Originally Posted by
fietsbob
8th cog on a freewheel is a bridge to far.. have to tear down the last 2 cogs to grip the freewheel tool.
+ the axle is even more likely to Break
I agree that anything past 7 warrants a freehub unless you have a hub that is designed for 8 speed freewheels, for those rarer 8 speed freewheels there is a longer splined tool that will make removing them easier.
There are even 9 speed freewheels (Bionx used them) and their rates of axle breakage were obscene, now they have moved to a cassette hub.
A new Shimano 6 speed freewheel is probably the best bang for the buck, and they don't cost much.