Originally Posted by
Clint in KY
As to your first point - the Trek is a 2004 model so I doubt if it is a Cassette. And the Gravity's parts list specs that it is both a freewheel and a cassette (?).
And as to the "21 speeds" riding flat gravel roads in the nearby LBL seldom requires more than just two gears.
I will explore the link just to be better informed about the bikes.
Is this the Bikesdirect bike you were eyeballing:
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products...tain-bikes.htm
This bike uses a freewheel hub. Do you know how I know? Because it lists the freewheel as SHIMANO MF-TZ500 14-28T-7speed, and that is a freewheel, not a cassette. In Shimano nomenclature, MF-**** is a freewheel (or 'Multiple Freewheel'); and CS-**** would be a cassette.
BTW 14-28 is a pretty narrow range. So for sure, the 3X7 trek bike will have a much wider gearing range than this 1X7 bike. Just fix up the Trek and forget about the cheapie 1X7 bike.