Changers advice/bike advice?

"Andy Hewitt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

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 [censored].
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 <[email hidden]> wrote:

<Snipped Text>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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 [censored]. 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)
thehewitts.plus.comthehewitts.plus.comOpen ↗ - now online

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 22:23:53 +0100, in
<[email hidden]>,

(Andy Hewitt) said:

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.

Quoted message said:

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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desire, form a legal and binding contract.

"Andy Hewitt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Doki <[email hidden]> wrote:

<Snipped Text>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

cassette type cogs. Finding decent 6 speed shifters is
liable to be a

pain

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

in the [censored]. Try ebay and the ad mag, and see if any
bike shops have 6

speed

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

freewheels knocking around. IMO there's not much point
in going from 6

to 7

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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.

Quoted message said:

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 <[email hidden]> wrote:

<Snipped Text>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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)
thehewitts.plus.comthehewitts.plus.comOpen ↗ - now online

Richard Bates said:

On Thu, 24 Jun 2004 22:23:53 +0100, in
<[email hidden]>,

(Andy Hewitt) said:

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.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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)
thehewitts.plus.comthehewitts.plus.comOpen ↗ - now online

in message <[email hidden]>, Andy Hewitt

(') said:

Doki <[email hidden]> wrote:

<Snipped Text>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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 [censored]. 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.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke)
jasmine.org.uk~simonOpen ↗

Error 1109: There is no message for this error

"Andy Hewitt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Doki <[email hidden]> wrote:

<Snipped Text>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

of cable pull. So a 7 speed's indexing would be all out
of goose.

Righto, wasn't sure of that.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

new cassette, chain, derailleur and shifters if you want
to go 7 speed.

You

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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: singletrack-singletrack-Open ↗
world.com/forum/read.php?f=5&i=157135&t=157135

Steve.

On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 10:35:03 GMT, Simon Brooke <[email hidden]>
wrote (more or less):

Quoted message said:

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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links (harvested from comp.lang.smalltalk)
html.dnsalias.netsmalltalkOpen ↗

Gawnsoft said:

On Fri, 25 Jun 2004 10:35:03 GMT, Simon Brooke
<[email hidden]> wrote (more or less):

Quoted message said:

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)
thehewitts.plus.comthehewitts.plus.comOpen ↗ - now online

spademan o---[) *
<[email hidden]> wrote:

<Snipped Text>

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

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: singletra-singletra-Open ↗
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)
thehewitts.plus.comthehewitts.plus.comOpen ↗ - now online