totops1

I am fixing my Univega Safari Ten because the freewheel just broke. It spins both ways now :-(
The freewheel is a Suntour Perfect 28-14 5-speed

I am trying to find a new freewheel and I am getting confused over what I find on the Internet.
I have found this but there is the "888" that confused me, anybody knows what that means ? could this model work to replace my freewheel ?
Vintage Suntour 888 Perfect 5 Speed Freewheel 14 28 | eBay

And then there is the Suntour Perfect "VIA", could that work too as a replacement for my current freewheel ?
Suntour Perfect Via 5 Speed Freewheel Japan Used | eBay

FBinNY 

888 was a model number, and that or any 5 speed freewheel will be a suitable replacement.

Before others jump i and start listing exceptions any isn't truly any. There are oddball exceptions, but these are rare, and usually command a high price from collectors, so I doubt you could accidentally buy one.

cny-bikeman

ANY 5 speed freewheel other than the very rare French threaded ones will work. As you likely will need to replace the chain as well you can also go to an "Ultra-six" freewheel and a chain labeled 6-8 speed. Traditional Thread-on Freewheels - see "How many speeds" section.

fietsbob

You want to compete with collectors driving up the price in auction frenzy , go for it . that's Ebay ..

Bill Kapaun

IF you are concerned about "period correct" and all that, pastorbob over in the C&V Forums repairs/overhauls "vintage" free wheels.

totops1

No, I am just concerned about compatibility issues

totops1

I am sorry, I don't understand your post. But I would be curious to know what you meant. Did you mean that I should avoid ebay ? If its the case, I tried but I have a hard time to find my freewheel on any other place than ebay...

totops1

Oh, ok, thank you, good to know. I was just wondering that it would not "fit" for the bike.

fietsbob

just figure out what you are willing to spend , then drop out of the competition when it gets there ...

Live in Person sitting in a room Auction, that is when you stop raising your bidder's number sign, or raising your hand.

Maybe searching on the computer at work, thats true, but

actually talking to a bike shop that does repairs on all sorts of bikes will get a different response..



bring your wheel with you . then you wont have to buy a freewheel remover that you will only use once..
as the replacement freewheel will most likely use a different one.

totops1

Oh I get it now! Well, I was thinking no more then $30 but I have no idea if it's too much or not enough. I'm not a collector, I just want to replace the freewheel so I can ride.

SkyDog75

SunTour is long-defunct, so as the supply of desirable SunTour parts has dwindled, the price has gone up. The good news, though, is you don't have to replace your freewheel with one made by SunTour. With very few exceptions as noted above, other brands will work just fine. You could use the SunRace freewheel I've linked below, for example, which currently sells for $14.29.

Amazon.com: Sunrace Freewheel 14-28T 5-Speed, Black/Brown: Sports & Outdoors

Then there's the business of removing the old one and installing the new one. You'll need a freewheel removal tool to get your existing freewheel off gracefully. (There are other ways to remove one, especially if you're not concerned about damaging it.) The new one will screw on without any tool. If its large sprocket has the same number of teeth as your old one, it should almost be plug-n-play. You might need to adjust your derailleur a bit, but then you're off and riding. If the number of teeth are different, you should check to make sure your chain length is appropriate.

If you've got a decent local bike shop or co-op, they can help you with the mechanical specifics. If you're mechanically inclined, there are some great tutorials and info on the Park Tool web site, Sheldon Brown's web site, and on various forum posts here.

totops1

Thank you for your very useful insight. Yes I have thought about bringing it to a shop but haven't found a good local shop in my area where they have old parts. (Portland, OR)
Last time I went to 6 shops in Portland to find a barrel adjuster and I was amazed that they didn't carry that ! When I entered a MTB shop in the area (Fat Tire Farm) to buy a barrel adjuster, for my mother inlaw Specialized S-Works (1997), they almost spit at me because I didn't have hydraulic brakes. All the other shops recommended me only two places (City bikes, bike farm)
Anyway, I am searching mainly on the internet because I thought I would have more chance to find those old parts. And as for the Suntour freewheel remover, if bike shops don't have barrel adjuster, would they have a Park FR-2 ? I doubt it !

likebike23

Sunrace makes 5 speed freewheels for around $10 online. If you are replacing the freewheel, do the chain too. A KMC Z50 chain is cheap and works well.

