RT Metro

This is my dilemma. I have a clunker cruiser type frame that I am rebuilding. Its aluminum so no cold setting. Its originally a single speed, so when I bought it used, I figure I can get an old 120mm hub, stick a 5 speed cog in it and call it good. I was going to 126mm since I that hub in my garage. After tearing it down, re greasing the bottom bracket, headset, cleaning the frame and spend a half hour filing a derailer hanger flat so it can get bolted via the fender hole (previous owner gouged the forward half of the left dropout. Now I know why...) I measure the frame and it comes out to 115mm. If I take my 126mm hub, remove the spacer, it fits nicely in the dropouts. However, I am not sure if a 5 speed freewheel can still fit and not hit the right dropout. Anybody have any ideas? I would like to make this a multispeed bike for grocery getting. I am using a Schwinn stem shifter. Plan B is to make the rear a single speed, add a front derailler, swap out the single chainring to a triple on the one-piece crank and add a chain tensioner on the rear. I prefer to stick with derailler type setup.

mrrabbit 

Spacing for a rear 5-Speed Regular is:

OLD = 120mm - 122mm
Freewheel Stop to End of Locknut = 29.00mm (This is the most important dimension...)

You can fudge the non-drive side downward if necessary. However the more you do so - the more you create a wheel with asymmetrical offsets that result in longer non-drive spokes and shorter drive side spokes. It also means looser non-drive tension after the wheel has been properly dished (rim centered between locknuts of the hub).

=8-)

fietsbob

OK, you say but you also confide its not an easy fit.
How about an internal gear hub wheel instead?
'dish' compromise wont be so weird..
3 speed , 3/32 cog, you could still go for the double/triple chainring .. 6,7,8 chain.

Brompton folders have a narrow width, and so other SA hubs
can be altered to use that axle. b uses a 28 hole shell regular is a 36 hole..

OPC BB shell has adapters available. to go into 3 piece BB.. Alloy cranks.

RT Metro

I don't know if I can even fudge the NDS. I tried to see how the front derailer would sit, I realized that it won't work. The bottom bracket is forward of the seattube and downtube joint. The front derailer will be too far back. I Googled and found that there is a 3 speed freewheel at Amazon, though I'm not sure its for actual bikes (it said scooter bikes, whatever that means). Any experiences with this doohickey?

RT Metro

Its a clunker project to build a beer/grocery/steal-me-I-won't-cry/ghetto-fab bike. I want to use either parts that I have on hand (I got derailers, rims, shifter, hubs...). I'm open to a 3 speed Nexus if I've exhausted derailer setups. I'm not sure the IGH's can even fit the narrow aluminum frame, with existing gouge.

mrrabbit 

Set freewheel stop to outside of drive side locknut to 29.00mm.

That provides the minimum spacing required for 5 speed freewheel.

The non-drive is where you reduce - down to 120mm OLD - if possible - then down to 118, 115, if possible while still providing for a locknut on that side.

If you determine it can be done - some axle chopping will be needed. (Verify first...)

Once again, you'll have a two spoke length, asymmetrical wheel that will require re-dishing resulting in loose non-drive spokes and tight drive side spokes - much like a modern day 130mm 7/8/9/10 speed road bike wheel.

=8-)

RT Metro

Ill be rebuilding the wheel from 27 in to 26 in. I got the tools to build the wheel and will be my second time trying. First set still going strong on my commuter. If the dish to make it fit on a 115mm frame is similar to a modern 130mm hub I guest that's not too bad.

RT Metro

I have to say this project is a little silly. I'm trying to save money using old parts in order to makeup for 75 dollars worth of spokes so I can build a new wheelset and justify the existence of my wheelbuilding tools. In the end I want the experience of building another wheel and get a clunky cruiser.

maxi500

Hi there. I have a similar problem. I have an aluminium frame with 115mm rear stay spacing. New hubs with that dimension are hard to come by and in any case i would prefer to re-use my old rear wheel. This is a old shimano wheel with a 126mm spacing and a 8 or 9 cartridge on it. I was intrigued that you say this can fit in the 115mm slot with the cartridge removed? I want to use this bike as a single speed so this might work for me. Any suggestion?

Kimmo 

The only way you'd be able to squeeze a derailleur system between such narrow dropouts is to use an off-centre rim, IMO.

IthaDan 

This is not nearly as simple as it sounds. Most any bike with an "american" BB is made to a pricepoint. This means there's a lot of corners cut in places the end user doesn't often see.

Read up before you jump in

fietsbob

Though the rear IGH may not come in the right width,
in the case of SA hubs at least the 3 speeds can be narrowed on both ends,
you change the axle/sungear and indicator chain, from the folding bike parts list.
UK based SJS cycles has a lot of SA parts if you cannot find them domestically.

3alarmer 

I cannot believe you live in the same town as me. Where are you finding
all these hills between you and the grocery store ??

Build some wheels for something worthwhile and use your POS purchase
as it was originally designed to go to the grocery......and get some wire
baskets with the money you save not building these wheels.

cycle_maven

I've made a "ghetto" 6-speed dual-drive from a couple of cogs from a 7-speed cassette, with the tabs ground down to fit on a Sturmey-Archer AW hub body. Two cogs fit just right under the lockring with a 7-speed spacer between them. I used a stem-mount dual shifter to shift the derailleur and the S/A hub (you don't need indexing on the hub, really). Worked great. 116 mm O.L.D., so it would fit without frame modification.

RT Metro

Just an update, my ghetto grocery getter with handbuilt wheels is running, and running well. I used an old 5 speed freewheel, hacked the axle and chopped a spacer in half. I used an old stem shifter. In the highest gear, the chain rubs on the chain guard mount on the right chainstay. I need to shove the hub in the dropout, but there doesn't seem to be any deformation. Due to having to chop of some of the damaged dropout, it is essentially working like a vertical dropout with the axle pushed all the way in. The derailler hanger with the tab filed flush happened to line up well with the rack/fender bolt and quick release holding it in place. I just wished I bought the biggest baskets available. Avid SD2 levers are alot better than those cheapie levers that came with the Sunlite brakes. Stops like a freight train though. It was a fun project.

Kimmo 

So, you mean terribly? Glacially? Something woeful? Or was that a mixed metaphor?