Can you get sprocket spacers?

[Black_Blade]

I don't know how, but my son borrowed my cheepo mountain bike (Tribal Bike Company), and after a few months has brought it to me with the sprockets of the freewheel all loose. I pulled the wheel off and it seems that a few of the spacers between the various sized sprockets are missing which then made the whole assembly of sprockets loose and unusable

I have never worked on the rear sprockets before, so didn't even know how they went together... I do now... lol. Just wondering if you can get these spacer rings at a LBS or not, or would you have to get a whole new freewheel assembly?

[cyclerUK]

Spacers are certainly available in the UK.
You will need the size suitable for your cassette (ie 7/8/9 speed) as the widths are different.
Try Googling or Ebay or ask your LBS if they have an old cassette that you can dismantle.

[Black_Blade]

Will go to a few local shops and see...the sprockets basically fell off once I removed the wheel, I guess since it was loosened by the spacers breaking (still don't know how you would do that... lol) the smallest sprocket unscrewed. I have another old bike but its got a one piece type of cassette tho

ahh, just noticed, the second smallest sprocket is broken...that must have happened when he tried to ride it when all the sprockets were getting loose and maybe wrenched the sprocket. Sheesh...amazing the damage a 17 y.o. can do to a borrowed bike!

[Surly LHT]

You first need to be sure what you have a cassette or a free wheel. If its a free wheel you will have to buy a new one. But if its a cassette you may be able to get just the parts you need but if I was you and it is a cassette I would just get a new cassette and a new chain as well.

[Black_Blade]

It is a Falcon 7 speed cassette... the missing spacers are for the four larger sprockets, the splined shaft is a larger diameter for the larger sprockets. So I am not too sure which size of spacer I need, or are they all the same thickness?

[cyclerUK]

The spacers are all the same thickness.
Are there some long thin screws or rivets that hold it all together?
Sometimes there are none and the cassette is held with the final locknut.
Take an existing spacer into your LBS to see if they have any.

[Black_Blade]

(03-24-2010, 09:25 PM)cyclerUK Wrote:  The spacers are all the same thickness.
Are there some long thin screws or rivets that hold it all together?
Sometimes there are none and the cassette is held with the final locknut.
Take an existing spacer into your LBS to see if they have any.

Mine is all held together by the final locknut (smallest sprocket), gonna head out tomorrow and see if can hunt down some of these spacers... weather is getting way too nice to have any bikes sidelined...

[DaveM]

I could be wrong, but I don't think there is any such thing as a Falcon "cassette". I believe they just make freewheels. That doesn't necessarily mean it isn't repairable. But I think you have a pretty low end freewheel there which means it may be hard to find parts. Falcon freewheels tend to sell for about $15 so replacement isn't too expensive. I just wouldn't waste a huge amount of time searching for parts and I'd bring a sample of what I need with me if I did go searching. If you just ask for "cassette spacers" I think you may end up with the wrong thing. good luck.

[cyclerUK]

Like DaveM says Falcon are usually associated with "freewheels". But as you say the cluster is held on with the smallest sprocket then I would still go with it being a cassette. (for now?)

[Joe_W]

You can disassemble some freewheels to change the gearing. The "cluster" is locked with the smallest sprocket.

[cyclerUK]

(03-25-2010, 09:47 AM)Joe_W Wrote:  You can disassemble some freewheels to change the gearing. The "cluster" is locked with the smallest sprocket.

I did wonder Joe?
I seem to recall seeing something but can't find anything on the "web".
(never can find it when you want to.!)

In the end then it may mean a new "freewheel".

Hopefully Black_Blade will let us know.

[Joe_W]

Quite probably, unless the LBS still has some of the components needed, which I doubt for lower end stuff. Most bike shops carry the higher end stuff (which will still be expensive...).

[Black_Blade]

Once I can locate my digital camera, will try and take a few pics for you all. I was confused also about the cassette and free wheel thing, for the terms are so mixed back and forth, I think this is a cassette. I can see the splines where the removal tool would go to unscrew the whole assembly from the axle.

One of the biggest reasons I dislike trips to LBS's is the fact that unless you have a high end type of machine they are of no help to you. You get the feeling they don't even want to dirty their tools working on a plain old department store bike. Seems kind of silly to me, for these are the types of bikes within the price range of most people and if you had a better attitude and reasonable service charges, you would see more business.

