Originally Posted by
RH Clark
It's Shimano. Will I need a completely different hub body on a wheel for a 6 speed freewheel, than comes on a wheel for an 8-11 speed? Can an 8-11 be adapted in any way to fit a 6 speed freewheel?
Technically what you propose is possible with enough spacers and possibly modifying a cassette, but as a practical matter it would be much easier (and minimally expensive) to change to a 7-sp (or greater) indexed shifter and get a cassette to match.