Changers advice/bike advice?
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Looking to update my old mountain bike for more road use, I
have started to upgrade bits. It needs some bits more
urgently than others though, so I have a priority list.
The bike in question is a 12 year old Townsend with a
Reynolds 500 chrome moly frame. Obviously I can't easily
replace this, and looking at current bikes I can't see
anything in my budget that will come anywhere near it. So,
mutton dressed as lamb it'll have to be - unless anyone else
know better?
It has some amazingly good wheels on it, I have no idea what
they are (apart from being aluminium), but they came on the
bike, and are still a straight as a die, despite my 100kg
mass doing jumps and what not off road.
So far I've replaced the brakes, from the old cantilver
things to some new Shimano Deore's (amazing difference I
have to say).
It is fitted with Shimano SIS 18 speed gears, but they are
the lowest range jobbies, and are really very tired now. I'm
looking for suggestions to replace these.
I suspect it's fitted with the old screw on rear gear set (6
speed in this case). If I get a newer 7 speed one, will it
fit the wheel? I remember back when I rode a Claud Butler
tourer some 20 odd years ago, that fitting a different gear
set meant a different hub.
I already have some hybrid tyres fitted, and a slightly more
curvy handlbar, but I'm open to suggestions for making this
more of a hybrid bike, as I tend to do, and intend to carry
on, riding in a fair mixture of surfaces, but nothing
extreme. In particular we have a lot of prepared tracks
around here (Durham), that offer a very pleasant offroad
route for many miles.
Finally, as Mr Chapman has got some kind of lurgy, I won't
be able to look around at York for something of a bargain,
so any suggestions for good places to buy these bits
appreciated.
Cheer.
--
Andy Hewitt ** FAF#1, (Ex-OSOS#5) - FJ1200 ABS Honda
Concerto 16v: Windows free zone (Mac G5 Dual Processor)
http://www.thehewitts.plus.com (http://www.thehewitts.plus.com/) - now online
"Andy Hewitt" <hairy.biker@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:1gfwljj.mqoi899j2f15N%hairy.biker@spamcop.net...
> Looking to update my old mountain bike for more road use,
> I have started to upgrade bits. It needs some bits more
> urgently than others though, so I have a priority list.
>
> The bike in question is a 12 year old Townsend with a
> Reynolds 500 chrome moly frame. Obviously I can't easily
> replace this, and looking at current bikes I can't see
> anything in my budget that will come anywhere near it. So,
> mutton dressed as lamb it'll have to be - unless anyone
> else know better?
>
> It has some amazingly good wheels on it, I have no idea
> what they are (apart from being aluminium), but they came
> on the bike, and are still a straight as a die, despite my
> 100kg mass doing jumps and what not off road.
>
> So far I've replaced the brakes, from the old cantilver
> things to some new Shimano Deore's (amazing difference I
> have to say).
>
> It is fitted with Shimano SIS 18 speed gears, but they are
> the lowest range jobbies, and are really very tired now.
> I'm looking for suggestions to replace these.
ISTR the back end will need widening (ie, bending) to fit a
7 or 8 speed freewheel in there, and you'll need a new hub
built into the rear wheel for cassette type cogs. Finding
decent 6 speed shifters is liable to be a pain in the ****.
Try ebay and the ad mag, and see if any bike shops have 6
speed freewheels knocking around. IMO there's not much point
in going from 6 to 7 speed, unless you can't get 6 speed
parts anywhere.
Doki <doki@spamtroNspidar.com> wrote:
<Snipped Text>
> > It is fitted with Shimano SIS 18 speed gears, but they
> > are the lowest range jobbies, and are really very tired
> > now. I'm looking for suggestions to replace these.
>
> ISTR the back end will need widening (ie, bending) to fit
> a 7 or 8 speed freewheel in there, and you'll need a new
> hub built into the rear wheel for cassette type cogs.
> Finding decent 6 speed shifters is liable to be a pain in
> the ****. Try ebay and the ad mag, and see if any bike
> shops have 6 speed freewheels knocking around. IMO there's
> not much point in going from 6 to 7 speed, unless you
> can't get 6 speed parts anywhere.
FWIW I don't particularly want to have more than a 6 speed
set on the rear, any more to me would just be more gears I'd
not use. However, would it be possible to perhaps use a 7
speed changer and selector and just set it to have a
redundant position?
