Upgrading to 7-speed freewheel
Dan O
Because both of the original downtube shifters on my '86 Trek 400 were
in such a bad way, I replaced them with a nice set of Shimano 105
shifters (7-speed indexed), and have been happily friction shifting my
6-speed freewheel (14-28) with them.
I just got a 7-speed freewheel (13-24) from Nashbar. I'm going to try
and install it tonight. If I have the concept right, all I should
have to do is get the old freewheel off, screw on the new one, maybe
shorten the chain a bit, set the rear derailer high and low limits,
maybe adjust the "B" limit too, switch the shifter to "index", get the
indexing lined up, and then ride.
Is that about right? Am I overlooking anything. (I hope it works.)
(BTW: As machine parts quality goes, this Nashbar freewheel strikes
me as pretty low-end, but I guess it'll have to do for now until I see
if the ol' Trek eventually warrants a new IRD.)
Mark
Depending on the spacing of the freewheel cogs and your rear hub, you
may find insufficient space for the extra cog.
By that I mean that you may find that with the new freewheel on, the
right axle locknuts (that fit against the frame dropout when the wheel
in installed) don't reach out beyond the freewheel.
In short, the rightmost cog may grind against the frame and the hub
locknuts may be unable to reach the frame. Or you might get lucky, if
there's already enough room there - enough spacers on the right side of
the axle.
If you need to add spacers, you may want to redish the rear wheel to
keep it centered between the right and left locknuts.
Good luck,
Mark J.
b...@mambo.ucolick.org
When installing a new freewheel or cassette, you should
also fit a new chain, so you don't wear the new freewheel
prematurely by running an old chain on it. You will want
a 7- or 8-speed chain (same thing); a 6-speed chain may
not run properly on your 7-speed freewheel. If you have
a very old chain, it also may not shift easily enough to
index properly. If you very recently changed the chain and
used something common like an 8-speed chain, it
should be new enough that you don't really need to
change it.
Ben
* * Chas
"Dan O" <danov...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:80f3d646-d537-42ec...@p31g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
In addition to the comments the other respondents mentioned, not all rear
derailleurs will index shift. You didn't say what kind of rear derailleur
you had.
Rear derailleurs designed for Shimano SIS indexing have a top jockey wheel
that floats a little from side to side. This allows the chain to locate on
the center of the sprocket by itself making index shifting easier.
Another problems to look for, if the freewheel is too wide the chain may
catch on the bottom of the right seatstay when you try to shift from the
smallest sprocket. Sometimes this can be remedied by filing a little metal
off of the bottom edge of the seatstay. Same thing with the inside rear
part of the chainstay.
Chas.
Dan O
spamski to e-mail me)> wrote:
> "Dan O" <danover...@gmail.com> wrote in message
Thank you very much to all respondents for the excellent tips and
benefit of your knowledge and experience. I didn't get around to
trying the install yet. Will probably wait for the weekend now.
I was a bit concerned not knowing about the "stack height" (?) of the
7-speed, but (newbie that I am) figured since 6 and 7 speed were both
intended for 126mm spacing... (hadn't thought about wheel dish)
Today I finally saw this at Harris Cyclery web site:
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/freewheels.html#6
The rear derailer is the original Shimano "Light Action" for use with
6-speed SIS.
The chain is a very recent (maybe 500 miles) replacement. It is a NOS
"HG" chain. I'm guessing - based on the other parts in the box it
came in - that it's for 6 speed, but don't completely understand the
difference yet. I still have a few of these NOS chains, but if the
new freewheel fits okay I may spring for one of those SRAM PC-58... er
PC-870 :-)
I probably wouldn't modify my good ol' 531 frame for the sake of this
cheap-o freewheel, and redishing the wheel is still a little
daunting. If this bike works out for the long term, though, I would
probably cold set the rear wheel spacing to 130mm for a new freehub -
as part of some more serious upgrading.
(BTW, a key factor in buying the 7-speed 105 shifters was that I have
the *exact same* shifters on my Miyata "race" bike - so it's hardware
backup :-)
The Trek is my daily commuter. I've been spending a lot of time in
top gear (52x14) lately, and could probably make some use that 13-
tooth.
b...@mambo.ucolick.org
>
> Thank you very much to all respondents for the excellent tips and
> benefit of your knowledge and experience. I didn't get around to
> trying the install yet. Will probably wait for the weekend now.
