Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Classic & Vintage
Reload this Page >

What Would Sheldon Do? A 5 Speed Freewheel Morality Thread

Notices
Classic & Vintage This forum is to discuss the many aspects of classic and vintage bicycles, including musclebikes, lightweights, middleweights, hi-wheelers, bone-shakers, safety bikes and much more.

What Would Sheldon Do? A 5 Speed Freewheel Morality Thread

Old 04-28-22, 05:57 PM
  #1  
uncle uncle
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: south kansas america
Posts: 1,909

Bikes: too many

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 411 Post(s)
Liked 233 Times in 139 Posts
What Would Sheldon Do? A 5 Speed Freewheel Morality Thread

So... here's the the background... you have a workhorse rider from the days of the golden age of 5 speed freewheels (namely, the 70's) and it's time to give that old steed a new drivetrain. What would you go with? What do think Sheldon would go with (if he were still here)? I kinda want your specifics, as in "I'd still ride 5 speeds, with a Shimano 14-28 freewheel, and KMC Z6 speed chain, because I'm notoriously thrifty and it's a pancake topography here". Or, "I'm going to spread the chainstays, and slip a 7 speed IRD 12-32 in there, with an 8 speed SRAM PC-830 chain, because I'm all about Minimal Gains". Like that. What do you got?
uncle uncle is online now  
Old 04-28-22, 06:03 PM
  #2  
icemilkcoffee 
Senior Member
 
icemilkcoffee's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,592
Mentioned: 13 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1541 Post(s)
Liked 1,701 Times in 956 Posts
You don't have to guess what St. Sheldon would do. He already told you what to do:
There are narrower ("Ultra") 6-speed versions, with overhang of 2mm to 3mm as shown in the photo below. These fit 6 sprockets into the space made for 5, and as mentioned are compatible with Shimano 7-speed indexing
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/suntour-freewheel.html
icemilkcoffee is online now  
Likes For icemilkcoffee:
Old 04-28-22, 06:07 PM
  #3  
BFisher
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,336
Mentioned: 35 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 767 Post(s)
Liked 1,897 Times in 889 Posts
Personally, I keep fivers as they are anymore

Let's see; my Super Course and my humble Humber are both 2x5. One uses a TDC with very low mileage, and the other an Atom. One is Campy Nuovo Gran Sport, the other Huret Allvit.
I use new production chains.
In the event I need a new freewheel, I'll go NOS vintage (if the price is good), or something brand new from Shimano or Sunrace. I won't buy an IRD.

If I want that extra gear or two (or more), I just ride one of my other bikes.
BFisher is offline  
Likes For BFisher:
Old 04-28-22, 06:31 PM
  #4  
bikemig 
Senior Member
 
bikemig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,505

Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones

Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5877 Post(s)
Liked 3,445 Times in 2,066 Posts
The steepest local climbs top out at a 10% grade so 52/42, 14-28 or 14-26 works fine for me. Also you could go with a crank that lets you run smaller rings. I need to build up a 70s Mercier 300 this summer. I'll run a 13-28 ultra 6 in the rear and a 48/34 using a stronglight 99 crank.
bikemig is offline  
Likes For bikemig:
Old 04-28-22, 06:35 PM
  #5  
squirtdad
Senior Member
 
squirtdad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: San Jose (Willow Glen) Ca
Posts: 9,855

Bikes: Kirk Custom JK Special, '84 Team Miyata,(dura ace old school) 80?? SR Semi-Pro 600 Arabesque

Mentioned: 104 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2304 Post(s)
Liked 2,740 Times in 1,498 Posts
Assuming you are keeping it friction

Does the current gearing meet your needs?

yes: put a 6 speed free wheel (check with pastorbobinhn) on it, any sram/shimano/Kmc 6/7/8 speed chain if you need or want find a matching front, rear deraillers and nice double crankset (treat the beast to some bling)

no: spread the stays (not hard using sheldon's method... I did 126 to 135 on 82 nishki https://www.sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html put that ird 12 - 32 on, and put a nice triple up front, with a deore rear derailler of some vintage (new or old)
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)



squirtdad is offline  
Likes For squirtdad:
Old 04-28-22, 06:39 PM
  #6  
squirtdad
Senior Member
 
squirtdad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: San Jose (Willow Glen) Ca
Posts: 9,855

