WTB 4 speed freewheel
02-18-21, 11:39 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 1,894
Bikes: to many to list
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 295 Post(s)
Liked 1,058 Times
in
262 Posts
WTB 4 speed freewheel
Hey guys,
I have a buddy looking for a 4 speed freewheel. Let me know if you have one and I'll hook you up with my friend.
Thanks
John
I have a buddy looking for a 4 speed freewheel. Let me know if you have one and I'll hook you up with my friend.
Thanks
John
__________________
From Illinois. Collector of many fine bicycles from all over the world. Subscribe to my Youtube channel. Just search John's vintage road bike garage
From Illinois. Collector of many fine bicycles from all over the world. Subscribe to my Youtube channel. Just search John's vintage road bike garage
02-19-21, 12:30 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Medford MA
Posts: 2,089
Bikes: Ron Cooper touring, 1959 Jack Taylor 650b ladyback touring tandem, Vitus 979, Joe Bell painted Claud Butler Dalesman, Colin Laing curved tube tandem, heavily-Dilberted 1982 Trek 6xx, René Herse tandem
Mentioned: 80 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 964 Post(s)
Liked 1,451 Times
in
723 Posts
It may be possible to remove a cog from a five-speed freewheel and get a 4-speed.
For example, the Maillard freewheels with the large splined remover have the smallest cog screwed to the second cog, not to the body of the freewheel. When this is unscrewed, the freewheel bears only four cogs, and the whole freewheel is the same thickness as an old four-speed, because the body of the freewheel is only four speeds thick. The catch is, you are probably limited to a 16 or 17t cog as your smallest. I believe the small-splined "Atom" is the same way, but those take a 15t as smallest cog. May take some muscle to remove the smallest cog, as they are screwed on TIGHT. But this is the best way to get a decently unworn four-speed for cheap.
If this doesn't make sense, I can upload a picture.
Might also be useful to specify what threading your friend needs.
For example, the Maillard freewheels with the large splined remover have the smallest cog screwed to the second cog, not to the body of the freewheel. When this is unscrewed, the freewheel bears only four cogs, and the whole freewheel is the same thickness as an old four-speed, because the body of the freewheel is only four speeds thick. The catch is, you are probably limited to a 16 or 17t cog as your smallest. I believe the small-splined "Atom" is the same way, but those take a 15t as smallest cog. May take some muscle to remove the smallest cog, as they are screwed on TIGHT. But this is the best way to get a decently unworn four-speed for cheap.
If this doesn't make sense, I can upload a picture.
Might also be useful to specify what threading your friend needs.
__________________
Owner & co-founder, Cycles René Hubris. Unfortunately attaching questionable braze-ons to perfectly good frames since about 2015. With style.
Owner & co-founder, Cycles René Hubris. Unfortunately attaching questionable braze-ons to perfectly good frames since about 2015. With style.
02-19-21, 12:44 AM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 1,894
Bikes: to many to list
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 295 Post(s)
Liked 1,058 Times
in
262 Posts
It may be possible to remove a cog from a five-speed freewheel and get a 4-speed.
For example, the Maillard freewheels with the large splined remover have the smallest cog screwed to the second cog, not to the body of the freewheel. When this is unscrewed, the freewheel bears only four cogs, and the whole freewheel is the same thickness as an old four-speed, because the body of the freewheel is only four speeds thick. The catch is, you are probably limited to a 16 or 17t cog as your smallest. I believe the small-splined "Atom" is the same way, but those take a 15t as smallest cog. May take some muscle to remove the smallest cog, as they are screwed on TIGHT. But this is the best way to get a decently unworn four-speed for cheap.
If this doesn't make sense, I can upload a picture.
Might also be useful to specify what threading your friend needs.