>
> I was a bit concerned not knowing about the "stack height" (?) of the
> 7-speed, but (newbie that I am) figured since 6 and 7 speed were both
> intended for 126mm spacing... (hadn't thought about wheel dish)
It's a reasonable assumption, but it doesn't always
work. Not all 7 sp freewheels are equal in terms
of where the cogs sit relative to the hub and locknut.
If you're out, it's only by 1-2 mm. It is possible
to add a 1 or 2 mm spacer to the axle, and redish (the
amount of redish is very small). Redishing the wheel
alone doesn't solve the problem.
> Today I finally saw this at Harris Cyclery web site:
>
> http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/freewheels.html#6
>
> The rear derailer is the original Shimano "Light Action" for use with
> 6-speed SIS.
That will work fine with 7sp index shifters, or almost
any Shimano index shifters, including STI (but not 8sp
Dura-Ace).
> The chain is a very recent (maybe 500 miles) replacement. It is a NOS
> "HG" chain. I'm guessing - based on the other parts in the box it
> came in - that it's for 6 speed, but don't completely understand the
> difference yet. I still have a few of these NOS chains, but if the
> new freewheel fits okay I may spring for one of those SRAM PC-58... er
> PC-870 :-)
The 6 speed chains are thicker by several tenths of
a mm. You can figure out which it is by measuring
across the rivets with a caliper, but I forget what a 7sp
chain measures. A chain late enough to be HG
might be 7sp, since HG was introduced after 7sp
(although there is such a thing as a 6sp HG freewheel).
Ben
TRIPLE R
wrote:
I do repairs on bikes sold in retail stores and all replacement chains
and 6sp/7sp freewheels are HG and are compatible,I also have replaced
6sp with 7sp and not needed to space the wheel,BUT the wheels we use
are probably specced with axle lenght to except 7sp,in saying that all
the 6 to 7sp convertions I have done at home I can say I havent come
across a spacing problem yet.
dusto...@mac.com
> I was a bit concerned not knowing about the "stack height" (?) of the
> 7-speed, but (newbie that I am) figured since 6 and 7 speed were both
> intended for 126mm spacing... (hadn't thought about wheel dish) (snip)
Well, if I'm not putting my foot too deep into it here...
I'm not familiar with the parts in question, but before you even try
to put the wheel, with the new FW mounted, into your frame, make sure
the RH locknut sticks out at least a little from the outside face of
the freewheel, so the outside cog doesn't foul the frame when the
skewer is tightened.
From my ancient and somewhat poorly remembered experience with Regina
and Suntour freewheels from the era when spacing changed from 120 to
126 and cog # count from 5 to 7, some combinations are happier than
others <g>. Including, when things are tight, the difference between
12, 13, and 13t cogs, IRT fitting into a given frame. Some frames had
a flattened inner surface on the chainstay for added cog clearance,
some didn't... A little caution and looking before turning a pedal--
or, indeed, tightening the skewer for the first time-- is called for
if there's any question.
Uh, um, you can run a rear wheel that is slightly (ahem) off "for
dish" with possibly only imaginary effect on steering and stability,
IME.
Good deal on having redundancy/compatibility between bikes and wheels
"in the fleet". Comes in very handy at odd moments such as when a flat
is discovered when it's already time to go, or a wheel is out of
service for a broken spoke or other matter. --D-y
Frank Krygowski
>
> The Trek is my daily commuter. I've been spending a lot of time in
> top gear (52x14) lately, and could probably make some use that 13-
> tooth.
There's a good chance you should be learning to "spin" instead.
It's very common for new cyclists to spend too much time cranking
slowly in a high gear. As Sheldon Brown put it:
"Power lifting or swimming?
Consider two very different types of exercise: Power lifting vs.
swimming. After you have lifted the 200 LB barbell half a dozen times,
you go take a shower--high force, few repetitions. Swimming, on the
other hand, involves very little resistance--you are only moving your
hands and legs through water--but with many repetitions.
"Pushing" vs. "Spinning"
"Pushing" a high gear at a slow cadence is like power lifting. It is
good for building up muscle mass and bulking up your legs, but it does
little for your heart or lungs, and you can hurt yourself if you
overdo it.