Bikes: Kirk Custom JK Special, '84 Team Miyata,(dura ace old school) 80?? SR Semi-Pro 600 Arabesque

Mentioned: 104 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2304 Post(s)
Liked 2,740 Times in 1,498 Posts
sheldon also might put a 3 speed hub, with a 7 speed freewheel and 3 ring crank go for it


https://www.sheldonbrown.com/org/otb.html

63 Speeds

The O.T.B. currently sports a Sturmey-Archer AW 3-speed hub, with 7 sprockets, driven by 3 chainwheels: 3 x 7 x 3 = 63. When people hear that I have built a 63-speed bicycle, the first question they ask is "do you really need all those gears?"

The answer, of course, is "no.", but I don't actually need all the gears on a ten speed either. In fact, most of my riding is done on one-speed (fixed-gear) bikes. Nobody needs 63 gears, but it was an interesting and amusing mechanical challenge to put it together, and it does give a very wide range, with close spacing between ratios. There are probably gears that this bike has never actually been ridden in!

Actually, I guess I was just ahead of my time, because a similar setup is now offered by Sachs, a 3-speed hub which is designed to take a 7-sprocket cassette. Nevertheless, as far as I know, I am the first to succeed in getting 7-sprockets to work on a Sturmey-Archer hub!

The toughest challenge of this was getting enough axle length. I used the longest Sturmey-Archer axle available, but even that was far too short for a normal installation on the right side. I used a conical countersink drill bit to countersink a hole into the adaptor claw, then I bevelled the edges of the special axle nut so that they would fit into the countersink. This only gives 5 or 6 threads of engagement, but since the countersinking prevents the axle from being able to slide forward, that is enough. Axles on internal-gear hubs have a tendency to rotate if not secured solidly, so I took extra pains on the left side to use the appropriate anti-rotation washer, and two nuts, both tightened quite snugly.

The cluster is a Sun Tour "Ultra 6" unit, which is threaded onto a threaded (old-style) Sturmey-Archer driver. This means of attachment leaves the freewheel rather far from the spokes, so far that there is room for a seventh sprocket. I have mounted the extra sprocket by bolting it (a 28 tooth) to the 24 tooth sprocket on the freewheel. (On my 54-speed tandem, I did a similar modification, turning a 5-speed 14-28 freewheel into a 6-speed 14-36, using an old T.A. chain ring as a rear sprocket.
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)



squirtdad is offline  
Likes For squirtdad:
Old 04-28-22, 07:06 PM
  #7  
sd5782 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Toledo Ohio
Posts: 1,501

Bikes: 1964 Huffy Sportsman, 1972 Fuji Newest, 1973 Schwinn Super Sport (3), 1982 Trek 412, 1983 Trek 700, 1989 Miyata 1000LT, 1991 Bianchi Boardwalk, plus others

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 577 Post(s)
Liked 686 Times in 385 Posts
I’m kinda a gear calc nerd and strive for even gear spacing. It isn’t always easy getting nice gaps with a six speed. 5 speeds however seem to make it pretty easy. I even converted my 1983 Trek 700 from a 12 speed to a 10 speed. Don’t tell anyone.
sd5782 is online now  
Likes For sd5782:
Old 04-28-22, 07:38 PM
  #8  
ehcoplex 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2021
Posts: 1,823

Bikes: '38 Schwinn New World, ’69 Peugeot PX-10, '72 Peugeot PX-10, ‘7? Valgan, '78 Raleigh Comp GS, ’79 Holdsworth Pro, ’80 Peugeot TH-8 tandem, '87 Trek 400T, ‘7? Raleigh Sports, ‘7? Raleigh Superbe, ‘6? Hercules

Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 756 Post(s)
Liked 1,535 Times in 745 Posts
It is extremely hilly (with some extremely steep grades...) where I live, my knees ain't getting any younger & I find I've got a fairly narrow (and fast) cadence 'sweet spot' so.... My PX-10 got spread to 126, 7sp freewheel fits*, triplized the Stronglight 93, KMC 8sp chain, the SLJ mechs play nice with it all. I love it.