For example, the Maillard freewheels with the large splined remover have the smallest cog screwed to the second cog, not to the body of the freewheel. When this is unscrewed, the freewheel bears only four cogs, and the whole freewheel is the same thickness as an old four-speed, because the body of the freewheel is only four speeds thick. The catch is, you are probably limited to a 16 or 17t cog as your smallest. I believe the small-splined "Atom" is the same way, but those take a 15t as smallest cog. May take some muscle to remove the smallest cog, as they are screwed on TIGHT. But this is the best way to get a decently unworn four-speed for cheap.
If this doesn't make sense, I can upload a picture.
Might also be useful to specify what threading your friend needs.
Thanks
John
__________________
From Illinois. Collector of many fine bicycles from all over the world. Subscribe to my Youtube channel. Just search John's vintage road bike garage
From Illinois. Collector of many fine bicycles from all over the world. Subscribe to my Youtube channel. Just search John's vintage road bike garage
02-19-21, 01:26 AM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Medford MA
Posts: 2,089
Bikes: Ron Cooper touring, 1959 Jack Taylor 650b ladyback touring tandem, Vitus 979, Joe Bell painted Claud Butler Dalesman, Colin Laing curved tube tandem, heavily-Dilberted 1982 Trek 6xx, René Herse tandem
Mentioned: 80 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 964 Post(s)
Liked 1,451 Times
in
723 Posts
Atom freewheels did come in four speed versions. The only difference would be that the outer cog is missing, and the second cog would not have threads for another cog to be added. If you took the fifth cog off a five-speed and neatly ground or turned off the extra threads on the second cog, nobody would be the wiser.
__________________
Owner & co-founder, Cycles René Hubris. Unfortunately attaching questionable braze-ons to perfectly good frames since about 2015. With style.
Owner & co-founder, Cycles René Hubris. Unfortunately attaching questionable braze-ons to perfectly good frames since about 2015. With style.
02-19-21, 06:24 AM
#5
Myrtle Beach Crab
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Newport RI
Posts: 824
Bikes: enough one would think, but thinking isn't my strong point
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 271 Post(s)
Liked 541 Times
in
214 Posts
i have a few regina 4 speed FWs in the parts bin. i'll check later this morning after i shovel out the sidewalk!
Likes For elcraft:
02-19-21, 07:44 AM
#7
Old fart
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Appleton WI
Posts: 24,780
Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3583 Post(s)
Liked 3,396 Times
in
1,930 Posts
Many Regina 5 and 6-speed freewheels were built on 4-speed bodies, with the fifth and sixth sprockets threading into each other and the fourth sprocket. Just remove the sprockets that don't thread directly onto the freewheel body, and you'll be left with a 4-speed block.
02-19-21, 10:29 AM
#8
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NW Burbs, Chicago
Posts: 12,048
Mentioned: 201 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3011 Post(s)
Liked 3,788 Times
in
1,405 Posts
Likes For iab:
02-19-21, 10:31 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: NW Burbs, Chicago
Posts: 12,048
Mentioned: 201 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3011 Post(s)
Liked 3,788 Times
in
1,405 Posts
Likes For iab:
02-20-21, 03:53 PM
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Chicagoland
Posts: 1,894
Bikes: to many to list
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 295 Post(s)
Liked 1,058 Times
in
262 Posts
This is the last time I shop for someone else! LOL
Thanks for the comments and suggestions
JJ
Thanks for the comments and suggestions
JJ
__________________
From Illinois. Collector of many fine bicycles from all over the world. Subscribe to my Youtube channel. Just search John's vintage road bike garage
From Illinois. Collector of many fine bicycles from all over the world. Subscribe to my Youtube channel. Just search John's vintage road bike garage
02-21-21, 05:39 PM
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 580
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 254 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 182 Times
in
141 Posts
If you're still looking for one, I've got a 4-speed Regina (first and second pics below) that's missing the biggest cog and is missing a tooth on the small cog. But I've also got a 5-speed Regina (third pic) with 5 good cogs, so I think (?) you could mix and match and get a working 4 between them. Or just take the 4 and get some replacement cogs elsewhere if the tooth counts aren't what you want. I'm sure folks around here have other loose cogs.
