I recently picked up a 1982 Schwinn World Tourist at a garage sale that I am going to fix up and make into my first lugged steel bike. I didn't know until I started working on it that it has the Shimano FFS or Front Freewheel system on it. Sorry if this is a repeat, I did a search and didn't find much.

It seems pretty interesting and I can't decide yet if it is a pretty cool thing to have or if I should replace it with a new BB and crank system and an updated rear wheel cassette system.

Anybody else have one of these on their bikes? What do you think - do you like it or wish you had swapped it out? Are they easy to work on and overhaul?

All in all it is still pretty smooth but the bike doesn't look like it had much maintenance done in the last 30 years so if I can overhaul it easily I'd like to get it working as good as new.

I went on Sheldon's site and read all he had on it - a lot of information but still can't make up my mind or figure out how hard/easy these things are to maintain and work on.

Any thoughts and opinions and info are appreciated!

Ditch the FFS.

Heavy, complicated, obsolete = They suck.

I posed some info about FFS/Positron here. Positron in particular is noteworthy as being one of the first indexed shifting systems, however I wouldn't want it on any of my bikes due to the proprietary nature, custom cables, and difficulty to maintain.

If everything works, don't fix it. If something is really broken, you'll have a very, very hard time finding spare parts. It would be better to replace the crankset and rear wheel with a single-speed or internal-hub gear system to restore the bike to usefulness.

The bike should be reasonably easy to work on- it's all somewhat-conventional loose ball bearings in the hubs, BB, and headset. The bottom bracket is unconventional in that it has cones that thread on the BB spindle. Clean it, grease it, go ride.

I was a Schwinn mechanic in that time (1979-1984). The World Tourist was close to the bottom of the line of Schwinn bikes, so it's really nothing special.

If everything works good I would leave it for now, bike is original and somewhat unique. The world Tourist is a very high end or valuable so it probably isn't worth spending the time or money to replace the drivetrain if it works.

Jeff - thanks for the info. The FFS feels like it spins pretty smoothly so I am not inclined to take it apart. The bike does feel like i need to clean and re-grease the bottom bracket and I can't figure out how the get the FFS off to get to the bottom bracket. Also, to lube the FFS should I lay the bike over and drip some Phils Tenacious Oil in the FFS while it spins?

I've done some searching and not finding much, if you know how to get the FFS/Chainring off to work on the BB I would really appreciate it.

Personally I would like one of those systems just because it is funky.

Ditto.

Have worked on quite a few and my friend loves his FFS equipped bike but you really need the Positron and a 40 pound bike to really score the trifecta here.

I overhauled a FFS on a Ross Compact a while back. If you dissassemble it, make sure you have a way of catching the multitude of bearings. You can read my comments about the "solution looking for a problem" here:

https://backroom.hardsdisk.net/compact.html

The bikes that the all-steel FFS versions came on, weren't worth upgrading. If it works, use it. If you don't get along with it, consider finding another bike.

One of my Bosses at a bike shop built his wife a beautiful Univega Mixte with pretty topshelf stuff (in '86ish terms) and FFW system. She never rode and when we were putting it out for the annual sidewalk sale I practically begged him for it. His answer was that I already had to many bikes stored in the shop!

Unfortunately it is a bit of a Frankenbike - it has the FFS system, I don't think it has the Positron shifting system, the bike DOES feel like it weighs about 40lbs, and I think the guy I got it from (before I knew much about it) swapped out the rear wheel with a 6-speed freewheel when he "realized" the rear freewheel was locked and didn't know about the FFS (I need to take the rear wheel off and look, just haven't had time). So I think the bike is missing the fixed rear cogset and basically has 2 freewheels on it.

I was looking for an inexpensive, simple steel bike and I wasn't wanting anything this funky and wasn't wanting to have to put too much extra work into this bike, so I have about decided I don't like it and would be willing to get rid of it. Anybody got anything they wanna trade? If you are interested just let me know - I posted a picture of it a little while ago but can post another one. (If this is against the rules here just let me know and I'll delete this part of this post and re-post in an appropriate area).

There is a LOT of weirdness with this bike besides the FFS - I think I have about decided to find another bike.... Thanks for the link, I'll check it out when I get home tonight!

I have a FFS rear freewheel that I pulled off my husband's Suburban you can have for the price of shipping if you decide to keep the bike.

Let me go home and pull the rear wheel off and make sure my suspicions are correct, and if so I will more than likely take you up on your kind offer! That will allow me to ride the bike like it was intended so I can really get the feel of it. Thanks!

I would have expected that you'd pull the right arm off the normal way, with a puller, and that the FFS would remain intact and attached to the arm.
I wouldn't use anything but light oil in the FFS ratchet and bearings myself, since the bearings are stationary when the drivetrain is loaded by pedaling force. Shimano-built is an assurance of reliability here, but I myself would also want to at least check that the stationary bb cup was fully torqued into the bb shell.

No problem. Contact me at clbr at mac dot com with your shipping details if you need it. Another old Schwinn getting rescued is a good thing.

I'm with BG. Uniquity is the only driving factor; they're cool, but destined for flat traveling.

I had one FFS come through my basement shop. It had a solid dose of rust and badly in need of a rebuild. I took one look at the system, then picked up the bike to put it on the bike stand. Next I stripped the Schwinn fenders off of the frame and junked the remainder. It was not a bad idea on paper, just not as marketable as other light weight systems.
As most of us know, Shimano had the last laugh. They gained a leg up on the index shifting market and learned valuable lessons. Then blew away the competion when they came out with SIS in the mid-80's.

I'll be sending you an email shortly! Pulled the rear wheel and sure enough it has a standard 6 speed freewheel. Thanks!

Thats the problem - I'm waffling between the uniqueness of it and the pain of maintaining and working on it.

What is there to maintain? Once it it properly cleaned and tuned it should take no more routine maintenance than a normal bike.

I guess it is the "fear" of something new and unknown. And the proper cleaning and tuning that will have to be done. It is neat and now that I have a correct rear freewheel lined up I'll be able to get a better feel for the ride.

Shimano FFS = late 70's/Early 80's "neu" drivetrain tech for lower budget bikes.......If it was such a good idea, we'd all be riding bikes now with some sort of FFS system, but I guess it wasn't that good afterall because of the resulting added wieght and menchanical drag, but as some noted, not a fatal thing on a....uhm....cheaper bike....But then Simplex also insisted that lots of Delrin was good for the biking masses......Looking back into cycling history curiousities like these can be weird and funny at the same time.

Chombi

I think planetary gearing systems (although I've never owned one) are a step better in terms of the user interface, and of course they've been made for 75 years or so, so the reliability is probably as good as it's ever going to get. I think that's going to be my next project.