*contemplated one from IRD, but in the end went cheap with a Sunrace.
ehcoplex is offline  
Likes For ehcoplex:
Old 04-28-22, 08:06 PM
  #9  
markwesti
Senior Member
 
markwesti's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Seal Beach Ca. On the right , next to Long Beach
Posts: 1,825

Bikes: 86' Centurion Ironman

Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 628 Post(s)
Liked 314 Times in 175 Posts
My IM of course came with a six speed , I had this Sun Tour 5speed sitting around and thought it would be cool .
IMG_0807 by mark westi, on Flickr
markwesti is offline  
Likes For markwesti:
Old 04-28-22, 08:08 PM
  #10  
verktyg 
verktyg
 
verktyg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 4,035

Bikes: Current favorites: 1988 Peugeot Birraritz, 1984 Gitane Super Corsa, 1980s DeRosa, 1981 Bianchi Campione Del Mondo, 1992 Paramount OS, 1988 Colnago Technos, 1985 RalieghUSA SBDU Team Pro

Mentioned: 207 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1036 Post(s)
Liked 1,236 Times in 653 Posts
OPM - Other People's Money...

So many BF members are happy to spend other's money on upgrades!!!

Specs for "standard" 5 speed rear hubs and FWs: 5 Speed 24mm to 25mm wide (YMMV). 6 Speed Narrow ~2-3mm wider (YMMV)...



When I put together my bumble bee 1971-72 Motobecane Grand Record, I didn't have a decent French thread 5 speed FW in the range I wanted - 13 or 14-28T. The French standard widths were 96mm front and 122mm rear and my rear wheel was 122mm wide. I had an ATOM 77 COMPACT (narrow) 13-28T that did the job. It was a few MM wider that a standard 5 speed FW. The 122mm wide axle compensated for the extra width but... scroll down.





A frequent problem with older bikes was the chain could catch on the inside bottom of the seat stay when shifting up off the small sprocket. Ran into that on at least 30-35% of the new bikes we assembled back in the early 70's. The quick and dirty solution was to put 1 or 2 spacers behind the lock-nut on the DS of the rear axle which increased the width to 122-124mm . This also occurred when replacing or upgrading a FW on repairs. On better quality bikes we did what should have been done at the factory... file down the bottom of the seat stay for enough clearance.




The magic answer... SPREAD THE CHAIN STAYS! This usually results in the rear triangle being out of alignment with the center line of the rest of the frame. Check it before and after spreading and you will see what I mean.

Also, the rear dropouts should be realigned after spreading. I got an Uncle Ben that says a large percentage of frames were misaligned out of the factory!

I bought my set of Campy dropout tools in 1975... One of the best investment in bike tools that I ever made!


A cheap and easy way to do the same thing...



Several problems with just spreading the dropouts: the derailleur hanger can get out of alignment too although many were/are misaligned anyway. When the dropouts are angled inwards toward the front it can put uneven force on the cones. Since they are stationary, you'll find they're worn through the hard surface in one area not evenly around the race! It can also lead to axle breakage because it's always having to flex a little...



Some will say " I've been spreading rear triangles for years and never had a problem"... I've been fixing problems for years and checking the dropout and hanger alignment is one of the first troubleshooting I do!

The famous last words of many Darwin Awards candidates "Hold my beer!" and "Hey! Watch this!"

verktyg Retro Grouch!!!
__________________
Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....