Of course getting a freewheel could be a PITA as well if 6
speed stuff isn't so easily available. If I have to start
thinking about bending the frame, it does sound like it's
time for a new bike anyway.
--
Andy Hewitt ** FAF#1, (Ex-OSOS#5) - FJ1200 ABS Honda
Concerto 16v: Windows free zone (Mac G5 Dual Processor)
http://www.thehewitts.plus.com (http://www.thehewitts.plus.com/) - now online
On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 22:23:53 +0100, in
<1gfwoqc.nuixe21ink2zfN%hairy.biker@spamcop.net>,
hairy.biker@spamcop.net (Andy Hewitt) wrote:
>FWIW I don't particularly want to have more than a 6 speed
>set on the rear, any more to me would just be more gears
>I'd not use. However, would it be possible to perhaps use a
>7 speed changer and selector and just set it to have a
>redundant position?
I think not.
As far as I remember 5 and 6 speed bits are interchangeable
5spd lever with 6 speed block will give 5 perfectly
selectable gears 6spd lever with 5 speed block will give 5
gears and a spare "click"
6 and 7 are not interchangeable
7 and 8 are interchangeable following same rules as 5/6
You could probably use a 7 speed friction changer with a 6
speed block but not a 7 speed indexed changer.
>Of course getting a freewheel could be a PITA as well if 6
>speed stuff isn't so easily available. If I have to start
>thinking about bending the frame, it does sound like it's
>time for a new bike anyway.
Regina make freewheels in 6 speed but I cannot for the life
of me remember where I saw them advertised. It was probably
SJScycles. IIRC they were advertised and non-index but I'm
not sure why they are not.
HTH Rich x
--
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"Andy Hewitt" <hairy.biker@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:1gfwoqc.nuixe21ink2zfN%hairy.biker@spamcop.net...
> Doki <doki@spamtroNspidar.com> wrote:
>
> <Snipped Text>
> > > It is fitted with Shimano SIS 18 speed gears, but they
> > > are the lowest range jobbies, and are really very
> > > tired now. I'm looking for suggestions to replace
> > > these.
> >
> > ISTR the back end will need widening (ie, bending) to
> > fit a 7 or 8 speed freewheel in there, and you'll need a
> > new hub built into the rear wheel
for
> > cassette type cogs. Finding decent 6 speed shifters is
> > liable to be a
pain
> > in the ****. Try ebay and the ad mag, and see if any
> > bike shops have 6
speed
> > freewheels knocking around. IMO there's not much point
> > in going from 6
to 7
> > speed, unless you can't get 6 speed parts anywhere.
>
> FWIW I don't particularly want to have more than a 6 speed
> set on the rear, any more to me would just be more gears
> I'd not use. However, would it be possible to perhaps use
> a 7 speed changer and selector and just set it to have a
> redundant position?
ISTR that all Shimano derailleurs move the same amount for
the same amount of cable pull. So a 7 speed's indexing would
be all out of goose.
> Of course getting a freewheel could be a PITA as well if 6
> speed stuff isn't so easily available. If I have to start
> thinking about bending the frame, it does sound like it's
> time for a new bike anyway.
It's not a horrendous job as far as I know. I think it's
something like 130mm for 6 speed, 136 for 7/8/9. Certainly
bodgeable with a big bit of wood as a lever IMO, or might be
cheaper than you'd think at the local frame builder. A
second hand, more modern MTB in decent nick might be less
than a new cassette, chain, derailleur and shifters if you
want to go 7 speed. You could get second hand 6 speed bits
and save there though.
Doki <doki@spamtroNspidar.com> wrote:
<Snipped Text>
> > FWIW I don't particularly want to have more than a 6
> > speed set on the rear, any more to me would just be more
> > gears I'd not use. However, would it be possible to
> > perhaps use a 7 speed changer and selector and just set
> > it to have a redundant position?
>
> ISTR that all Shimano derailleurs move the same amount for
> the same amount of cable pull. So a 7 speed's indexing
> would be all out of goose.
Righto, wasn't sure of that.
> > Of course getting a freewheel could be a PITA as well if
> > 6 speed stuff isn't so easily available. If I have to
> > start thinking about bending the frame, it does sound
> > like it's time for a new bike anyway.
>
> It's not a horrendous job as far as I know. I think it's
> something like 130mm for 6 speed, 136 for 7/8/9. Certainly
> bodgeable with a big bit of wood as a lever IMO, or might
> be cheaper than you'd think at the local frame builder. A
> second hand, more modern MTB in decent nick might be less
> than a new cassette, chain, derailleur and shifters if you
> want to go 7 speed. You could get second hand 6 speed bits
> and save there though.
