Yes, I'm not set on replacing the rear derailleur necessarily. I spoke with several LBS (and the coop) about redishing the current wheel, but none recommended it. I don't know if it's just a skill set they don't have or if it would not be cheaper for me to just buy a new wheel with hub already in place. Rear wheels seem to start at $40 and go up, with the 8/9 speed hub and skewers.

In addition to the shifters being broken, the chain skips about an eighth of a turn of the crankset sometimes going from 2nd to 3rd, and not when under pressure. This could be due to that shifter cable not being seated correctly due to the broken shifter housing.

I definitely know it's a 6 speed, but whether it's cassette or freewheel, I don't know. One tech at an LBS said that with some of the 6 speed freehubs, the smallest cog screwed on and held it together, and if that was the case, it might be just as difficult to remove as a freewheel. At any rate, it's a non-issue, I'm pretty set on upgrading to get more gears.

So the choice at this point is 8 or 9 speed.

But back to the original question, If I buy a new rear wheel, should I stick with the 1 inch or go with 1.5 inches or does it make any difference (other than the 1.5 being fatter than the front wheel if I don't replace both)?