"Spinning" a lower gear at a rapid cadence is more like swimming. The
rapid motion, with many repetitions makes the legs supple and
flexible, it is highly aerobic, and the light pressure that goes with
this style reduces wear and tear on the joints. With practice
"spinning" becomes easier and more comfortable."
That's from http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears.html
Things have gotten worse in recent years. Manufacturers have promoted
bikes with insanely high gears - the kind that are really useful only
if you're a top-level racer in a downhill finishing sprint. Partly as
a result, newbies are slowly mashing huge gears and thinking it's the
right way to ride.
Try practicing a faster spin with lighter pressure. You can do this
by making yourself ride one gear lower than you normally would. Your
speed, endurance and knees will probably all benefit.
- Frank Krygowski
Dan O
> On Aug 14, 9:07 pm, Dan O <danover...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > The Trek is my daily commuter. I've been spending a lot of time in
> > top gear (52x14) lately, and could probably make some use that 13-
> > tooth.
>
> There's a good chance you should be learning to "spin" instead.
>
Telling me how to ride again, Frank? What makes you so sure that I'm
not already spinning out in high gear?
> It's very common for new cyclists to spend too much time cranking
> slowly in a high gear.
What makes you think I'm a new cyclist? I may be inexperienced WRT
changing freewheels, but I've been riding bicycles for almost forty
years.
> As Sheldon Brown put it:
>
> "Power lifting or swimming?
> Consider two very different types of exercise: Power lifting vs.
> swimming. After you have lifted the 200 LB barbell half a dozen times,
> you go take a shower--high force, few repetitions. Swimming, on the
> other hand, involves very little resistance--you are only moving your
> hands and legs through water--but with many repetitions.
>
> "Pushing" vs. "Spinning"
> "Pushing" a high gear at a slow cadence is like power lifting. It is
> good for building up muscle mass and bulking up your legs, but it does
> little for your heart or lungs, and you can hurt yourself if you
> overdo it.
>
> "Spinning" a lower gear at a rapid cadence is more like swimming. The
> rapid motion, with many repetitions makes the legs supple and
> flexible, it is highly aerobic, and the light pressure that goes with
> this style reduces wear and tear on the joints. With practice
> "spinning" becomes easier and more comfortable."
>
> That's fromhttp://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears.html
>
Uh... okay. I've read all that before, though. Thanks anyway (I
think).
> Things have gotten worse in recent years. Manufacturers have promoted
> bikes with insanely high gears - the kind that are really useful only
> if you're a top-level racer in a downhill finishing sprint. Partly as
> a result, newbies are slowly mashing huge gears and thinking it's the
> right way to ride.
>
Frank, I'm talking about a 52x13. Get a grip.
People have been mashing with all their might on single speeds since
the beginning of time. What I seem to see a lot more of nowadays is
people madly spinning the cranks on mountain bikes as they slowly
crawl down the flat road.
> Try practicing a faster spin with lighter pressure. You can do this
> by making yourself ride one gear lower than you normally would. Your
> speed, endurance and knees will probably all benefit.
>
> - Frank Krygowski
A while back, just for fun, I rode to work on my "race" bike, with a
top gear of 52x12. I did not "slowly mash huge gears", or tire out,
or hurt my knees. (I hauled ass! ... relatively speaking :-)
Frank, I'm not an idiot. I know when to downshift. As for my speed,
endurance, and knees: When I left work today to ride home, the
Weather Service recorded temperature was 98 degrees F. An hour later
it was 99 degrees. I averaged ~18.75 miles an hour on my less than
optimized 22 year-old entry-level "Sport" bike over the 25 mile ride -
including rush-hour traffic in town, some not inconsiderable climbing
out of town, and even some headwind. (Yesterday I made the same ride
when it was 100 degrees.) The biggest cost involved in my commute is
time. I am getting stronger and faster. It's only natural that I
might make good use of some taller gearing. Sheesh!
You know something, Frank: I don't believe your imaginary dipshit,
Fred, actually exists in any way, shape, or form. If imagining that
he does somehow makes you feel superior, though, well... Just don't
assume that I must be him, though - okay? Stop riling my ego, man -
I'm trying to learn to keep that in check ;-)
Peter Cole
> On Aug 15, 5:02 pm, Frank Krygowski <frkry...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Frank, I'm talking about a 52x13. Get a grip.