I don't particularly *want* 7 speed, but it might be the way
to go if 6 speed is getting rare.
Perhaps a s/h bikes could be the answer, although it's a
hybrid I'm really after.
Thanks for the help. It's beginning to make mending the
suspension on my FJ1200 look easy now :-)
--
Andy Hewitt ** FAF#1, (Ex-OSOS#5) - FJ1200 ABS Honda
Concerto 16v: Windows free zone (Mac G5 Dual Processor)
http://www.thehewitts.plus.com (http://www.thehewitts.plus.com/) - now online
Richard Bates <usenet01@artybee.net> wrote:
> On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 22:23:53 +0100, in
> <1gfwoqc.nuixe21ink2zfN%hairy.biker@spamcop.net>,
> hairy.biker@spamcop.net (Andy Hewitt) wrote:
>
> >FWIW I don't particularly want to have more than a 6
> >speed set on the rear, any more to me would just be more
> >gears I'd not use. However, would it be possible to
> >perhaps use a 7 speed changer and selector and just set
> >it to have a redundant position?
>
> I think not.
>
> As far as I remember 5 and 6 speed bits are
> interchangeable 5spd lever with 6 speed block will give 5
> perfectly selectable gears 6spd lever with 5 speed block
> will give 5 gears and a spare "click"
>
> 6 and 7 are not interchangeable
>
> 7 and 8 are interchangeable following same rules as 5/6
>
> You could probably use a 7 speed friction changer with a 6
> speed block but not a 7 speed indexed changer.
Righto, might have guessed at that I suppose.
> >Of course getting a freewheel could be a PITA as well if
> >6 speed stuff isn't so easily available. If I have to
> >start thinking about bending the frame, it does sound
> >like it's time for a new bike anyway.
>
> Regina make freewheels in 6 speed but I cannot for the
> life of me remember where I saw them advertised. It was
> probably SJScycles. IIRC they were advertised and non-
> index but I'm not sure why they are not.
Might be because they can't do a 6 speed index
selector for them.
Thanks for the advice. Looks like this is going to be harder
than I thought.
--
Andy Hewitt ** FAF#1, (Ex-OSOS#5) - FJ1200 ABS Honda
Concerto 16v: Windows free zone (Mac G5 Dual Processor)
http://www.thehewitts.plus.com (http://www.thehewitts.plus.com/) - now online
in message <1gfwoqc.nuixe21ink2zfN%hairy.biker@spamcop.net>, Andy Hewitt
('hairy.biker@spamcop.net') wrote:
> Doki <doki@spamtroNspidar.com> wrote:
>
> <Snipped Text>
>> > It is fitted with Shimano SIS 18 speed gears, but they
>> > are the lowest range jobbies, and are really very tired
>> > now. I'm looking for suggestions to replace these.
>>
>> ISTR the back end will need widening (ie, bending) to fit
>> a 7 or 8 speed freewheel in there, and you'll need a new
>> hub built into the rear wheel for cassette type cogs.
>> Finding decent 6 speed shifters is liable to be a pain in
>> the ****. Try ebay and the ad mag, and see if any bike
>> shops have 6 speed freewheels knocking around. IMO
>> there's not much point in going from 6 to 7 speed, unless
>> you can't get 6 speed parts anywhere.
>
> FWIW I don't particularly want to have more than a 6 speed
> set on the rear, any more to me would just be more gears
> I'd not use. However, would it be possible to perhaps use
> a 7 speed changer and selector and just set it to have a
> redundant position?
When, last year, I replaced my much loved fifteen-year-old
18 speed rigid mountain bike with a brand new 27 speed full
suspension one, I at first thought having so many gears was
stupid and would make the gear train unnecessarily fragile.
I also thought the bottom gears were so low as to be
useless. I'm now of completely the opposite opinion. The
wide range of gears and in particular the very low bottom
gears mean you can spin up virtually anything - in fact, if
you have to get out of the saddle it's because you need to
shift your weight forwards to stop the bike toppling over
backwards.
--
simon@jasmine.org.uk (Simon Brooke)
http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
Error 1109: There is no message for this error
"Andy Hewitt" <hairy.biker@spamcop.net> wrote in message
news:1gfwq5z.1i0twoygntzz1N%hairy.biker@spamcop.net...
