Freewheels are still made sot hat people with VINTAGE bikes can keep them VINTAGE. Really, no reason to fight over it. Its so simple you all get angry.

I have one bike with a freewheel, an old Schwinn MTB 10 speed...beater bike. If the freewheel locks up or something I will buy a new one for it. Im not gonna pour $300 into converting a $30 bike to 9 speed.

Those IRD Freewheels look great! Would be perfect for a nice vintage bike, of any flavor.

8 speed cassettes hard to find? NO WAY! I see them everywhere online, from low end to higher end, Mostly SRAM though (which I like better).

So, lets try to all get along, and quit acting like 2nd graders when somone took a crayon.