Originally Posted by
oldsrocket1965
I'm seeing that low-end bikes have freewheels while everything else uses cassette free hubs. Are freewheels that fragile? I understand that the bearings on the free hub are more indestructibe, however are all the low-end bikes with 7 speed freewheels really that weak that they should be avoided? Giant, Specialized, Trek, etc. all have bikes with freewheels. Are those bikes just junk?
There is no problem with freewheels. The problem with freewheel hubs is that the axles bend because the drive side is supported so far inboard. But people riding a $100 bicycle don't notice or care about a bent axle.