ISO: 32t or 34t 7 speed freewheel. Any good options?

[Tim Gavin]

Ladies and gents-

I'm looking for a new freewheel.  7 speed, for use on a Phil hub on my Riv Road Standard.

For touring, I want lower cogs than the 13-28 I have on there now.  The Microshift rear derailer (bought from Riv!) will handle a 36t max cog and pick up the chain for my 50/40/30 Campy triple just fine.

So far, I see the following options.  Anyone know of more?  Thanks for your advice!

Shimano FW723 "Mega Range" 14/ 16/ 18/ 20/ 22/ 24/ 34

$14

+ Cheap!

- Ugly (zinc finish with huge black "mega range" 34t cog)

Dimension 13/ 15/ 17/ 21/ 24/ 28/ 32

$42

+ Shiny nickel plating

- Not cheap!  3 Shimanos at this price

IRD Defiant 13/ 15/ 17/ 21/ 24/ 28/ 32

$56

+ Shiny nickel plating

+ USA company.  MUSA freewheel?

- Not cheap!  4 Shimanos at this price

Gearing:  

Which is better?  Riding: touring with 220 lb rider and ~30lb of gear.

14/ 16/ 18/ 20/ 22/ 24/ 34 starts fat, ramps slowly, then massive bailout cog.  

13/ 15/ 17/ 21/ 24/ 28/ 32 starts medium, ramps moderately, has two, smaller bailout gears (28/32)

Thanks,

Tim Gavin

Cedar Rapids, IA

[Tim Gavin]

One more

DNP Epoch 11/ 13/ 15/ 18/ 21/ 24/ 32

$33

+ Shiny nickel plating

- Not cheap!  2.5 Shimanos at this price

The gearing seems weird on this one.  I don't think I need the 11t high cog.

Thanks,

Tim

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.

[Patrick Moore]

Gearing is at least as personal as saddles, but I'd choose the cog combo that had closer jumps in the cruising range with a bailout. That 17t-21t jump, at that point in the cogset, looks horrible to me.

Years ago, when I commuted on a gearie, I used either a (crossover) 46/36/26 and a 13-21 7 (with 25" actual 559 bsd wheels, 88" down to 31"), or -- far better! -- a 47/44 halfstep with a bastard 12-32 7, halfstepping the middle 5 and using the 12 as a big ring, downhill only (actually, more like a placeholder) and the 32 as a small, uphill only.

	47.0	44.0
12.0	97.9
13.0	90.4	84.6
15.0	78.3	73.3
17.0	69.1	64.7
20.0	58.8	55.0
24.0	49.0	45.8
34.0		32.4

I don't know what you want or need at the top end, but a 50/11 seems pretty high unless you are racing.

My vote for the cheapo 14-34. My only present road bike with multiple gears uses a home-brew 14-23 7 with 44/30 rings.

--

You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to rbw-owne...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.

--

Albuquerque, NM, USA

 

Resumes that get interviews:

http://www.resumespecialties.com/

[Patrick Moore]

Sorry, the big cog was a 34, not a 32. SunTour VGT rd.

[Bill Lindsay]

$14 for a freewheel sounds "scary cheap" to me.  Maybe I'm a snob, but I would not expect much performance or life out of a <$15 freewheel.  The others three are 'cheap' in my book. Good freewheels were $30 to $40 in the late 1980s.  That's like...um....I don't know...a lot more than $40 in 2014.  

[Eric Norris]

I've had good luck with IRD freewheels, but it seems to me that they are somewhat cheaper than $56 apiece.

--Eric N

www.CampyOnly.com

CampyOnlyGuy.blogspot.com

Twitter: @CampyOnlyGuy

--

[Jon Doyle]

I'd get the Shimano Mega Range 14-34. Scandalously cheap yes, but it's from a reliable brand, and will provide a useful set of ratios for touring. If it's junk then you're only out a few bucks. Online reviews seem to favor it. I'd avoid the SunRace and IRD, they sound overpriced based on reviews.

Jon

Watertown, MA

[Garth]

I'd just use the Shimano 14-34 myself :)
OR
Make your own combination using the Shimano 14-34 and the 13-28.  Here's how ... http://blog.harriscyclery.com/customizing-shimano-7-speed-freewheels/

You should be able to make a 14 16 18 21 24 28 34  FW using the 14-34 body.  With your 50t big ring a 14t small cog is fine .  I find spacing like this ideal.

[Tim Gavin]

Garth-

Great idea on combining the two; that gearing would be better.  I'll have to see if my bike co-op has one of those nifty pliers.

I'd read that article a long time ago, but by accident--I was looking for the "make your own custom cassette" article.  

I did that on my gofast bike.  I had to, because it has an Ultraglide freehub body.  I bought an 11-28, ditched the 11t and 12t rings, and used the 12t and 13t rings from the old cassette.  I should keep my eye out for more 12t UG lockrings...

