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Little Lesson
#1
Hey all I just wanted to show everyone why it is NOT ok to just put any wheel with a Freewheel/Cassette without checking and seeing if the rest of the drive train is compatible. In the pics below I was working on this Roadmaster Mt. Fury 15speed trying to figure why it was messing up when I was riding it changing gears and all. That was probably before I joined this forum. NOW armed with the awesome knowledge I decided to pull it out and work on it. Immediately I saw it! Yup count the gears on the Freewheel (the front Derailler has 3 rings). Someone put a 6speed cassette in place of the old 5speed. Those who do not understand how to calculate the gears, most chain companies and LBS refer to how many gears are on the freewheel/cassette on the rear wheel, not total of gears the bike has. So anyways there ya go Smile ...
Good maintenance to your Bike, can make it like the wheels are, true and smooth!
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#2
Actually, this might not have been a careless owner. I remember a bunch of walmart bikes that had the wrong cassette on them because the factory had a run of bad cassettes, and walmart said "Screw it, if they're cheaper, throw them on our bikes". One more reason never to buy a walmart bike. Ever.
Dedicated scholar of bicycles
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#3
So Bill you going to put on a 5 speed freewheel on it and get it back in good working order? I bet you will.
My dad always told me a Sledge a matic can fix any thing.
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#4
Really jr? Interesting how they shortcut crap! Guess that is why LBS are still around today to fix their screw ups lol.

Yes Surly I am putting a 5speed (Shimano) on it as soon as my coffee is finished I am going back and might touch up the truing too. Come to think of it, tube has a VERY SLOW leak as well Undecided .
Good maintenance to your Bike, can make it like the wheels are, true and smooth!
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#5
I used to manage a bike shop that was right next store to a large electronics and appliance store. The had a deal where you buy a TV and you get a bike. They were the junkiest pieces of cr*p I had ever seen. Well, every year that the store did this, there was a new common problem with every bike that was "given away". One year it was the chain (many tight links), the next year it was freewheels that would fall apart, another year the cranks were forged poorly, etc. Well, we ended up selling a lot of chains, cranks, and freewheels!
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#6
Why shouldn't a 6 speed cassette work in that bike? I use a 9 speed on an old Peugeot 12 speed, and to make it more interesting: a 9 speed SRAM MTB cassette. The shifters are not indexed, you just have to use the right chain.
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#7
The rear derailleur would have to be 6 speed compatible, not just the shifters. If the RD doesn't have the range to shift into 6 different gears, it won't shift into all six.
Dedicated scholar of bicycles
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#8
Good morning all,
I wanted to add that I did before try adjusting the derailler (not bent either) and it still had all the classic symptoms of incompatibility, I also checked the shifter and cable assembly, all in good condition. Now the chain when I used the Park CC-3 showed no wear, side walls of the links were not bowed, and there were no stiff links either. Just for further inspection I visually looked at ALL the chain rings (front and back) which were in good shape, no shark teeth. I did last night get the wheel of and used the dishing tool on it, good there. For the truing wasn't 100%, but that will come today. Now to add the axle is not bent. So that leaves trying the 5speed freewheel. The 6speed may be too much.
Good maintenance to your Bike, can make it like the wheels are, true and smooth!
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#9
Well, I use a 7 speed RD with a 9 speed cassette. No problems there. Usually one gear difference is not bad. And the narrow 6 speed freewheels had (as far as I know) the same width as the 5 speed freewheels. There were also "wider" 6 speed freewheels that have the same inter sprocket distance as 5 speeds. You have to ue a narrow (by those days' standards) chain to use the narrow 6 speed freewheel, though. This is (as far as I can tell from Bill's last post) most likely the problem.

Edit: Those were called "Ultra Six" http://sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html
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#10
(03-09-2010, 08:52 AM)Joe_W Wrote:  Well, I use a 7 speed RD with a 9 speed cassette. No problems there. Usually one gear difference is not bad. And the narrow 6 speed freewheels had (as far as I know) the same width as the 5 speed freewheels. There were also "wider" 6 speed freewheels that have the same inter sprocket distance as 5 speeds. You have to ue a narrow (by those days' standards) chain to use the narrow 6 speed freewheel, though. This is (as far as I can tell from Bill's last post) most likely the problem.

Edit: Those were called "Ultra Six" http://sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html

Hmm good information. I think before I assemble the bike together maybe use the micrometer for actual spacing on the distance between the cogs on both of them using the metric measurement. I see the line under the ultra about how the pins did not protrude from the side as well.
Good maintenance to your Bike, can make it like the wheels are, true and smooth!
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#11
(03-09-2010, 10:20 AM)Bill Wrote:  Hmm good information. I think before I assemble the bike together maybe use the micrometer for actual spacing on the distance between the cogs on both of them using the metric measurement. I see the line under the ultra about how the pins did not protrude from the side as well.

I'd try and use a 7 speed chain, probably with a quick ling at first. If it runs: rivet the chain. If it doesn't, you have not lost a chain. (Yeah, I know you can open and close links on 7 speed chains, I just prefer not to do that too often)
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#12
There was about .2750 mm difference. I installed the 5speed cassette, adjusted the RD, gave it a test ride and it seems to have fixed the problem. As far as the 7spd chain I will keep that in mind Joe.
Good maintenance to your Bike, can make it like the wheels are, true and smooth!
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