So, I've determined that I have a broken 14 tooth sprocket on my cassette. I know it's a 7 speed 14-28 cassette. I have inspected the cassette for brand information, and the only thing stamped on it is "728", which I'm sure corresponds to the cassette specification. I do not know what brand it is. It is the original cassette from a Cultech-Japan "Mt. Hakone" mountain bike(rigid frame, front and back).
Given what I know above, how do I go about choosing a replacement cassette? If you have a specific recommendation, I'm all ears. This is a cheap bike($180 brand new 5 years ago), so cheap parts are fine, provided they'll serve the purpose.
Is it feasible for me to install an 8 or 9 speed cassette? The shifting system is not indexed.
No rear on the 8 & above rear gears, the hub is not made for it.
Are you sure it is a cassette & not a freewheel (as I would expect on a cheap bike)? How about a pic with the wheel removed?
Less than about $20 should be no problem.
Oh good. I took it apart and ended up with more questions than answers. I see no logical way to remove that assembly from the wheel. In any case, I'm certain I'll be replacing the axle bolt as well, at a minimum. It is bent slightly.
Thanks for your help.
Axle is easy too, you just need to know the thread.
Great. I say that somewhat sarcastically. I've been riding for 12+ years as a hobby, and I've never had a freewheel break on me. Go figure.
Is there more than just threads per inch(tpi), diameter, and length when it comes to picking the right axle?
Cool. I'd like to order axle, freewheel tool, and freewheel all together, just so I can do it all at once. I know for certain what I'm looking for in a freewheel and freewheel tool now. My old freewheel is a Falcon, and it has 12 splines, same as the standard Falcon freewheel tool. I was thinking to replace it with a new Falcon just for the sake of consistency, but I did already think about going with a different ratio. Do all brands of freewheel use the same thread pattern?
As far as the ratio goes, I have a three sprocket crank set, so I can go pretty small on my rear sprockets with little problem. I hardly ever find myself using my lowest gearing as it stands.
I was thinking about going with a 7 speed 13-25 on the rear, but wasn't sure if I wouldn't like to have something like a 13-31 or 13-34 for those times when I find myself traversing freshly laid gravel(one of the few times I do use my lowest gearing). It happens fairly often here, given the dirt roads. Does the small gear go any smaller than 13 teeth on the $20 range freewheels?
Also, if I'm to continue riding into the winter, I'm going to have to procure a set of studded tires as well. The roads are mostly ice here in the winter. The heavy clothing I have already from snowmobile riding. I haven't even begun to shop around for studded tires though. I've heard they can be quite expensive, and wear out fairly easily. Any advice on tires for riding on ice?
I had just been looking at Peter White's Studded Tire's page, in doing some looking after my last post. Good advice, and the tires don't look too bad on price range. Cheaper than I thought they would be. I don't think I'll be getting them before winter hits this year though.
Just wanted to ask if you were suggesting a 3/8" axle to be the same as an M10.
3/8 inch = 9.525mm
This means a 10mm nut will fit on a 3/8" axle(loosely), but a 3/8" nut will not fit a 10mm axle. Do the two standards leave enough tolerance that an M10x1 is fully interchangeable with 3/8"x26?
Throe, go to a local hardware store & confirm what the thread pitch is. Don't guess!
Do you have a Falcon freewheel tool?
Most big guys like me don't like the "jump" from a 32 tooth to the next gear, but if you don't have triple front chain rings I can see it.
No, I will be ordering a Falcon freewheel tool($6) with my new freewheel($20-$40). I still have not gotten around to disassembling my rear axle again to check it out. I may have to take a trip out to the local hardware store tomorrow(there is only one), and see if they can help me determine the specifications of my axle bolt. There is no local bike shop here, although, with an entrepreneurial spirit, I may be the first to open one. That's a topic for another time though.
As far as being big, I'm 6'1" and ~230 lbs, does that qualify? I'm sure I've never felt the "jump" you're referring to, only ever having ridden stock cheapo cycles. I do have three sprockets on my crankset. Is that what you mean by "triple front chain rings"? I'm still trying to nail down all this new lingo.
Also, for those of you who have been following this thread, and want to know more about me, I put up an introduction in the Bicycle Culture sub forum.
The local hardware store had a thread checking device available. My axle is M10x1, and I have some bad news. As I was going to put it back together just this morning for the ride to work, one of my ball bearings fell out, rolled through a crack in my deck, and is now somewhere under my house. I lack the motivation to retrieve it(I'm not even sure if I'd be able to find it in the thick mud under my house), so I'll not be riding until I get all this stuff ordered. More questions then.
How would I go about determining my bearing specification? I know I'll need a cone wrench as well, and I know they don't cost much, but I'll probably want to replace the cones with the bearings(correct me if I'm wrong). How do I determine the size of the cone wrench I need?
As for my location, I just tried to update it. The web form fills in a 0 in the "year" portion of the optional birth date entry, and then tells me to enter a valid birth date or leave the fields empty. Deleting the 0 and then trying again results in the same. The form is filling a 0 for some reason. Since I have no interest in entering a false birth date, I'll just have to wait until whoever is responsible for that portion of the website gets around to fixing it.
I'll go do that. I've found a website which accurately portrays the difference, so I'll let you know in a few minutes whether it's a freewheel or cassette.
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