> Doki <doki@spamtroNspidar.com> wrote:
>
> <Snipped Text>
> > > FWIW I don't particularly want to have more than a 6
> > > speed set on the rear, any more to me would just be
> > > more gears I'd not use. However, would it be possible
> > > to perhaps use a 7 speed changer and selector and just
> > > set it to have a redundant position?
> >
> > ISTR that all Shimano derailleurs move the same amount
> > for the same
amount
> > of cable pull. So a 7 speed's indexing would be all out
> > of goose.
>
> Righto, wasn't sure of that.
>
> > > Of course getting a freewheel could be a PITA as well
> > > if 6 speed stuff isn't so easily available. If I have
> > > to start thinking about bending
the
> > > frame, it does sound like it's time for a new bike
> > > anyway.
> >
> > It's not a horrendous job as far as I know. I think it's
> > something like 130mm for 6 speed, 136 for 7/8/9.
> > Certainly bodgeable with a big bit of
wood
> > as a lever IMO, or might be cheaper than you'd think at
> > the local frame builder. A second hand, more modern MTB
> > in decent nick might be less
than a
> > new cassette, chain, derailleur and shifters if you want
> > to go 7 speed.
You
> > could get second hand 6 speed bits and save there
> > though.
>
> I don't particularly *want* 7 speed, but it might be the
> way to go if 6 speed is getting rare.
>
> Perhaps a s/h bikes could be the answer, although it's a
> hybrid I'm really after.
>
Not mine but I remember seeing this advertised, and there
are usually many other good bargains on this site if this
particular one doesn't interest you: http://www.singletrack- (http://www.singletrack-/)
world.com/forum/read.php?f=5&i=157135&t=157135
Steve.
On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 10:35:03 GMT, Simon Brooke <simon@jasmine.org.uk>
wrote (more or less):
>When, last year, I replaced my much loved fifteen-year-old
>18 speed rigid mountain bike with a brand new 27 speed full
>suspension one, I at first thought having so many gears was
>stupid and would make the gear train unnecessarily fragile.
>I also thought the bottom gears were so low as to be
>useless. I'm now of completely the opposite opinion. The
>wide range of gears and in particular the very low bottom
>gears mean you can spin up virtually anything - in fact, if
>you have to get out of the saddle it's because you need to
>shift your weight forwards to stop the bike toppling over
>backwards.
And your knees will thank you in the long run!
--
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Gawnsoft <xlucid@users.sourceforge.remove.this.antispam.net> wrote:
> On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 10:35:03 GMT, Simon Brooke
> <simon@jasmine.org.uk> wrote (more or less):
> >When, last year, I replaced my much loved fifteen-year-
> >old 18 speed rigid mountain bike with a brand new 27
> >speed full suspension one, I at first thought having so
> >many gears was stupid and would make the gear train
> >unnecessarily fragile. I also thought the bottom gears
> >were so low as to be useless. I'm now of completely the
> >opposite opinion. The wide range of gears and in
> >particular the very low bottom gears mean you can spin up
> >virtually anything - in fact, if you have to get out of
> >the saddle it's because you need to shift your weight
> >forwards to stop the bike toppling over backwards.
>
> And your knees will thank you in the long run!
Erm, shouldn't there be a (tm) on the end of that ;-)
--
Andy Hewitt ** FAF#1, (Ex-OSOS#5) - FJ1200 ABS Honda
Concerto 16v: Windows free zone (Mac G5 Dual Processor)
http://www.thehewitts.plus.com (http://www.thehewitts.plus.com/) - now online
spademan o---[) *
<steve.eckersley@NOSPAMPLEASEWEREBRITISH.its.lancscc.gov.uk> wrote:
<Snipped Text>
> > Perhaps a s/h bikes could be the answer, although it's a
> > hybrid I'm really after.
> >
>
> Not mine but I remember seeing this advertised, and there
> are usually many other good bargains on this site if this
> particular one doesn't interest you: http://www.singletra- (http://www.singletra-/)
> ckworld.com/forum/read.php?f=5&i=157135&t=157135
Yeah, summin like that would be ideal. Bit far away, bit it
gives me an idea. Cheers.
--
Andy Hewitt ** FAF#1, (Ex-OSOS#5) - FJ1200 ABS Honda
Concerto 16v: Windows free zone (Mac G5 Dual Processor)
http://www.thehewitts.plus.com (http://www.thehewitts.plus.com/) - now online
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