Velo Mule

Hey, @r0ckh0und that Schwinn Miranda is a Mixte mountain bike. I don't see too many mixte mountain bikes. Upgrading the wheels changes the bike in a big way. Nice build.

I got some freewheels from fellow forum member @Mad Honk. Thank you MH. A Regina and a SunTour. Two of the best around. The Regina is "MegaRange" with a 20 tooth large cog. This of course would have been sometime before Shimano came up with their version of MegaRange (with the big graphics). Perhaps someone was looking for a tight range and a single low gear. Or it was a receptacle for leftover Regina cogs. I forgot how nice Regina freewheels are. I don't have a collection of Regina cogs so might have to buy some to fill in the gap. Or perhaps I'll try the MegaRange and see how I like it.


Here is the SunTour Perfect broken down and cleaned up. I did reuse the bearings since they were all captured and in good condition.



And back to service ready condition.

bamboobike4

That's what I'm wrenching on, all I'm wrenching on, to the detriment of other more bizarre projects. 1985 Klein Performance

They are not wanting to play nice. The RD rests under the #2 cog when no chain, no cable, adjustment well out.
The cassette is a 34T, hence the long-cage Claris RD.

Generically, it could be junk on the pivots, as the "return" sans chain/cable is not hitting the outer limit bolt. When I push it outward, it stops well outside that outer cog.

Or, it could be an alignment issue, as the Klein has a very phat RD hanger, but I doubt it, as it would move the RD outward, not inward.

Maybe they're not compatible, but both are Shimano 8. One just looks like Campy. But, hey, the FD works fantastically!

Plan B is to go back to the New Success RD, but even with a Roadlink, it is not gonna clear that 34T, and I have no other 8sp cassettes.
(Also, chain wrap issues would abound).

*(My 700C to 650B gravel conversions (2) are also giving me fits, but it's more of an ignorance situation.
Through axles, QR discs, tire clearance, tubeless vs. tubed. It's all a fun mess.)

dweenk

Thanks for the link, I followed it but the seller wants $12.10 for shipping; I could drop that in a padded bag for 1/2 that. I think I'll give the Park tool a try before I buy.

Bianchi84

Nice work! I have a few Suntour Freewheels that are resistant to my homemade chain whips. What tools do you use to take yours apart? I'm cheap,.. er, frugal, hence the homemade; I'd like functional tools but don't want to spend a fortune!
Thanks!

merziac

I think many of us are "frugal" but it can be easily lost in the weeds.

This is a good example where good tools can help avoid wasting time, effort, energy and carnage by parlaying skill, patience and practice into success.

An ounce of prevention....

Good tools are expensive with good reason, they often work better, last longer and are more precise so they help you succeed.

I have been a mech/tech all my life, bikes since 12, autos professionally, drag racing motorcycles for 40 years and more.

Good tools can be priceless when they make your living, get you to the winners circle, get the job done in a pinch, on the road, at the track and everywhere in between.

I have never regretted buying good tools.

smd4

You know, you can get a chain whip for $3.25 plus free shipping on eBay right now. You probably spent more than that to make your own.

Bianchi84

I was a bike mechanic/sales for about 15 years in Long Island NY way back when. I, too appreciate and care for my tools. There are some that I think I will use so infrequently that I think I don't need them...until I do! You may have convinced me to spend money.. I'll relay all wife complaints to you

merziac

You know, those are the cheap tools I'm talking about that do more harm than good when they azzplode and your knuckles go slamming into the freewheel without getting the cog off.

merziac

No worries, I figured as much and know its a tough deal. The seldom used tool is a very good example, we are often less proficient with it, I usually stepped up especially on those as they always prevented a flat rate log jamb that I really couldn't afford.

Another big point at this juncture is age and time as well.

I'm not getting any better at any of this so anything that helps avoid frustration, carnage and downtime is usually well worth the price of admission.

