Well, it worked with our schedule yesterday and it's not far.

I don't suppose it would really interest the C&V crowd but I experimented with chain sizing with large-large-rings-only, vs small-small-min-tension. I was able to get tension with the entire 114 links and didn't shorten it. Large-large said I could take it down to 112 but didn't give me a reason to.




Once it was installed I found the front derailleur would barely downshift and not upshift. The derailleur is yawed a little right. With the pins sticking out of the old chain there was plenty for the cage and the ring to bite on, but with the smooth sided 8 speed chain and no shift gates or pins on the rings, it needs to be adjusted. The back is better behaved - it's a difference but not a problem. I'd go for a modern freewheel with shift gates but the frame and hub are 120 spaced. I don't think there are any surviving options with the narrower 5 speed body - not even the ones that have 5 speeds.



In other news the behavior kid has turned over a new leaf for the week. Not sure what flipped the switch. Phases...