Tim

[RoadieRyan]

I agree with Patrick, I like a more graduated gearing rather than 10 tooth jump the mega range offers.  I have used IRDs and like them and yes you will pay more but you might not have as many "moments of regret" from failed shifts or dropped chains when using the mega range.  I find if you shop around you can usually find a decent deal on the IRD's- under $50  Yes it will still be 3x expensive as the Shimano mega range but you get what you pay for.

Ryan "Even range" Surface

On Wednesday, January 29, 2014 11:56:56 AM UTC-8, Tim Gavin wrote:

[Ron Mc]

Tim, I just went through the exercise with a new Phil wheelset and bought an excellent Suntour Winner on ebay, 12-32.  Paid $65 and am delighted

  

What I found is that IRD Defiant freewheels are not in stock anywhere.  There are a few remaining MkIIIs at SJS in the UK, but these have a pawl failure history.  

I strongly recommend using Sheldon's gear calculator - using your chainrings and the freewheel options, see what gives you the fewest overlaps and the largest number of closely-spaced gears between about 35-65 inches.  What you learn is that you should change a front chainring.  http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/

Me, I would replace that 50T chainring with a 45T or 46 to gain halfsteps - this would also make a 12 or 13 smallest cog useful - 110-inch gears are fairly pointless unless you're downhill with your hair on fire.  I like halfsteps - My Cyclotouriste triple is 47/42/26

[Ron Mc]

Tim, I punched these for you - these look really good.   I was expecting the 17-21 to be a cliff, but even that is not bad.  

These look very useful, with two tree-climbers under 30" 

Gear chart using Gear Inches

For 700 X 28 / 28-622 tire with 170 mm cranks

With Custom Sprocket(s) Cassette

30 33.3 % 40 25.0 % 50 32 25.1 33.5 41.8 14.3 % 28 28.7 38.2 47.8 16.7 % 24 33.5 44.6 55.8 14.3 % 21 38.2 51.0 63.7 23.5 % 17 47.2 63.0 78.7 13.3 % 15 53.5 71.4 89.2 15.4 % 13 61.8 82.3 102.9

[Ron Mc]

This is the chart for my half-step triple and current set up.  I have one overlap at 70 inches, but this is an easy, load-hauling array.  

Gear chart using Gear Inches

For 700 X 28 / 28-622 tire with 170 mm cranks

With Custom Sprocket(s) Cassette

26 61.5 % 42 11.9 % 47 32 21.7 35.1 39.3 28.0 % 25 27.8 45.0 50.3 19.0 % 21 33.1 53.5 59.9 16.7 % 18 38.7 62.4 69.9 12.5 % 16 43.5 70.2 78.6 14.3 % 14 49.7 80.3 89.8 16.7 % 12 58.0 93.7 104.8

[Ron Mc]

One more to show you 11-tooth sprockets are only useful on compact double cranks

Gear chart using Gear Inches

For 700 X 38 / 38-622 tire with 170 mm cranks

With Custom Sprocket(s) Cassette

28 50.0 % 42 30 25.5 38.2 25.0 % 24 31.9 47.8 14.3 % 21 36.4 54.6 16.7 % 18 42.5 63.7 20.0 % 15 51.0 76.5 15.4 % 13 58.8 88.3 18.2 % 11 69.5 104.3

[Bill Lindsay]

That's a great looking compact double setup.  Everything you need, nothing you don't.  I like it.  

[Ron Mc]

you're welcome, bro.  

[dougP]

Just a comment on the gearing side.  with a 30T small chainring, I'd go the 34T big cog.  For a long time, I rode with cogsets that went from 28 to 32 as the last shift, and sometimes hauling a load up a hill it didn't seem like enough of a shift.  I sub'd in a 34 big cog and the 28 to 34 shifts fine under load (not sure how 24 to 34 would do at this).  The suggested 14-16-18-21-24-28-34 looks pretty good.  FWIW, I too would be leery of a cheap FW.  Even though it's a Shimano, likely it's primary market is OEM cheap bikes that won't get much use. 

dougP

On Wednesday, January 29, 2014 11:56:56 AM UTC-8, Tim Gavin wrote:

[Ron Mc]

as long as we're at it, here's the gear chart for Doug's suggestion  - Very useful gear set with no cliffs anywhere, hill climbers on every chainring, and narrow 50s/60s, where we spend most of our time.  Chainline at the extremes might be tough, but the Microshift derailleur looks like it has the wrap to easily handle the chain length.  I was excited to see Grant pick up that derailleur - their barcons (on my daughter's bike) are wonderful.  

Gear chart using Gear Inches

For 700 X 28 / 28-622 tire with 170 mm cranks

With Custom Sprocket(s) Cassette

30 33.3 % 40 25.0 % 50

34 23.6 31.5 39.4 21.4 %

28 28.7 38.2 47.8 16.7 % 24 33.5 44.6 55.8 14.3 % 21 38.2 51.0 63.7

16.7 % 18 44.6 59.5 74.3 12.5 % 16 50.2 66.9 83.6 14.3 % 14 57.3 76.5 95.6

[Jim Thill - Hiawatha Cyclery]

The Shimano is as good as any.