>
> People have been mashing with all their might on single speeds since
> the beginning of time. What I seem to see a lot more of nowadays is
> people madly spinning the cranks on mountain bikes as they slowly
> crawl down the flat road.
>
>> Try practicing a faster spin with lighter pressure. You can do this
>> by making yourself ride one gear lower than you normally would. Your
>> speed, endurance and knees will probably all benefit.
>>
>> - Frank Krygowski
>
> A while back, just for fun, I rode to work on my "race" bike, with a
> top gear of 52x12. I did not "slowly mash huge gears", or tire out,
> or hurt my knees. (I hauled ass! ... relatively speaking :-)
What this boils down to is preferred cadence. It's not the same for
everyone. Since I ride fixed gear a lot, I'm exposed to a wide range of
cadence. Lower cadence is more aerobically efficient, so for things like
time trialing (long, constant, maximal, aerobically limited), almost
everyone does better with a low cadence, although the effect is small.
It seems fashionable to obsess about cadence, with the presumption that
everyone should be doing a constant 90 or something, anything lower is
considered the mark of a noob. I can spin a 39:15 fixer at 35mph, but my
preferred cadence is around 60. I have a 55:11 and use it. My knees are
fine, even though I've been receiving AARP applications for years.
Off road, I spin steep climbs. I do this because I can balance and
control traction better with a high cadence. I have a 22:34, and use it.
Better riders than I (like my 20 yo son) can "mash" hills standing that
I can only twiddle up.
The other place I find spinning useful is on very long rides (brevets)
where muscle fatigue and leg cramps can be a real problem. Spinning the
climbs is a way to keep cramping down.
When I want to go fast as I can for a couple of hours or so, I'll keep
my cadence down around 60 or less.
dusto...@mac.com
> It seems fashionable to obsess about cadence, with the presumption that
> everyone should be doing a constant 90 or something, anything lower is
> considered the mark of a noob. I can spin a 39:15 fixer at 35mph, but my
> preferred cadence is around 60. I have a 55:11 and use it. My knees are
> fine, even though I've been receiving AARP applications for years.
"Heard that".
Big gears per se, IME, aren't a problem. Trying to accelerate a big
gear, especially on an uphill, seated straining in a too-big gear, or
changing position in search of perfection, or wearing shoes that
allowed too much "flop", is where I've had problems with my highly
calibrated stress-sensitive knees.
Racers and people who ride in groups (informal racers <g>) need to be
able to respond to changes in speed and "tempo" dictated by the pack;
this is one place the value of fixed gear riding, and spinning (fixed
or freewheel) come to the fore. That, as opposed to settling on one
narrow cadence range and riding at that rpm all the time (as many
solo, "beginner", etc. riders do), and then when the pace gets a
little faster (or slower!) in a group situation, an inflexible rider
might not easily handle the change-- especially if they're doing
business as usual, "slugging" at 80rpm for example. IOW, "spinning"
implies a lighter gear, which is easier to accelerate, and "working on
your spin" means riding at different cadences/effort levels-- probably
improving the ability to "take pace", as a practical matter.
IOW, and IMHO, to reference an old joke, many who exhort others to
"spin" know it's important, but don't remember _why_ it's important!
<g>. --D-y
Dan O
> Dan O wrote:
>
> > I just got a 7-speed freewheel (13-24) from Nashbar. I'm going to try
> > and install it tonight. If I have the concept right, all I should
> > have to do is get the old freewheel off, screw on the new one, maybe
> > shorten the chain a bit, set the rear derailer high and low limits,
> > maybe adjust the "B" limit too, switch the shifter to "index", get the
> > indexing lined up, and then ride.
>
> > Is that about right? Am I overlooking anything. (I hope it works.)
>
> Depending on the spacing of the freewheel cogs and your rear hub, you
> may find insufficient space for the extra cog.
>
> By that I mean that you may find that with the new freewheel on, the
> right axle locknuts (that fit against the frame dropout when the wheel
> in installed) don't reach out beyond the freewheel.
>
> In short, the rightmost cog may grind against the frame and the hub
> locknuts may be unable to reach the frame. Or you might get lucky, if
> there's already enough room there - enough spacers on the right side of
> the axle.
