Conference noted::bicycle

    In a standard freewheel, the cogs are threaded onto the freewheel body
    and the whole thing, body + cogs, is threaded onto the hub.
    
    In a cassette freewheel, the freewheel body is an integral part of the
    hub and the sprockets slide onto the hub on splines, retained by a top
    threaded sprocket. 
    
    There's no compatibility between freewheel and cassette systems.      
    
    The claimed advantages of cassette hubs are that ratios are easier to
    change, that the gear-side bearing can be located nearer the dropout
    thus giving more durability, and that the wheel is stronger because
    less dishing is required.
    
    A definite disadvantage of cassette systems is that if the freewheel
    dies, the hub is useless and so you'll need to rebuild the wheel with 
    a new hub, which is a major pain.
    
    Given that you have a history of breaking freewheel mechanisms, it
    sounds to me like you ought to steer clear of cassette systems. On the
    other hand, Shimano and Suntour are offering all their ATB systems with
    cassette hubs, so one presumes they're up to the job. Perhaps you've
    just been using cheap freewheels?
    
    
    Rod
    
      

    Also reduced axle bending and breakage on cassette systems because the
    bearing load is nearer the end of the axle.
    
    ed

    The cassette/freehub portion of a Shimano cassette hub CAN be replaced. 
    Now don't ask me exactly how it's done but my shop just did one for me.

    Get this:  I wanted to try my hand a building a wheel, but wanted to
    get out of it as cheap as possible so I asked if they had any used
    hubs.  They did and sold me a Deore XT hub for $12 (had to remove one
    spacer and cut the axel back 5 mm so it would fit a road bike).  After
    I built the wheel I noticed it had a "click-click-click" sound so I
    took it back to the shop.  They checked it and said, yes it had a bad
    bearing in the cassette body, and just gave me a new cassette body. 
    Took them less that 5 minutes to replace it.  Not a bad deal for $12!

    Re .3:
    
    Now you mention it, I was reading the bumf that came with a pair if
    Shimano 1051 cassette hubs recently and it did mention that the
    cassette body was removable with a 12mm Allen key (with the axle
    already removed, that is). That kind of facility would suggest that the
    body can be replaced, so that's good news.
    
    UK cycling press has said one or two bad things recently about Shimano
    spares availability though.
    
    
    Rod

    Has anyone used a Dura Ace freewheel on a Campy hub?  My Chorus derailleur
    is worn out and I'm going to switch to Dura Ace if I can get away
    without having to buy new hub sets and rebuilding two sets of wheels. 
    
    Phil

    Three years old, and already worn out?  Whatever happened to Campy
    durability?
    
    MATT

    Matt,
    
    What can I say?  I have to shift alot to try to keep up with you...
    I can't just put it in a big gear and hammer away mile after mile like
    some people.
    
    Phil

    Works fine.  This is the setup both my wife and I have.
    
    steve                                                

    What is the strongest freewheel around?  It also should be a good
    performer.  During the Duet Classis, last week, Nancy and I broke a
    tooth off our Maillard 7-spd freewheel during a climb.  Luckily, we
    were able to finish the race (with a "jumpy" chain).  The freewheel was
    brand new.  After 200 miles, we had a broken tooth and many chipped
    ones (good thing you don't have to take them to the dentist ;-)). 
    Other tandem racers mentioned that they were unhappy with Sachs
    freewheel.
    
    Eric

    
    You should also check chain alignment, I guess.  But as for brands,
    people seem pleased (and my own experience backs that up) with:
    
    	Suntour Winner Pro
    	Shimano Dura Ace
    
    -john

    Regina has always treated me well, but they do require Phil's
    molasses once very 500-700 miles or so...
    
      Chip

>    You should also check chain alignment, I guess.  But as for brands,
>    people seem pleased (and my own experience backs that up) with:
>    
>    	Suntour Winner Pro
>    	Shimano Dura Ace
    
    
    True, you should check chain alignment.  I had the same thing happen to
    me(broke tooth while climbing,.. then others began to break too), and
    I had the Suntour Winner Pro on.   Got a new Winner pro and chain align
    and haven't had problems yet.

    So how does one check chain alignment? The sideways position of both
    freewheel and chainwheel seems fixed to me.
    
    
    Rod

1. Different axles in the BB
   Spacers behind the fixed cup
   New-fangled BB "units" - threaded both ends.

2. Juggling the hub washers/spacers on the freewheel thread , re-dish the wheel

I reckon you need to "bias" towards the big ring, that way you stand less chance
of the chain rubbing on it when using the small ring and the smallest cogs. With
a 7 block, I usually line the inner up with the middle, and the outer with the
3rd from top.  Seems to work fine and the modern chain takes a lot of abuse,
provided you oil it frequently and throw it away every time it gets noisy.

R

    Spacers behind the fixed cup?  Never heard of that one, 'course I
    haven't been riding all that long either.  please tell me more...
    
    ed

The fixed cup is the same diameter as the freewheel thread (1 3/8" in old money)
so you can use the spacers used by the trackies, preferably not the Campag ones,
they are too expensive.  Naturally there is only a small lee-way here, it
depends on the BB width and the amount of thread available, but often it's
just enough to give a little more room, for example to get a very small ring on
to make up a triple but using a "double" axle.

    aha, thanks, ...
    
    ed

I went to replace a SunTour AccuShift 7 spd freewheel with a Maillard 7 spd
and now when I shift to the high gear (smallest cog) the chain rubs up
against the dropout. Otherwise the shifting seems OK (it was never very good).

The problem seems to be that the seal on the back of the Maillard seems to
protrude a little bit farther than the original SunTour. Either that or there's
just not enough threads inside the body of the Maillard.

My question: can this extra width be compensated for by the use of a small
spacer or a slightly longer cone lock nut or should I just send the Maillard
back and get a SunTour ?

-tom

    The Maillard freewheel is definitely wider than the SunTour.
    I've had the same problem.  And you can fix it one of the 
    two ways that you've mentioned.  Which method to choose depends
    on your intended use.  If you will be frequently swapping wheels
    (or freewheels) that have the two different brands of freewheels,
    then I would send the Maillard back and get the SunTour.  The 
    2-3mm difference in the width of the freewheels can affect shifting,
    and you might have to adjust it every time you change setups.  
    
    If you change wheels/freewheels very infrequently, I would advise
    adding a spacer and getting the wheel redished (if you're a
    perfectionist :-).  This would allow you to use either brand of 
    freewheel.
    
    Good Luck!