Chas. ;-)

verktyg is offline  
Likes For verktyg:
Old 04-28-22, 08:13 PM
  #11  
verktyg 
verktyg
 
verktyg's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 4,035

Bikes: Current favorites: 1988 Peugeot Birraritz, 1984 Gitane Super Corsa, 1980s DeRosa, 1981 Bianchi Campione Del Mondo, 1992 Paramount OS, 1988 Colnago Technos, 1985 RalieghUSA SBDU Team Pro

Mentioned: 207 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1036 Post(s)
Liked 1,236 Times in 653 Posts
Modern 5 Speed FWs

One thing that I forgot to mention above, there are some new Asian made 5 Speed FWs on the market. A number of the ones that I've seen use a 6-7 Speed body with only 5 sprockets. I some cases the bodies are too wide to work with a 120mm wide rear hub... DOH!!!

verktyg
__________________
Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....

Chas. ;-)

verktyg is offline  
Likes For verktyg:
Old 04-28-22, 08:17 PM
  #12  
bikemig 
Senior Member
 
bikemig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,505

Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones

Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5877 Post(s)
Liked 3,445 Times in 2,066 Posts
There is something just cool about a bike with 2 x 5 gearing. You have to think about the gear ratios and usually make compromises. Bikes with modern gearing just don't have that problem.
bikemig is offline  
Likes For bikemig:
Old 04-28-22, 08:39 PM
  #13  
SurferRosa
señor miembro
 
SurferRosa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 8,269

Bikes: '70s - '80s Campagnolo

Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3846 Post(s)
Liked 6,437 Times in 3,183 Posts
Depends on the bike and my goals for that bike.

Do we only get one bike?
SurferRosa is offline  
Likes For SurferRosa:
Old 04-28-22, 08:48 PM
  #14  
uncle uncle
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: south kansas america
Posts: 1,909

Bikes: too many

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 411 Post(s)
Liked 233 Times in 139 Posts
Originally Posted by SurferRosa
Depends on the bike and my goals for that bike.

Do we only get one bike?
No, not necessarily. I think if you have, or thought about having, more bikes set up with 5 speeds in the back, and you catered them w a freewheel/chain/crankset to meet a certain riding goal, then you could certainly talk about all of them.
uncle uncle is online now  
Old 04-28-22, 09:07 PM
  #15  
USAZorro
Señor Member
 
USAZorro's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Hardy, VA
Posts: 17,935

Bikes: Mostly English - predominantly Raleighs

Mentioned: 70 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1491 Post(s)
Liked 1,071 Times in 633 Posts
Originally Posted by squirtdad
sheldon also might put a 3 speed hub, with a 7 speed freewheel and 3 ring crank go for it


https://www.sheldonbrown.com/org/otb.html

63 Speeds

The O.T.B. currently sports a Sturmey-Archer AW 3-speed hub, with 7 sprockets, driven by 3 chainwheels: 3 x 7 x 3 = 63. When people hear that I have built a 63-speed bicycle, the first question they ask is "do you really need all those gears?"

The answer, of course, is "no.", but I don't actually need all the gears on a ten speed either. In fact, most of my riding is done on one-speed (fixed-gear) bikes. Nobody needs 63 gears, but it was an interesting and amusing mechanical challenge to put it together, and it does give a very wide range, with close spacing between ratios. There are probably gears that this bike has never actually been ridden in!

Actually, I guess I was just ahead of my time, because a similar setup is now offered by Sachs, a 3-speed hub which is designed to take a 7-sprocket cassette. Nevertheless, as far as I know, I am the first to succeed in getting 7-sprockets to work on a Sturmey-Archer hub!

The toughest challenge of this was getting enough axle length. I used the longest Sturmey-Archer axle available, but even that was far too short for a normal installation on the right side. I used a conical countersink drill bit to countersink a hole into the adaptor claw, then I bevelled the edges of the special axle nut so that they would fit into the countersink. This only gives 5 or 6 threads of engagement, but since the countersinking prevents the axle from being able to slide forward, that is enough. Axles on internal-gear hubs have a tendency to rotate if not secured solidly, so I took extra pains on the left side to use the appropriate anti-rotation washer, and two nuts, both tightened quite snugly.