Edit: I just saw your post about your local shops. Look for a bike co op in your area, they'll have the tools. If you want to buy them, get a Park FR-2 to remove the old freewheel, and a Park CT-5 chain tool for the new chain. You won't need a tool to install the freewheel, just screw it on there and use the chain on the bike to pedal it tight.

fietsbob

Jeez PDX has a Glut of Bike shops community cycling is a used bike rebuilder . have you gone there yet? Community Cycling Center

It's close to the KBOO.fm studios which I'm listening to now ..

totops1

Well, that's what people keep telling me but except citibikes, bike farm and community cycling center, I only see the bike shops such as bike gallery and other compounds that dare to help you when you say you don't have a bike of the brand they sell or if the bike is more than 2 years old.
I will definitely check out the community cycling center, thank you. Could you tell me if there are such bike shops on the west side ? I imagine that if, like you say, there is a "GLUT" of bike shops, I would find some on the west side too, right ?
I have found sunset cycles but they only do specialized....

Im sorry, I don't mean to turn this thread into a bike shop discussion but I was just answering to the fact that you seemed thinking that I should go to the shops and that's actually what I did from the beginning but I found out that the internet is better.
So, YES they are a TONS of bike shops in Portland but if they cannot help me find what I need, Im sorry but theyre useless. I guess I don't ride the appropriate bicycle.

By the way, as ironically as it may sound, after seeing 6 bike shops for my barrel adjuster, I found it at... REI. No comment....

fietsbob

Come out to Astoria they are more flexible out here .. dealing with the hundreds of pacific coast touring riders .. it helps..


it is its not a posh place like the IT strata of Portland and Seattle ..

Coping ... with other dealers as colleagues helps ... such as ..

Given No Campag stuff is stocked , but when folks have trouble with their bikes on tour ,

a call to Bike Newport a couple days south, as forewarning , has the special order parts waiting when they get there ..

Grand Bois

Get a modern twist tooth freewheel and enjoy improved shifting.

Velocivixen

To original poster. I live on the west side too. Go to Universal Cycles in Portland E Burnside & 22nd, Citybikes on SE Ankeny between 19th & 20th, and Community Cycling Center on NE 17th & Alberta. You will find what you need there.

Jeff Wills

Ditto to all the above, and if you want to experience old bike love, go to VeloCult. I've gotten plenty of cool old parts from Citybikes Annex and CCC, cool new parts from Citybikes original store at 8th & Ankeny, and Universal Cycles is cool with "vintage" bikes, too. They list a SunRace 5-speed freewheel that will bolt right on: Universal Cycles -- SunRace MultiSpeed Freewheels

Universal Cycles also adopts shelter cats. I've wandered through the store, carrying one in my arms.

Velocivixen

@ Jeff Wills - Oh yeah, I forgot to mention Velo Cult. Don't drink beer but like that place a lot. Thing I like about Universal is that I can look at their inventory online, read reviews, then see if they've got any in Portland. Drive over, pet the cats, chat with the staff - they know me by first name - then get what I need.

Sixty Fiver

If you can't find a shop that can remove a Suntour freewheel and get you a decent replacement in Portland I think you better move.

City Bikes and Universal Cycles are almost right on top of each other, A Better Cycle is on 23rd and Division, and the CCC will take you over to the north side. Any of these shops would remove the freewheel for very little, especially if you were buying a new freewheel from them.

If it was me I'd go with a Shimano 6 speed freewheel and a new chain and call it a day, with 126 mm spacing it should all be plug and play or you might have to add a few spacers. .

Dave Mayer

Lessee.. I have a 20 pound bin of Suntour freewheels, freewheel bodies and replacement cogs. All Winner Pro 6 and 7 speed. I suppose I could have had 200 or even 2,000 pounds if through the decades I hadn't discarded all of the lesser stuff such as Winner, New Winner, Perfect, 333 etc.

Bottom line is that a new $15 Shimano 6-speed HG freewheel is better in every respect than the Perfect, which includes modern cog profiles for better shifting, a much better extractor, and one more cog - bonus.

FBinNY 

Dave, I also have a very large stock of Winner and Winner Pro freewheels, bodies and sprockets but am missing some key sizes. Maybe we can get together and swap to mutual advantage.

totops1

Thank you, I will definitely head my way there.

totops1

I was just joking that it seems crazy to me that I cannot find a barrel adjuster when I go into 6 bike shops in NW Portland. They mostly told me "it's too old".
Of course I expect shops will have a Park FR-2, I just used that as an analogy.

I heard of Citibikes, I just haven't been there yet.
Thanks for the 6speed suggestion but Id like to stay 5-speed.