My wife is a crafter and has recently dove headfirst into a different segment of that rabbit hole, many $$$$$$ involved so her position is precarious at best.

r0ckh0und 

Thanks Velo Mule , I would probably refer to it as a mixte as well but merziac recently posted a reference chart for the different variations of this frame style. The proper name escapes me........

merziac

"mixte" always sounds cool and everybody wants to sound cool so there it is.

This is a "sport" version as many are and even though "mixte" means universal, it denotes the version that the twin tubes run from the HT to the RDO's




There's another good chart that I need to find again and also use.

jdawginsc 

That's a twin of one I souped up last year to give away to a student. She loves it. It was a fun bike to work on. Nice job!

They are awesome mixtes

jdawginsc 

I am thinking a heartfelt acknowledgment of how cool her newfound hobby is might be healthy for you...

merziac

Have no fear, she has my full support and I facilitate whenever I can.

She did the scrap booking thing years ago and chronicled a bunch of our life while my son was growing up.

This new deal is mostly card making so far but could easily be applied to scrap booking so we'll see.

And on the "mixte" thing.

jdawginsc 

Was wondering if you'd notice that...

r0ckh0und 

I had my daughter in mind while working on it. I sent her some pics today and got a thumbs up! It should be a better fit than the beach cruiser she's currently riding. Got any pics of the twin?

merziac

Saturae? wheels, those were original spec Stumpy and likely where these came from.

I would save them for a Stumpy build and find some solid generic's for this little beauty.

jdawginsc 

Nishiki Bravo...

Rooney 

Oof, I hadn't looked at the shipping. I don't blame ya. Best of luck with that bb!

r0ckh0und 

Good point, but I don't see a Stumpy coming into play anytime soon. I have some time before the daughter visits again, to get the wheels sorted out.

merziac

No worries and you never know, those wheels are something to build a bike around imo, especially if you can find a Stumpy to use with them.

Maybe they will draw one into play now that we have planted a seed.

smd4

C'mon, it's a chain whip. Not a precision fourth hand. Besides, you can spend more and get something better.

Personally, I've never seen quality bicycle tools for so cheap as what you can get today.

Velo Mule

So, here is my set up Bianchi84 . It is interesting that the discussion turned to homemade tools. I used to use two chainwhips and that might be more stable when the freewheel is still on the wheel and you can let gravity help keep the chain in place. When it is off the wheel I have had the experience of moving unexpectedly (one of the chains lost its grip). I used this, thrown together, mounting plate for the freewheel. It is not the best, but it worked.


There is another piece of pine screwed and glued to this that allows this to be clamped in my Black & Decker Workmate. I am thinking that knotty piece may be better for this application than a straight grained piece. The screws all avoid the knots themselves.

Here it is with the Regina freewheel in it. I managed to remove the two outer cogs which then allowed me to disassemble the freewheel mechanism. This third cog was giving me problems. The Workmate has too many joints that were all yielding a bit as I tried to loosen the cog. Next attempt will be in a bench vise.



At some point in the future, I may make better version of this with an aluminum plate and machine screws. I used a Nashbar chainwhip with a steel lever. Years ago I had aluminum Nashbar chainwhips which would bend and twist. Not good. Don't use aluminum chainwhips. I also had a chainwhip where the chain broke. The sideplate yielded enough that the rivet came out and I went flying.

I am not a fan of chainwhips. I bought a Pedros cassette cog remover, however since it only does 11 and 12 teeth, I don't think that I have used it. Unior sells a cog remover for 13 and 14 teeth that I will probably buy soon. I'll still need the chainwhip on the second cog though. But getting the small one off without a chainwhip is appealing.

phtomita

I changed spacer length to fit modern cantilever brakes to my 1984 Centurion ProTour15 that has narrow posts.

https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-v...er-brakes.html

merziac

Well I broke a Spin Dr whip on just a cassette lockring, no way it would have budged an actual freewheel locking cog that was tight as they usually are.

While I agree with there being some good cheap tools, you still usually get what you pay for, they work ok for the most part, then at some point you have to really lean in and BANG!

Then you're off to the ER for stitches and you get to buy a new part that was mangled and a new tool that blew up trying to do a job it was never going to be able to do.