The cluster is a Sun Tour "Ultra 6" unit, which is threaded onto a threaded (old-style) Sturmey-Archer driver. This means of attachment leaves the freewheel rather far from the spokes, so far that there is room for a seventh sprocket. I have mounted the extra sprocket by bolting it (a 28 tooth) to the 24 tooth sprocket on the freewheel. (On my 54-speed tandem, I did a similar modification, turning a 5-speed 14-28 freewheel into a 6-speed 14-36, using an old T.A. chain ring as a rear sprocket.
I'll see your 63 speeds and raise you by 18.

Quite honestly, I'm not sure whether Sheldon would have jumped all in, or would say that living in Kansas, the Author only needs one gear for upwind and one for downwind - which could be achieved by either a kickback hub, or by going with a single rear sprocket and a double, or a flip-flop. I think the key is to do something audacious and do it unapologetically. If the rear is to be spread, go to 130 and throw a 9-speed in there. One never knows when you may have to outsprint a pack of rowdy farm dogs, or get swept up in a tornado and find yourself in some far off land that has hills.



__________________
In search of what to search for.
USAZorro is offline  
Old 04-28-22, 09:15 PM
  #16  
beng1
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 678
Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 790 Post(s)
Liked 348 Times in 195 Posts
I ride an old ten-speed road--bike a LOT and I don't have any problems with it. Being in some sort of shape helps. Having a triple crankset makes my 24-speed mountainbike more useful off-road, but when I ride it on the road I only use three or four of those 24 speeds. If you want an apple, pick one up, if you want an orange pick one up, it makes more sense than trying to turn an apple into an orange.
beng1 is offline  
Old 04-28-22, 09:38 PM
  #17  
C9H13N 
Full Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: North Seattle
Posts: 391

Bikes: Davidson ’81

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 120 Post(s)
Liked 229 Times in 121 Posts
My 120 spaced lifetime keeper is already 2x6 and I’ve stashed enough Ultra 6 freewheels to keep it that way for a very long time…
C9H13N is offline  
Likes For C9H13N:
Old 04-28-22, 10:16 PM
  #18  
Darth Lefty 
Disco Infiltrator
 
Darth Lefty's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Folsom CA
Posts: 13,775

Bikes: Stormchaser, Paramount, Tilt, Samba tandem

Mentioned: 72 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3126 Post(s)
Liked 2,102 Times in 1,366 Posts
Retro direct!

...anyone? no?
__________________
Genesis 49:16-17
Darth Lefty is offline  
Old 04-29-22, 04:38 AM
  #19  
nlerner
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 17,127
Mentioned: 480 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3788 Post(s)
Liked 6,574 Times in 2,580 Posts
Sheldon would go 5-speed indexed.
nlerner is offline  
Old 04-29-22, 05:28 AM
  #20  
pastorbobnlnh 
Freewheel Medic
 
pastorbobnlnh's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: An Island on the Coast of GA!
Posts: 12,878

Bikes: Snazzy* Schwinns, Classy Cannondales & a Super Pro Aero Lotus (* Ed.)

Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1448 Post(s)
Liked 2,177 Times in 957 Posts
My 2 cents:

Having recently retired, and now I find myself spending considerable time on the very flat (but often windy) GA coast, may I share my recent gearing change?

The bike I brought from NH to GA was geared with a Campy triple (50-42-30) and a six speed Ultra Suntour (13-32) freewheel. After a couple of months, I decided the freewheel and the lousy shifting Campy RD needed to be retired. I was always hunting for a correct gear in the rear and never finding one.

I replaced the RD with a short cage Shimano Crane and the Suntour was regeared to 14-16-18-20-22-24. Now I spend 90% of my time on the 18-20-22 in the rear and the 50 in the front, depending on the wind direction. When the wind is strong (15-20mph) I shift down to the 42 and primarily use the same three rear sprockets.

So my vote is to keep the 5 speed freewheel.
__________________
Bob
Enjoying the GA coast all year long!

