9-speed cassette freehub

I am planning on installing a x5 motor on my mountain bike that currently has a 9-speed cassette freehub. I am pretty new at this and need some help figuring out what gear cluster to order with my new hub motor. From what I understand, my current freehub will not work on a x5 axel. I have also been told that a 9-speed gear cluster has a different spacing (closer) than any gear cluster less than 9-speed. My chain is also skinnier than a chain that is made for a bike with less than 9 gears. I don't need 9 gears, but I do need a gear cluster with the same spacing between gears as my current setup so that I can use my same shifer and chain.

I hope there is an easy fix for this. Please help.

In order to use your existing shifter, you'd need a 9 speed freewheel.

Search google for 9 speed freewheel.

Note that your crystalyte wheel with a 9 speed freewheel may be too wide to fit in your frame. With a steel frame, you can just bend to fit if you want; non steel frames (any metal or nonmetal frame that a magnet won't stick to) you can't safely bend to fit.

With a 7 speed freewheel, you can try keeping your 9 speed chain but you might find that performance is better with a 7-8 speed chain (7 and 8 are the same width). However, it's doubtful an indexed 9 speed shifter works. If your shifter allows a non-indexed mode you can use that; if not you'll need a non-indexed shifter or a shifter that is desiged for 7 or 8 speed cassette spacing.

Hi,

Just for the record, a 'freewheel' according to shimano, is what we call a 'screw on cluster' & shimano, does not offer a 'freewheel' in 9spd, only 7spd & down. if you can use a 'freehub' body on your e-bike hub, then you could use a 7spd freehub body, (if it fits) as cerewa said the 9 speed freehub body won't fit, & grind off the tabs holding the thin bolts, on the back of a 7 or 8 spd cassette (too remove the spacers) & re-space the 7 or 8 speed cassette with 9 spd spacers, thus using your same shifters & chain. if you do this then you my have to add a some spacers behind the cassette to ensure it does up correctly. Also make sure you limit the H & L screws correctly so it does not over shift into your spokes.

Ktronik

There is a new 9-speed thread-on freewheel, with conventional Shimano/SRAM 9-speed cog spacing, available from a Taiwan-based bicycle parts manufacturer called DNP and has the tradename "Epoch". It has ideal (IMO) 11-32 cogs. Justin Le has sourced 8-speed DNP freewheels for some time, which also have an 11-tooth small cog. You might ask him if this new freewheel is available.

Correction / edit: The company name in Taiwan is Long Yih Industry Company. Both DNP and Epoch are tradenames.

Here is a page from their catalog, used without permission (but since Long Yih is in the business, presumably they won't mind). You would want model LY-1109HF:

it probably best to ditch the 9-speed components and ebay some cheap 5-speed stuff. you will only use the top gear anyway once you have the motor.

i just finished putting a rear disc brake on my X5 and i had to grind off the last cog on my 7-speed cassette to save spave.

Any idea where to get hold of 11 cog freewheels in Europe?
I can get one from ebike.ca but they quote delivery time up to 3 months to Slovakia.
Googling the DNP typenumbers from above catalog, nothing usable pops up.