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Need help with upgrade from freewheel to freehub.

4K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  kandrkandr 
#1 ·
A friend of mine gave me a bike that he had hanging in his garage. It isn't anything special, but I thought I would fix it up and use it as a loaner for out of town guests or just as a backup for when my main ride goes down.
It has a 7 speed freewheel. Turns out the freewheel axle is bent and I have read that this is common for freewheels because the bearings are located away from where the axle sits on the frame. Now if I am going to replace this part I would like to go to a freehub. Problem is, freehubs only come 8 speed and up. I think I found a solution, but just want to know if I am choosing the right parts for this upgrade to work. My goal is to do this repair for the least cost possible.

These are the parts that I think I will need…

Rear wheelset with Freehub axle. I was looking at these…
Dimension Rear 26" Formula Freehub 135mm 32h, Ale x Y2000 Silver, 2.0 Silver, Br, 3 x
-Or
Alex X101 36H shimano Acera Cassette 7/8/9S QR 26" x 1.75" Silver/Silver Wheel Rear
-And this one that has double walls. Not sure if that is important.
Avenir 26" Doublewall QR Rear Wheel - 36H, 8-/9-speed Freehub

7-speed cassette
Shimano CS-HG30-I Cassette 11-28T 7S Silver
How important is it that the teeth match the existing. The one that is on the bike now is a 14-28. I can't find a match. Will any one work?

And I think I will need one of these 2 spacers for allowing a 7 speed cassette to fit on an 8 speed hub.
Problem Solvers 4.5mm Alloy Spacer Black
Pyramid Cassette Spacer 4.0 mm Alloy
Which one will I need if any? Is anyone familiar with using these spacers?

I may just call NiagraCycle tomorrow, but I figure the more information I have before I call the smoother the order will go.
 
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#4 ·
Thanks. Added the double wall and 4mm to the cart. If the 4mm spacer works in this application, what is the 4.5mm spacer used for?
I also found this rim...
WTB Dual Duty 8/9sp Cassette, 6-bolt Disc Rear Wheel 26 x 1.75 32H

Adds to the price, but allows for either disc or rim brakes should I want to upgrade in the future. Any opinions on whether it pays to get these over the Avenir 26" Doublewall?

Oh, just thought of another good question. Will the old chain work on this cassette? The one that is on the bike now is a Shimano MF-TZ07. I think it should be compatable, but better to find out before I order. I checked the chain and it's in pretty good condition. I don't think he rode this bike much.

Thanks all for the help on this.

-Rich
 
#5 ·
Your existing chain should work as long as you use a 28t cassette. If you went with a 32t or 34t it would be too short.

Does the bike have disc brake mounts and do you plan on adding disc brakes? If not, a dual wheel will be of little value.

Without knowing anything else about the bike, other than it came with a freewheel, I would be skeptical about upgrading it. You might be better of just ordering a couple axles since they are so cheap. Then see how it will hold up and how much use it will see. Just a thought....
 
#6 ·
Is is a Raleigh Mojave 2.0. I found the specs on the Raleigh webite. See below.

https://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/mountain/2008-mountain-bikes/mojave-20-2008/

Darn it, doesn't look like it has disc brake mounts. I do see 2 small holes drilled near the hanger. I remember my disc brakes for my other bike came with some adapters. I wonder if they adapt to these holes.



I checked craigs list, and it looks like people are asking around $150 for this bike. If I can get the freehub working, that will increase it's value, so spending $70 to repair/upgrade the bike doesn't sound like a bad deal.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Those hole are not for brakes. I imagine they're for some type of fender or rack. The pic on the website doesn't show tabs on the fork either.

Looks like a nice bike, but it's not designed for mtn biking. It should be fine for bike paths and smooth off-road. If you want to use it for that purpose, just get an axle.

If you want to try to use it on rougher trails, I would upgrade both wheels and forget about disc brakes. Wheel sets aren't much more expensive than a single rear, the stock wheels are single wall (cn520).. The double wall wheel you linked looks decent, but they don't show the weight. You may want to look around - rotational weight differences (wheels and tires) make a big difference.

Added:

Look in the reviews section at these -> http://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_509008_-1_201774_10000_200472
I would probably look at something like this -> http://cgi.ebay.com/MAVIC-237-SHIMA...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43a2e2de8f

Good luck.
 
#8 ·
I fixed it. I was just about to hit submit to purchasing those sweat looking rims on nashbar, but I held off just so that I could give fixing this one more shot. I then watched some repair videos and it all clicked in my head. I even know what might have happened.
When my friend took his tire off to maybe change a flat, his ball bearings must have moved over to the inside track on the non drive side. I didn't know there were two tracks that they could ride on. The whole axle loosens up when you remove the rim, and if your not carful, those bearings could misalign. When they moved over, that created play in the axle.
Before I noticed this I even had tried with my cone wrench to tighten the axle a hair. But moving the bearings did the trick. Well it is rolling really nice now. Took it for a ride and it feels great. I leaned a lot these past few days. Thanks again for all the help.
 
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