>
> If you need to add spacers, you may want to redish the rear wheel to
> keep it centered between the right and left locknuts.
>
> Good luck,
>
> Mark J.
I was lucky. The new freewheel fits, with sufficient clearance for
the outside cog and chain. It actually works! :-) I even got the
indexed shifting working without too much trouble.
Thanks again!
Dan O
wrote:
>
> > I just got a 7-speed freewheel (13-24) from Nashbar. I'm going to try
> > and install it tonight. If I have the concept right, all I should
> > have to do is get the old freewheel off, screw on the new one, maybe
> > shorten the chain a bit, set the rear derailer high and low limits,
> > maybe adjust the "B" limit too, switch the shifter to "index", get the
> > indexing lined up, and then ride.
>
> > Is that about right? Am I overlooking anything. (I hope it works.)
>
)
>
> When installing a new freewheel or cassette, you should
> also fit a new chain, so you don't wear the new freewheel
> prematurely by running an old chain on it. You will want
> a 7- or 8-speed chain (same thing); a 6-speed chain may
> not run properly on your 7-speed freewheel. If you have
> a very old chain, it also may not shift easily enough to
> index properly. If you very recently changed the chain and
> used something common like an 8-speed chain, it
> should be new enough that you don't really need to
> change it.
>
> Ben
I got the freewheel installed okay, re-using the current chain since
it is fairly new. I'm not sure exactly what kind of chain it is, but
the rivets are flush with the outside plates. The index shifting
seems to basically work all right. We'll see how it goes further down
the road.
Thanks again!
* * Chas
I've found that indexing works better after the cassette or freewheel has
worn in a little bit.
Chas.
Dan O
I headed out yesterday morning. Got to the first big hill, dropped to
low gear (40:24), climbed most of the way up, and the chain started to
skip - kind of like it used to do ust before I changed the shifters
'cause they'd slip and try to auto-shift on me and stuff like that.
It kept skipping and this is a (very) steep hill, so rather than break
anything I got off and walked up.
I rode on into town without much further incident (skipped once more
in a higher gear later), figuring I'd diddle with adjustments some
more when I got home. But on the first hill heading home, which I
usually take in 4th gear on the big chainwheel. it started skipping
again (apparently load and maybe related flex is a factor). This time
I climbed on over the top, but now it didn't matter what gears I used
- the rear derailer kept hitching and the chain kept catching on
adjacent sprockets and skipping and all kinds of crap. Sometimes it
would sort of run cleanly for a while, then start in again. I limped
20 miles home - figuring my chain was too wide and that I needed to
get a 7-speed compatible chain.
Today I drove to work (yech!), went to LBS and bought an SRAM PC-48.
When I got home I put the new chain on, and rode it around a bit
outside the garage (as I'd done before when first installing the 7-
speed freewheel). No skipping, but still some clicky noises that I
don't like. (Doesn't bode well for tomorrow's commute.)
Then I looked at the old chain. It's a Shimano CN-HG50. Google tells
me this is a 6-7-8-speed chain - a pretty decent one at that. It
looks like the same width as the SRAM I just got, although the beveled
side plates (for enhanced shifting, I guess) seem to maybe stick out a
bit more.
At this point I'm planning to try riding in tomorrow, which I guess
proves I *am* an idiot after all (all things being relative :-)
Probably the bike will crap out again, and I suppose I may wind up
putting the old six-speed back on - at least until I find out if this
is being caused by a sloppy rder or what (there seems to be some play
in the main pivot where it bolts onto the hanger).
Dan O
> On Aug 13, 6:24 pm, "b...@mambo.ucolick.org" <b...@mambo.ucolick.org>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Aug 13, 4:03 pm, Dan O <danover...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > I just got a 7-speed freewheel (13-24) from Nashbar. I'm going to try
> > > and install it tonight. If I have the concept right, all I should
> > > have to do is get the old freewheel off, screw on the new one, maybe
> > > shorten the chain a bit, set the rear derailer high and low limits,
> > > maybe adjust the "B" limit too, switch the shifter to "index", get the
> > > indexing lined up, and then ride.
>
>
> > When installing a new freewheel or cassette, you should
> > also fit a new chain... If you very recently changed the chain and
> > used something common like an 8-speed chain, it
> > should be new enough that you don't really need to
> > change it.
