Replacing a 7-speed gear cluster - what is it?
01-21-08, 02:43 PM
#1
Utility Cyclist
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 345
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Replacing a 7-speed gear cluster - what is it?
I have a mid-range off-road bike with a 3x7 setup (1995 model, but I'd be surprized if any of the parts involved are original) The teeth on the smallest gears are quite worn, as I discovered after having the chain start skipping under load. So I imagine it's time to replace them. But I've no idea what it is, apart from something made by Shimano. Is there any way to tell whether it's a freewheel or a cassette or a pneumothorax without taking it apart?
01-21-08, 03:20 PM
#2
Cat 6
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Mountain Brook, AL
Posts: 7,482
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 500 Post(s)
Liked 183 Times
in
118 Posts
Post a pic of it here. Wheel out of the frame and shot straight on the hub end, or pretty close to it.
And model number off of it may be enough, if you can find it.
And model number off of it may be enough, if you can find it.
__________________
72 Frejus (for sale), Holdsworth Record (for sale), special CNC & Gitane Interclub / 74 Italvega NR (for sale) / c80 French / 82 Raleigh Intl MkII f&f (for sale)/ 83 Trek 620 (for sale)/ 84 Bruce Gordon Chinook (for sale)/ 85 Ron Cooper / 87 Centurion IM MV (for sale) / 03 Casati Dardo / 08 BF IRO / 09 Dogma FPX / 09 Giant TCX0 / 10 Vassago Fisticuff
72 Frejus (for sale), Holdsworth Record (for sale), special CNC & Gitane Interclub / 74 Italvega NR (for sale) / c80 French / 82 Raleigh Intl MkII f&f (for sale)/ 83 Trek 620 (for sale)/ 84 Bruce Gordon Chinook (for sale)/ 85 Ron Cooper / 87 Centurion IM MV (for sale) / 03 Casati Dardo / 08 BF IRO / 09 Dogma FPX / 09 Giant TCX0 / 10 Vassago Fisticuff
01-21-08, 04:30 PM
#3
Gone, but not forgotten
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Newtonville, Massachusetts
Posts: 2,301
Bikes: See: https://sheldonbrown.org/bicycles
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 24 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 6 Times
in
5 Posts
I have a mid-range off-road bike with a 3x7 setup (1995 model, but I'd be surprized if any of the parts involved are original) The teeth on the smallest gears are quite worn, as I discovered after having the chain start skipping under load. So I imagine it's time to replace them. But I've no idea what it is, apart from something made by Shimano. Is there any way to tell whether it's a freewheel or a cassette or a pneumothorax without taking it apart?
Sheldon "FAQ" Brown
01-24-08, 08:22 AM
#4
Utility Cyclist
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 345
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Thanks, Sheldon. Unfortunately, mine doesn't look completely like any of the photos you posted. I'd provide a photo of mine as Bob suggested, but my camera is momentarily hors de service.
Mine one looks least unlike the one on the right (cassette with lockring). Mine says "hyperglide-c" on it (it looks like a 'c' anyhow), and it shows a US Patent of 4889521 if that helps. I also see what looks to be a spliny edge as per your photo, but otherwise the resemblance is more in the fact that it looks even less like any of the others.
Mine one looks least unlike the one on the right (cassette with lockring). Mine says "hyperglide-c" on it (it looks like a 'c' anyhow), and it shows a US Patent of 4889521 if that helps. I also see what looks to be a spliny edge as per your photo, but otherwise the resemblance is more in the fact that it looks even less like any of the others.
01-24-08, 09:06 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Reston, VA
Posts: 2,369
Bikes: 2003 Giant OCR2
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Well, methinks from Sheldon's pretty, hi-res photos that you probably do in fact have the hyperglide with cassette. I only say this because, upon maximizing Sheldon's picture, it says Hyperglide and has the same patent number on it. 
01-24-08, 09:15 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 8,101
Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 52 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 17 Times
in
13 Posts
Thanks, Sheldon. Unfortunately, mine doesn't look completely like any of the photos you posted. I'd provide a photo of mine as Bob suggested, but my camera is momentarily hors de service.
Mine one looks least unlike the one on the right (cassette with lockring). Mine says "hyperglide-c" on it (it looks like a 'c' anyhow), and it shows a US Patent of 4889521 if that helps. I also see what looks to be a spliny edge as per your photo, but otherwise the resemblance is more in the fact that it looks even less like any of the others.
Mine one looks least unlike the one on the right (cassette with lockring). Mine says "hyperglide-c" on it (it looks like a 'c' anyhow), and it shows a US Patent of 4889521 if that helps. I also see what looks to be a spliny edge as per your photo, but otherwise the resemblance is more in the fact that it looks even less like any of the others.
Any chance you could take your wheel into a bike shop and ask?
I can't remember if later shimano freewheels and lock rings take the same removal tool or not. As long as you can return the tool if it's the wrong one, it might be worth just trying. If it's a cassette, the whole thing will just spin backwards without coming off, - you'll need a chain whip.
If it's a freewheel, it won't turn at all without a whole lot of leverage.
