Excess freewheel "for BMX only" - huh?
 

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...ht_2796wt_1163

So I need a new FW for a road bike conversion and thought I'd try an Excess, then I see this ebay listing says "for BMX only". What's up with that? Is there really some reason I can't use this on a multispeed FW road bike conversion? What am I missing, or is this just someone's idea of BMX hype?

The other listings I've seen for Excess don't say any such thing, and the pictures look identical. The Excess website only seems to show one freewheel.

The threading is different for a bmx freewheel smaller than 16tooth, there's an exception to it, there are a couple that have a 15 in bigger threading.

I find that confusing - so you need a different hub if you run a FW with fewer teeth?

Anyway, the one I'm looking at is 18 teeth, and the ad says it's standard English threading. I don't see anything there that would prevent me from using it on a threaded road hub, but I thought I better ask. I cut this from the listing:

Excess Components
Excess 18 tooth 3/32" 3 Pawl Chrome Freewheel for BMX ONLY

Excess Components Single-Speed Freewheels

• Cold forged from 4130 chromoly
• 3 heavy-duty fast engaging/releasing pawls
• 30 Points of engagement for an instant and reliable start every time
• Show chrome finish on the outside, titanium finish in the center
• 8-spline body for weight savings and easier removal with standard tool

[TABLE]
[TR]
[TH="colspan: 2"]Item Specifications[/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Color[/TD]
[TD="class: seqbpdata"]Chrome[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seqbpevenrow"]
[TD]Weight[/TD]
[TD="class: seqbpdata"]168g[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Intended Use[/TD]
[TD="class: seqbpdata"]BMX[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seqbpevenrow"]
[TD]Cassette Body Type[/TD]
[TD="class: seqbpdata"]Threaded Standard[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Freewheel Teeth[/TD]
[TD="class: seqbpdata"]18teeth[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seqbpevenrow"]
[TD]Freewheel Thread[/TD]
[TD="class: seqbpdata"]English[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Chain Compatibility[/TD]
[TD="class: seqbpdata"]3/32"[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

You're good to go.

OK cool, thanks.

Do not buy that that freewheel. I do not see notches for a removal tool and it may be virtually impossible to remove. If you are on a budget buy a shimano or acs freewheel.

Which one are you talking about?

Guess.

Copied and pasted from the eBay listing:

8-spline body for weight savings and easier removal with standard tool

The description also says its standard threaded? Which is it..thread-on or splined with a lockring? Its not clear what sort of hub this works with. Is there some sort of special splined BMX hub? And why would anyone need a splined freewheel anyway? If its meant for a freehub, a cog is all that is necessary.

OK, the webpage for the product clears this up.
http://www.excessbmx.com/products/freewheels.php

The freewheel depicted in the website is a clearly a thread-on. The 8 splines (notches) are not for hub engagement but are intended for a removal tool (although the ebay auction doesn't clarify this).

However, I don't see the splines in the ebay freewheel. I have seen other freewheels that are more-or less permanent (i.e. they lack splines for a removal tool). The freewheel in the ebay auction looks like one of those. Maybe the auction photo is showing the inside rather than the outside surface of the freewheel. If thats the case, its a poorly constructed auction page. I would boycott for that reason alone.

According to QBP it is a standard thread on freewheel and Excess also makes the tool (which has eight splines, go figure) necessary for removing it:
http://www.btosports.com/Merchant2/g...moval-Tool.jpg
There are two diffferent versions of the tool - one for 13-15t and one for 16-22t.

The pic shown of the freewheel on the eBay listing is the back. The front looks like this:

http://www.btosports.com/Merchant2/g...s-Freeweel.jpg

Dilemma solved.

However - the 13 and 14t versions are metric threaded and can't be used on a standard English threaded hub.

FWIW - a single speed freewheel with standard English threading is often referred to as "BMX style" becuase most modern multi-speed bikes use a freehub/cassette configuration.

Am I still supposed to guess because now I really have no idea what the f is going on.

WTF is 'standard' about their tool to deal with this? Been awhile since I spent time in the back of the shop (long enough ago that I dealt with freewheels fairly regularly), but I don't remember anything like this. A BMX standard, or just excess design?

Yeah, it's pretty lame that they say "easier removal with standard tool" when in fact, you need to buy a special tool made by them.

"excess technologies" seems an appropriate name...I would just get a good old Shimano

A common 4 prong freewheel tool works too.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=287206

In theory yes, but have you actually tried it?

If the diameter of the prongs is the same it will work. Otherwise, it may not.

This is why I face palmed after I bought my ACS crossfire. I didn't realize they require their own tool