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Wheel dishing
Jun. 18th, 2019 01:44 pmToday I consulted with Tom's Mobile Bike Repair - he came to the house to look at it with me.
Turns out the wheel dishing is actually fine, for certain value of fine. The rim is centered on the shoulders of the axle. However this freewheel sticks out too far. We have to put two spacers on, just to get the smallest cog to where it won't hit the dropouts, and a third spacer to get enough clearance for the chain to go onto that cog. And unless you put equivalent spacers on the other side, the dishing is screwed up. With the extra spacers on both sides, it doesn't fit in the bike; it is too wide.
And the reason this freewheel sticks out too far? Because it isn't actually a 9-speed freewheel. It is a 7-speed freewheel that has been strangely modded to tack on two extra cogs. A true 9-speed freewheel (or more normally a cassette) would have narrower spacing between the gears, to fit 9 cogs in the same space as 7. 9 speed and 7 speed use different chains and derailleurs and shifters, because of the different spacing between cogs. So if I had managed to stuff this into the frame and use it, it would just have failed again when I attempted to shift gears with the other parts I bought.
And I cannot get this freewheel off the wheel with the tools I own, because the axle is larger than a standard bicycle and my freewheel tool won't fit over it.
I have been talking to the seller and they are going to send me a 7-speed freewheel and a freewheel remover tool (they're cheap). And then I can change this over. I have also suggested they be more careful what they offer to other customers, since I can't even imagine a bike that this 9-speed setup would actually work in, without kludgy compromises.
I have also found on Amazon a different 9-speed freewheel that claims to have the correct spacing between the cogs. I have ordered it to try; freewheels are not expensive and if it works it will make my other components usable again. If it doesn't work I will have to decide whether to order even more parts, or whether to switch the shifter to friction mode and put up with whatever noise and sloppiness comes with mismatched parts.
In happier news my battery has arrived in the USA and FedEx has it - they say it will be here Thursday. And the new shifter did arrive yesterday, and it fits on the handlebars. Though with the freewheel problems it may have to go back anyway.
Turns out the wheel dishing is actually fine, for certain value of fine. The rim is centered on the shoulders of the axle. However this freewheel sticks out too far. We have to put two spacers on, just to get the smallest cog to where it won't hit the dropouts, and a third spacer to get enough clearance for the chain to go onto that cog. And unless you put equivalent spacers on the other side, the dishing is screwed up. With the extra spacers on both sides, it doesn't fit in the bike; it is too wide.
And the reason this freewheel sticks out too far? Because it isn't actually a 9-speed freewheel. It is a 7-speed freewheel that has been strangely modded to tack on two extra cogs. A true 9-speed freewheel (or more normally a cassette) would have narrower spacing between the gears, to fit 9 cogs in the same space as 7. 9 speed and 7 speed use different chains and derailleurs and shifters, because of the different spacing between cogs. So if I had managed to stuff this into the frame and use it, it would just have failed again when I attempted to shift gears with the other parts I bought.
And I cannot get this freewheel off the wheel with the tools I own, because the axle is larger than a standard bicycle and my freewheel tool won't fit over it.
I have been talking to the seller and they are going to send me a 7-speed freewheel and a freewheel remover tool (they're cheap). And then I can change this over. I have also suggested they be more careful what they offer to other customers, since I can't even imagine a bike that this 9-speed setup would actually work in, without kludgy compromises.
I have also found on Amazon a different 9-speed freewheel that claims to have the correct spacing between the cogs. I have ordered it to try; freewheels are not expensive and if it works it will make my other components usable again. If it doesn't work I will have to decide whether to order even more parts, or whether to switch the shifter to friction mode and put up with whatever noise and sloppiness comes with mismatched parts.
In happier news my battery has arrived in the USA and FedEx has it - they say it will be here Thursday. And the new shifter did arrive yesterday, and it fits on the handlebars. Though with the freewheel problems it may have to go back anyway.
