigslist for used bikes. You don't have to spend $1000 to get a decent bike, there are used Trek MTBs (and of course other brands) that show up frequently for less than $50. If in good shape they will be far lighter and more durable than an x-mart bike. I would rather spend $30 on a quality bike that needs work and fix it than spend $90 on an x-mart bike that will never be worth sticking money into. The other advantage of buying a used bike shop bike is that (if you get a good deal) and you fix it up yourself you can often sell it for a profit.
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Old 01-09-12, 07:17 PM
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When you remove the Free Wheel, it's a GOLDEN time to service the rear wheel bearings.
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Old 01-09-12, 07:50 PM
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Originally Posted by sooopy

I want to convert my 89 dollar big box mtn bike (yep, some of us are just too poor for Trek or Cannondale) .....


Please, poverty sucks and the questions are simple: only serious and adult responses. If you want help me I am appreciative and grateful. If you want to jib-jab juvenile about your expensive bikes for the purpose of smug derision get back home to mommy, your dinner's ready and getting cold.

Thanks, people.
The way to overcome a very limited bike budget is to look for a deal, and buy used. I have two high end Trek MTBs (a 1992 and a 1994 950 model), one cost $25, the other cost me $50. Used MTBs are cheap. So stretch your dollars by picking up something nice used. Oh yeah, I did have a Cannondale MTB (I've since sold it), it cost me more, $60.

A lot of bikes spend their lives hanging from a hook in a garage, so its not uncommon to find one 20 years old that has rarely or never been ridden.

And once you start thinking about upgrades, the move to a used higher end MTB becomes more desirable. For the cost of a couple of new parts, if you look hard, you can find a complete bike, with much better wheels, much better frame, etc.

Last edited by wrk101; 01-09-12 at 09:54 PM.
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Old 01-09-12, 08:32 PM
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it really depends on what big box store mtb sooopy has. what brand and model, how old is it? there are usually a few worth adding upgrades.

Last edited by roashru; 01-10-12 at 12:35 AM.
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Old 01-09-12, 09:14 PM
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OK, soopy. . . .

My guess is, your 18-speed, $89 MTB says "Roadmaster" on the downtube. At any rate, if you want to swap derailleurs, go ahead, just make sure 'your guy' knows how to adjust them. The Revoshift you talk about is more reliable than you think, and can be had in 7-speed as well.

YOU DON'T NEED TO GET A NEW CHAIN, unless yours is already worn out. 5-6-7-8 speeds all take the same chain. What you may need is a slightly bigger spacer on the rear axle to allow for the slightly wider gear cluster. (BTW, 126 spacing on the rear is erroneous for those bikes)
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Old 01-09-12, 09:47 PM
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Originally Posted by DX-MAN
BTW, 126 spacing on the rear is erroneous for those bikes
So, what is the actual spacing and is 7-speed different from 6-speed spacing on these frames?
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Old 01-09-12, 09:57 PM
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Originally Posted by DX-MAN

5-6-7-8 speeds all take the same chain. What you may need is a slightly bigger spacer on the rear axle to allow for the slightly wider gear cluster. (BTW, 126 spacing on the rear is erroneous for those bikes)
Not always. 5/6 can be one size, while 7/8 will be narrower. I use the KMC Z30 chain for 5/6 speed bikes, its really cheap, works well, but is too wide for 7 speed. I use the Z50 chain for the 7 and 8 speed. The cost difference is very small, so the manufacturer may well have used the narrower chain.

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Old 01-09-12, 09:58 PM
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If the bike IS what I believe it is, it's 135; no real diff, other than a couple mm for the slightly larger axle spacer. These cheaper bikes are made to "flex" in or out according to what they're equipped with. Just another way to cheap out on 'em. Precision? NOPE. Some don't even have the same size outer axle nut on both sides!
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Old 01-09-12, 09:58 PM
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Originally Posted by HillRider
So, what is the actual spacing and is 7-speed different from 6-speed spacing on these frames?
Pretty sure every BSO MTB I've worked on made in the last decade or so has 135mm rear spacing regardless of speeds. AFAIK 5-speed freewheels still come stock on some of these.
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Old 01-09-12, 10:00 PM
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Originally Posted by wrk101
Not exactly. 5/6 can be one size, while 7/8 will be narrower. I use the KMC Z30 chain for 5/6 speed bikes, its really cheap, works well, but is too wide for 7 speed.
That's why all these cheap bikes come with the same chain, and have for the last decade, right?

You can't equate what you deal with in higher-end older bikes with mass-market crapola. The Chinese will make a fool of you.
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Old 01-10-12, 03:29 AM
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Originally Posted by wrk101
The way to overcome a very limited bike budget is to look for a deal, and buy used. I have two high end Trek MTBs (a 1992 and a 1994 950 model), one cost $25, the other cost me $50. Used MTBs are cheap. So stretch your dollars by picking up something nice used. Oh yeah, I did have a Cannondale MTB (I've since sold it), it cost me more, $60.

A lot of bikes spend their lives hanging from a hook in a garage, so its not uncommon to find one 20 years old that has rarely or never been ridden.

And once you start thinking about upgrades, the move to a used higher end MTB becomes more desirable. For the cost of a couple of new parts, if you look hard, you can find a complete bike, with much better wheels, much better frame, etc.
+1. Your upgrade is going to cost you $50 minimum in new parts/tools and there will be a time investment.

I've scored 7-speed MTBs at Salvation Army for less than $10 on half-off day.
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