|   Why Freewheels? Why CK hubs so expensive? Why! Why! Why! | chrisJohn
May 27, 2003 7:20 AM | | Had a battle with my freewheel this weekend. I was attempting to remove a sixteen tooth Shimano freewheel in preparation of my first single speed race, which I didn't make but that is another story. So, bought the tool, a new chain, set the tool in, fixed with bolt onto the spot hub, freewheel doesn't come loose. By the way, Pedro's freewheel tool is out of spec for Shimano freewheels, only one of the teeth fits on the freewheel. My buddy, who has a freewheel permanently stuck on a surly hub, and I wrench and wrench, finally surrendering and taking it to the shop. The mechanic couldn't get it to budge either and had to get John, easily the best mechanic in Arkansas, to try his hand. He managed to get it off. Shop voodoo for sure.
This whole experience made the King hub look even more attractive. They never break, they're light, and switching cogs is silly easy, and they come in cool colors. They're over three hundred bucks! That's nearly half in the price of my SISS! Why can't someone make a cassette disc hub for less than 300 dollars!!
So advice, are these things really worth it. Has anyone seen a novatech? Why can't Shimano pull their heads out of their fourth point of contact and make a single speed disc hub based on their cassette body and charge us 50 bucks for it! F*uck the Saint grouppo give me a SS hub!
Rant over. |
| You have some options | Ginz
May 27, 2003 7:49 AM | | There are a few cassette disk hubs out there, I think. Check out www.on-one.co.uk. (I think that's the address). They have a such a hub that's reasonable priced.
Some other folks will chime in with the other casette options.
As for removing stuck freewheels, I find it easier to swap chainrings, quite frankly.
-Ginz |
| Anti-seize, anti-seize, anti-seize | shiggy
May 27, 2003 8:14 AM | | Without it freewheels tend to become permanent additions to the hub. I just use a 15" wrench and my FWs come right off (had trouble with a 12"). |
| Put lithium grease on it this time...NM | chrisJohn
May 27, 2003 8:22 AM | | |
| I agree... | mmmatt
May 27, 2003 8:16 AM | | I was thinking the same thing recently, and I decided to stop agonizing and just get an XT hub and use spacers. I thought about a Surly hub (don't need discs in the rear), but didn't want to fight with freewheels. I thought about the Novatec, but no one seemed to have them. I thought about the Woodman and the On-One. Though reasonable priced, they're not that reasonably priced (I'm cheap). I never even considered spebnding $300 on a hub (though a King hub would be very nice.)
The XT should work (disc version or not). Adjustable chainline is a good thing. I got mine (non-disc) on sale for $31! I figure I'll build it with an Asym Mustang and it should be a pretty good wheel. |
| Is a zero dish wheel important? NM | chrisJohn
May 27, 2003 8:21 AM | | |
| To some, yes.... | mmmatt
May 27, 2003 8:37 AM | | To me, it's not a couple hundred extra dollars important. I've never had a zero dish rear wheel, so I know I can get by without one. |
| On-One cassette SS disc hub <---bombproof | redhaze
May 27, 2003 8:32 AM | | got one (actually the novatech) on my BrewSSki, 2500+ miles, 1+ years, washington mud and bend sand and stella ratcheting and 4' drop abuse. works perfect, all the time.
cog changes <---easy
chainline <---at least a half inch adjustable
do it.
bob
http://red-haze.com |
| re: Why Freewheels? Why CK hubs so expensive? Why! Why! Why! | the Inbred
May 27, 2003 10:22 AM | | you know, i had the same thing happen to me. i was so close to buying a set of King SS hubs for 300$, but didn't. i really, don't think a dishless wheel is that important to me. however, the 72t engagement seems so incredible. i really, really want that. in the future, i might get a classic King hub and use it. and it has the versatility to become an 8 or 9 speed hub, too. |
| So everybody... | Spar¡cus
May 27, 2003 8:24 PM | | ...with a King SS disc hub refuses to stand, eh? Okay, I'll stand.
I've got one and it's the bee's knees. It better be, eh? Other than its price and being loud while zzzzzzzzinging down the trail, I love it. I love the quick engagement, the warranty, the quick release option, the quality, the ease of cog changes, the weight, the look -- in other words, the whole package.
However, if there'd been any company besides King that offered an SS QR cassette disc hub (that cost less) back when I was looking, I'da probably bought one 'o them instead. Yeah, Kings are '$pensive.
--Sparty |
| King needs to make a titanium freehub body... | terminaut
May 28, 2003 2:57 PM | | That would be just dandy, at least for me. :-) |
| One question. | TrevorInSoCal
May 28, 2003 2:31 PM | | Were you using a wrench on the freewheel removal tool? It's not clear by your description, but if you were you were doing things the hard way...
There's an easier way, but you gotta have a bench-mounted vice.
1. clamp freewheel tool in vice.
2. place freewheel on top of tool clamped in vice.
3. Grab the the tire like a giant steering wheel and twist with all your might.
You get a lot more leverage that way.
Apologies if I'm restating the obvious.
-Trevor |
| A trick I've used... | terminaut
May 28, 2003 2:56 PM | | This is only marginally useful info as I don't remember where I got them (and I've got a lot of crap), but basically what would help is to put a lubed, thin steel washer in between the hub and the freewheel. Maybe somebody can find a source for these things... they're just perfectly-sized uber-thin metal washers.
Here's what the washer looks like in relation to a freewheel:
And here's how it looks on the hub, ready for the freewheel to be screwed on:
 |
| |