Thanks for visiting my website: www.freewheelspa.com





pastorbobnlnh is offline  
Likes For pastorbobnlnh:
Old 04-29-22, 05:34 AM
  #21  
bikemig 
Senior Member
 
bikemig's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Middle Earth (aka IA)
Posts: 20,505

Bikes: A bunch of old bikes and a few new ones

Mentioned: 178 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5877 Post(s)
Liked 3,445 Times in 2,066 Posts
Sheldon would have bought a Schwinn Sports Tourer . . .

Sheldon would have bought a 70s Schwinn Sports Tourer if he lived, like the OP does, in hilly Kansas. With 54/40 rings and a 14-34 freewheel, the gearing runs from a high of 104 inches to a low of 32. Not bad for 2 x 5 gearing. This is my '73 Sports Tourer.



Last edited by bikemig; 04-29-22 at 05:37 AM.
bikemig is offline  
Likes For bikemig:
Old 04-29-22, 06:15 AM
  #22  
Classtime 
Senior Member
 
Classtime's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 4,672

Bikes: 82 Medici, 2011 Richard Sachs, 2011 Milwaukee Road

Mentioned: 54 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1924 Post(s)
Liked 1,954 Times in 1,086 Posts
Keep it 5 speed. IRD makes a decent one. And Boulder Bicycles may have a 5 speed chain for you.
__________________
I don't do: disks, tubeless, e-shifting, or bead head nymphs.
Classtime is offline  
Old 04-29-22, 06:48 AM
  #23  
Jeff Neese
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 1,486
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1080 Post(s)
Liked 681 Times in 438 Posts
In Grant Petersen's book Just Ride is a chapter titled "You have way too many gears". I think he's right, for most people. 2x5 is plenty of gears to ride your bike just about anywhere you want to go. We didn't lack for more gears back when that's all there was, when a "ten speed" was the pinnacle of bicycle engineering. We just rode our bikes and did just fine.

All that is to say that if it were me, I would keep the original configuration and enjoy the bike for what it was originally. I never understood the obsession with putting more gears on an older bike, even up to and including spreading the rear triangle. If you need (or want) more gears or a different configuration, that's why we have more than one bike.
Jeff Neese is offline  
Old 04-29-22, 09:10 AM
  #24  
John E
feros ferio
 
John E's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,765

Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;

Mentioned: 44 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1384 Post(s)
Liked 1,294 Times in 819 Posts
I have converted my 2x5 UO-8 to 2x6 (superb 45-42/13-15-17-20-23-26 half-step), using a Shimano "ultra-width" freewheel, because with half step, or even 1.5 step, I don't get both the range and tight ratio progression I want on 2x5.
I did the same with the 1959 Capo (very nice 46-38/13-15-17-19-22-25 1.5-step), using a standard-width Regina America freewheel
My Bianchi was already 2x6 (52-42/13-23, too high for my tastes), so I simply changed the 2x6 sizes to 50-42/14-16-18-20-23-26, another very nice 1.5 step.
I am leaning toward keeping the "keep it original" Capo Sieger as a 2x5, leaning toward 49-45/14-16-19-23-26 or, if the Gran Sport will handle it (iffy!), 14-17-20-24-28. (45T is the smallest chainring the period-correct 3-piece 3x6 bolt Simplex spider adaptor will accommodate.)

The mountain bike was sold as a 3x6. I bought it used as a 3x7, and it is now a very satisfactory 3x8: 46-38-24 / 12-13-15-17-19-21-24-28. It does NOT have too many gears, Grant!
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
John E is offline  
Old 04-29-22, 09:17 AM
  #25  
esasjl
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 120

Bikes: '84 Chas Roberts, '91 Peugeot Galibier, '94 Gitane Leader, '51 Dayton Elite, '90 Verago ATB, '08 Dawes Sardar

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 30 Post(s)
Liked 249 Times in 60 Posts
I kept my '84 Roberts at 120 OLD but maxed the gear range with an ultra-6 13-34 and Stronglight 106 Tri 55/43/30. This works for me for riding with constantly changing gradients up to 25%. If I go elsewhere then it is easy to change the sprockets and chainrings.

esasjl is offline  
Likes For esasjl:

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.