How can I tell what type of threading a hub I have has. I need a five speed freewheel for it but I'm not sure what to order. The hub is a Normandy low flange. But is there a way to tell on any hub? Thanks!

I read somewhere once all freewheels used the same threading regardless of the make/country of origin.. I'd wait for someone to confirm that (or not) however.. ya never know.

Freewheels are all the same thread. Where are you finding 5 speed freewheels? Pretty hard it seems these days. Make sure there is enough space between the spokes and the largest cog. If not, you may need a thin spacers.

I have a couple of Atom/Normandy freewheels that are difficult to thread on my Campy hubs. I assume they are Italian or English and I am trying to thread them on the opposite. Since they won't spin on easily I stop at the point of resistance. I used something else that will spin on easily. I understand French is another size altogether.

I've got a few in my pile, and at least 3 of the old style wide range ones (including at least one ATOM or Normandy).

5 and 6 speed freewheels are still being made in mainland China and India. One very large, Miami, FL based, bicycle wholesale supplier stocks them.

I pulled a 5 speed off of an old hub/wheel that was on an old Motobecane and tried to thread it on this new hub I have and it would not really go on. I was afraid I would strip out the thread on the hub. Are we sure that all freewheels are the same threading?

5 speed ultraglide freewheels are still made by Shimano, priced from $15-25 and available at most bike shops or on the net.

As I understand it, French threading is different but the rest are universal.

I'm not having a problem finding them... some shops carry them and they are abundant on all these old bikes we pick up! But how can you tell of a hub is French threading or universal? I'm not sure what I have at all among the 4-5 bikesI own... except that they are all old French bikes... does that mean they are french threading?

Children, listen to Grampa...back in ancient times there were French-threaded freewheels and these were usually branded Atom or such and will not thread onto Italian or British theaded hubs. These Frenchy FWs and hubs are pretty rare, but you might still chance upon them. The Italian and British threaded hubs/FWs are more-or-less compatible, the only diff being the thread ANGLE (55 versus 60 degrees, I think) so these are "universal" being the standard that the Japanese adopted. All your commonly available Shimano, Suntour, Sachs, Chinese, Indonesian FWs will be this BSC/ISO/JIS standard thread. As Johnny Law once said:"If the FW don't fit, you must quit" so don't force a FR thread onto a ISO hub or vice-versa

[QUOTE=dbarnblatt@usa.]How can I tell what type of threading a hub I have has. I need a five speed freewheel for it but I'm not sure what to order. The hub is a Normandy low flange. But is there a way to tell on any hub? Thanks

On English threaded Atom and Normandy hubs, there will be a single groove between the freewheel threads and flange. If there is no groove it is French threading (unless Pierre had a little too much wine during lunch and forgot to cut the groove).


If there is a rectangular punch mark on the back of those Atom freewheels, they are English thread. If there is no mark, they are French threaded.

Campagnolo hubs may be marked with the thread size, but some older ones do not. OLder ones with a single groove cut between the freewheel threads and flange are English thread. If there is no marking or groove they could be either French or Italian and you should follow unwothy1's advice.

So would a Campy hub, with a threaded freewheel on a wheel build up new around 1990, most likely be ISO threaded?

1982:

https://cyclespeugeot.com/images/DSC00019.JPG

Wasn't that Johnnie Lawyer?

It would almost certainly be Italian or ISO threaded and you could use either type of freewheel. It would be best to match it exactly if you plan to use the hub a long time as the aluminum hub threads are no match for the steel freewheel threads. You could put the 'wrong' type of freewheel on once but the hub threads won't be the same afterwards.

Did Campy make freewheels in 1990? If so, I wouldn't be surprised if they made their hubs and freewheels with Italian threads so that the Campy freewheels went on smoother than brand 'S'.