Really thinking about buying a nice white industries freewheel, but kind of undecided on tooth count.

I currently have a 19t, and i like it, but i bought it over a year ago, and am much stronger and faster now. ( I mostly ride fixed, but wanted a nice freewheel for when i'm being lazy and for races as I'm a little faster on a FW than FG )

FG i typically ride either a 17 or 18, but thats generally on sub 40 mile rides, 40+ i tend to go FW as I'm generally faster since I can catch my breath a little and zip down hills.

It climbs like a goat, but I can still go pretty fast by spinning out, coasting, but the 18t will give me a slightly smoother cadence at the expense of some hill climbing effort.

But kinda thinking of going to an 18t since i'm quite a bit faster and stronger than I used to be.


Stick with what I know? or try something new?

Get a super cheap 18T and try it out, then get the WI in whichever tooth count you favor.

Don't buy a branded freewheel. They're dumb.

^I respectfully disagree.

+1 to this. Get a cheapy and see if you like the gearing change. If you don't, use it as a ninja star.

Paying more for an identical part won't make you go faster.

I ride a 16t White ind. freewheel on long flat rides in the country. I also have a cheap shimano 16t. The WI are very high quality and completely serviceable and rebuildable with parts available from WI. I've had mine for 7 years and it's never broke and I've never serviced it which I should. They have more pawls built in than the cheaper options which should translate to quicker and more positive engagement. I like the loud angry sound it makes when coasting as it lets others know of your approach. They can be had cheaper on eBay new or used. I'd get a 17 or 18t WI if you can justify the cost and plan on riding it a lot, otherwise get or try a cheaper option.

Which ones are identical to one another?

The sound of all those actuation pawls drowns out the voices of all the naysayers. They're definitely worth it.

I love my WI freewheel. They're a bit heavier than off-branded ones because they're designed to be serviceable and rebuildable, built to last.

Assuming you keep the FW oiled, how quickly do cheap FWs die? Are they prone to failures or have teeth that wear out faster? What is the price difference?

I have mixed feelings about using cheaper parts and replacing them more often. Clipless pedals, where failures could result in injury and breakdowns that cannot feasibly bve done on the road are one place where I go cheap. Forte LOOK copies. $40-50. I replace them when I start having doubts. Pick them up when I see them on sale. (The Deltas are gone, so I may have to rethink this when my last is on a bike, but it has been a 15 year run and a lot of miles and I think 1 mishap. I have generally had two pairs on bikes at any given time.)

If the cheap ones go reliably say 7000 miles and cost 1/3 the WIs, I'd say "why not?".

Ben

If the freewheel breaks during a ride, just flip back to the fixed side. Easy.

I use the same tooth count on both sides fixed/free. WI freewheels don't make the knocking sound when pedaling like some cheaper freewheels do.

White Industries also makes 16/18 and 17/19 "double" freewheel. So if you ride Fixed most of the time otherwise, you can pick the freewheel size you want depending on the longer ride you plan on.

You are correct. BUT, it's not always about speed. Being able to ride in really crappy conditions and not having my FW sound and feel like someone poured sand into it is where the value of a WI FW really comes into play. That, and serviceabillty.

I bought an ACS crossfire to use on my CX/gravel wheels and all it took was one long, wet and gritty ride and it was effectively toast. I was able to drown it in WD40, blow it out with comrpessed air as best I could and flood it with oil again to make it sorta 'rideable' again but you can bypass that problem entirely with a WI.

I have a bike with a dicta freewheel on it. I think it cost 5 quid. I do no maintenance on it, its left outside in the rain every night. Works fine. Maybe buy one of those.