Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

can i use a gear with missing teeth?

Search
Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

can i use a gear with missing teeth?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 05-30-07 | 11:00 AM
  #1  
exas's Avatar
Thread Starter
Banned.
 
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 133
Likes: 0
From: Canada
can i use a gear with missing teeth?



im interested in the smallest one in the pic, would i have any problems if i use that one even though it has a broken tooth?
exas is offline  
Reply
Old 05-30-07 | 11:35 AM
  #2  
rjacob's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 175
Likes: 2

Bikes: 90' Trek 1000, Trek 700 cyclocross conversion, Legnano, 54 Indian Scout, 1980 Trek 412, Zeus Professional?, Raleigh Team USA, Raleigh Technium, Scott Spark 60,...

Besides the missing tooth, the cog looks cracked at the base of the next tooth. The smallest cog has had it, and will self distruct if used very much longer.
rjacob is offline  
Reply
Old 05-30-07 | 11:48 AM
  #3  
TallRider's Avatar
Senior Member
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,472
Likes: 26
From: Berkeley, CA
You might be able to get away with it. It's in a worse location on the smallest cog, compared to if it were on the largest cog, because the small cog doesn't have many teeth to begin with.

As rjacob pointed out, it looks as if the cog is cracked, perhaps from impact. I don't think that it will self-destruct, but it probably won't shift well, the chain may hop, and it has the possibility of hurting your chain.

I'd try it - if it works well enough, ride it but watch it to see if the crack worsens.

On the other hand, you can get a new 6-speed freewheel for $20.
__________________
"c" is not a unit that measures tire width
TallRider is offline  
Reply
Old 05-30-07 | 12:17 PM
  #4  
Bill Kapaun's Avatar
Really Old Senior Member
15 Anniversary
Community Builder
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,653
Likes: 1,895
From: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun

Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds. 2019 Giant Explore E+3

IF you insist on riding with THAT FW, set the high limit screw so you can't use that cog.
You're going to "gobble up" you chain which will then cause undue wear on the chain rings.

Usually Falcons eat up bearings before something else happens to them. They tend not to be long lived.
I'm not sure if a Shimano or SRAM replacement fits. Falcon MIGHT be a different "animal", with different threading???
Maybe someone knows for sure.
Bill Kapaun is offline  
Reply
Old 05-30-07 | 12:38 PM
  #5  
TallRider's Avatar
Senior Member
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,472
Likes: 26
From: Berkeley, CA
SRAM and Shimano cogs may thread onto the freewheel differently than Falcon, but for replacing the entire freewheel, nearly everything threads the same these days.
__________________
"c" is not a unit that measures tire width
TallRider is offline  
Reply
Old 05-30-07 | 02:05 PM
  #6  
Bill Kapaun's Avatar
Really Old Senior Member
15 Anniversary
Community Builder
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 14,653
Likes: 1,895
From: Mid Willamette Valley, Orygun

Bikes: 87 RockHopper,2008 Specialized Globe. Both upgraded to 9 speeds. 2019 Giant Explore E+3

" nearly everything threads the same these days."
It's the "nearly" part I'm not sure of. I've never seen Falcon FW's for sale other than when installed on a Target or Xmart type bike. Since they are from China, I wouldn't be surprised if they had a proprietory threading or whatever to be used with a "Falcon hub". I know Park sells a removal tool for them, which probably indicates they are worth removing I wouldn't think anybody would remove one, if no "available" FW would fit.
Bill Kapaun is offline  
Reply
Old 05-30-07 | 04:07 PM
  #7  
Gonzo Bob's Avatar
cycles per second
20 Anniversary
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,975
Likes: 203
From: Minnesota

Bikes: Early 1980's Ishiwata 022 steel sport/touring, 1986 Vitus 979, 1988 DiamondBack Apex, 1997 Softride PowerWing 700, 2001 Trek OCLV 110

You can try but it will likely skip a lot whenever you use that cog. I once broke a tooth on a commute to work and the chain would skip on that cog whenever I attempted to accelerate. Since it was a heavily used cog in the middle of the cassette, I replaced it.
Gonzo Bob is offline  
Reply
Old 05-30-07 | 06:55 PM
  #8  
rjacob's Avatar
Senior Member
 
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 175
Likes: 2

Bikes: 90' Trek 1000, Trek 700 cyclocross conversion, Legnano, 54 Indian Scout, 1980 Trek 412, Zeus Professional?, Raleigh Team USA, Raleigh Technium, Scott Spark 60,...

Originally Posted by timcupery
As rjacob pointed out, it looks as if the cog is cracked, perhaps from impact. I don't think that it will self-destruct, but it probably won't shift well, the chain may hop, and it has the possibility of hurting your chain.
Since the damage is on the smallest cog with the fewest teeth, and the metal is actually cracked (or torn?) on the tooth next to the missing one, I am thinking that crack (or tear) will only get stressed and larger.
rjacob is offline  
Reply
Old 05-30-07 | 07:22 PM
  #9  
Old Fogy
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,225
Likes: 1
From: Murray, Utah
I had an XMart bike with a Falcon freewheel. I replaced it with a new wheel with a Shimano freehub from the LBS for under $65.00. Got an 11 tooth cog instead of the 14, and got rid of the wobble the Falcon had.
waldowales is offline  
Reply
Old 05-30-07 | 09:40 PM
  #10  
John E's Avatar
feros ferio
25 Anniversary
 
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 22,403
Likes: 1,871
From: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us

Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;

Originally Posted by waldowales
I had an XMart bike with a Falcon freewheel. I replaced it with a new wheel with a Shimano freehub from the LBS for under $65.00. Got an 11 tooth cog instead of the 14, and got rid of the wobble the Falcon had.
That sounds like a reasonable solution.

One could also attempt to ride with the damaged high-gear cog by using it only at high speeds, under very light torque, remembering to downshift either to accelerate or as soon as one's pedal RPMs began to dip.
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
John E is offline  
Reply

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.