[Bill]

If you don't get any pictures I have one that is indeed falcon and the smallest cog must be removed before the cassette comes off. Later I will try to make a video for instruction. Here is an instructional from Park Tool look at the bottom of the page..... http://www.parktool.com/repair/readhowto.asp?id=48

[Joe_W]

Well, I find that the low end stuff on dept store bikes brakes so soon that you end up spending in the order of the price of a (halfway) decent bike anyway. The bikes are heavy, the components are even heavier, it is a hassle to set them up correctly since some are made so poorly and have mismatching components, the brakes scratch the rims, the wheels are not true, spoke tension is all off, basically a nightmare (and I bet most customers wouldn't want to hear what needs to be replaced). I mean there are still 21 speed bikes with a freewheel! being sold... *shakes head* makes me sad (and angry! I mean they even try to sell you this stuff as a MTB... with components that are for touring use only as per manufacturer specs, and I don't even want to think about the frame....)
Sorry for the rant, but quality costs money.

About the splines: some freewheels have splines for the removal tool that look a bit like those of a cassette.

[Black_Blade]

(03-25-2010, 02:41 PM)Joe_W Wrote:  Well, I find that the low end stuff on dept store bikes brakes so soon that you end up spending in the order of the price of a (halfway) decent bike anyway. The bikes are heavy, the components are even heavier, it is a hassle to set them up correctly since some are made so poorly and have mismatching components, the brakes scratch the rims, the wheels are not true, spoke tension is all off, basically a nightmare (and I bet most customers wouldn't want to hear what needs to be replaced). I mean there are still 21 speed bikes with a freewheel! being sold... *shakes head* makes me sad (and angry! I mean they even try to sell you this stuff as a MTB... with components that are for touring use only as per manufacturer specs, and I don't even want to think about the frame....)
Sorry for the rant, but quality costs money.

About the splines: some freewheels have splines for the removal tool that look a bit like those of a cassette.

Really no question that you are right in all those points about the cheap dept store bikes. But the thing is, if a shop did indeed make itself available to service them more readily, the increase in business might be able to offset the lower service charges that they gave to these customers. A lot of folks enjoy riding bicycles, but not everyone has the required disposable income to get the quality bikes. Personally, I would love to be able to afford a good quality bicycle...several of them in fact, for I do see the sense it makes to have higher quality components etc (many people could care less and treat their cheap bikes as disposables anyways..sad but true), but I simply can't afford them.

I guess this whole issue gives rise to the backyard bicycle mechanics that provide the needed service to the average bicycles tho, unfortunately many of those don't have the supplier contacts that the bike shops do.

[Joe_W]

Well, most bike shops here do good business (especially in summer), they recommend that if you want the bike to be inspected yearly you should bring it in in winter, when business is a bit slower. You can get them to quickly fix something in between jobs, but usually you get a response like "I can give you an appointment for next week / the week after..." so lack of customers is no issue for them. Also don't get me wrong: I don't need the latest and greatest stuff to enjoy cycling (I love my old Peugeot), I just find it hard to justify the expense of buying cheap stuff. So, instead of a dept store bike for 150€ - 200€ I'd rather get a decent used bike for about the same price and replace chain, sprockets and brake pads (maybe cables and tyres, too). I know this is not an option for most since you have to have a clue what to check, otherwise you end up replacing everything...

I went through two cheap chains last winter, my current chain shows hardly a sign of chain wear even though I did cycle in the snow with salt on the roads, it'll probably last another half year. Price difference between those chains is a factor of 1.5. So I save money by buying a more expensive chain (1.5 cheap chains = enough to buy some groceries or six medallion cut steaks or six tall beer at my favorite pub). Oh, and I am on a budget too (but I hope that this will change soon, I won't be allowed another bike though, we don't have the storage space).

[cyclerUK]

Here's some info' on freewheels:-
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html

As you will see from the photo the freewheel can have splines just like a cassette. Only beware they are not the same dimensions so may need a different removal tool.

There was a thread a couple of months back that actually discussed a Falcon freewheel - but you can never find it when you want it?

[Joe_W]

http://forums.bikeride.com/thread-894.html
found it (probably)

[marcdominic]

Black,

I don't see your experience here in Sheffield, UK. LSBs will take in anything for maintenance/repair no matter where it was sourced... Maybe you ought consider changing your local LBS...?