>
> > Ben
>
> I headed out yesterday morning. Got to the first big hill, dropped to
> low gear (40:24), climbed most of the way up, and the chain started to
> skip...
>
>
> ... bought an SRAM PC-48.
> When I got home I put the new chain on, and rode it around a bit
> outside the garage (as I'd done before when first installing the 7-
> speed freewheel). No skipping, but still some clicky noises that I
> don't like. (Doesn't bode well for tomorrow's commute.)
>
> Then I looked at the old chain. It's a Shimano CN-HG50. Google tells
> me this is a 6-7-8-speed chain - a pretty decent one at that. It
> looks like the same width as the SRAM I just got, although the beveled
> side plates (for enhanced shifting, I guess) seem to maybe stick out a
> bit more.
>
> At this point I'm planning to try riding in tomorrow...
Made it all the way in without incident (a little clicking a couple of
times, and one downshift that wouldn't climb on and had to be shifted
again). Maybe (hopefully) all the fiddling last night put things
closer to tolerance.
I really like the new gear ratios.
Frank Krygowski
> On Aug 15, 5:02 pm, Frank Krygowski <frkry...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > On Aug 14, 9:07 pm, Dan O <danover...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > > The Trek is my daily commuter. I've been spending a lot of time in
> > > top gear (52x14) lately, and could probably make some use that 13-
> > > tooth.
>
> > There's a good chance you should be learning to "spin" instead.
>
> Telling me how to ride again, Frank?
Um... no, Dan. _Telling_ you how to ride would be "You must learn to
spin at 90+ rpm". Suggesting a possible improvement is something
entirely different. It's the kind of thing people do in discussion
groups. You know - we "discuss."
> What makes you so sure that I'm not already spinning out in high gear?
I'm not "so sure." That's why I used the phrase "good chance" rather
than something more definite.
But the "good chance" is there because lots of riders think "spinning
out" is anything over 80 rpm. And 52-14 at 80 rpm is about 24 mph,
which is a pretty decent time trial pace.
If you're "spending a lot of time" doing that pace in your normal
commute, you might consider pro racing instead of whatever you're now
doing.
But this guessing game is silly. What cadence are you pedaling when
you're "spending a lot of time" in 52-14? For roughly how long? Is
it just on downhills, or is that the gear you push on the flats?
> > It's very common for new cyclists to spend too much time cranking
> > slowly in a high gear.
>
> What makes you think I'm a new cyclist? I may be inexperienced WRT
> changing freewheels, but I've been riding bicycles for almost forty
> years.
Point taken. There are also lots of older cyclists who haven't
learned that higher cadences are helpful. That's why articles like
this get written:
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/cms/article-detail.asp?articleid=433
And yes, I know there are many people who do only slow cruising, where
cadence doesn't matter. And I know that there are some very fast, low-
cadence mashers. But I've got cycling friends with serious knee
problems, and they are mashers. (The guy with the worst knees
persists, despite his doctor's advice.)
> > As Sheldon Brown put it:...
>
> > That's fromhttp://www.sheldonbrown.com/gears.html
>
> Uh... okay. I've read all that before, though. Thanks anyway (I
> think).
You're welcome! ;-)
> Frank, I'm not an idiot. I know when to downshift. ... It's only natural that I
> might make good use of some taller gearing. Sheesh!
Sheesh indeed! It's just as natural that you might make use of some
faster cadence, but if raising that possibility offends you, I
apologize. I somehow thought we were in a forum where people
discussed things!
>
> You know something, Frank: I don't believe your imaginary dipshit,
> Fred, actually exists in any way, shape, or form. If imagining that
> he does somehow makes you feel superior, though, well... Just don't
> assume that I must be him, though - okay? Stop riling my ego, man -
> I'm trying to learn to keep that in check ;-)
Dan, nothing I said was intended to rile your ego.
Regarding Fred - I was asked to write a series of articles on bike
safety. Fred was a sort of cartoon I created, a "hook" to make the
articles more readable than the standard preachy safety stuff...
although several of the questions and incidents are drawn directly
from people I've known.
The "Frank and Fred" articles have gotten plenty of compliments,
including requests for permission to reprint them. They're at
http://www.bicyclinglife.com/SafetySkills/index.html
- Frank Krygowski