11tooth freewheel or smaller

[Bazaki]

I like cruising at 45km/h and with a 11 tooth freewheel that is doable, but I prefer a smaller gear at the rear, is it possible to mount a let's say 8 tooth freewheel, even the 11 tooth freewheels are hard to find, but if someone knows a shop please let me know.

 

[neptronix]

No such thing. Such a gear literally will not fit.

Next best thing is a bigass single front chainring, 48t or larger.

 

[dogman dan]

Yep. On a rear hub motor, 14 tooth is as small as you get. Going front hub, you can get 11 tooth on a cassete type freewheel, like is common on 9 speeds.

So that leaves you looking for big front cranks. 52 tooth is common on roadbikes, but often the road cranks don't clear a MTB frame which is designed for a 44 or 48 tooth max. Sometimes you get lucky though, and find a chainring on ebay that fits an mtb crank. Then you might fit more gear on there. I found a 56 tooth ring, that is nice for hauling ass and pedaling. Nice cadence at 35 mph with 14 tooth rear gear.

Happy hunting.

 

[neptronix]

Not true sir.. shimano sells 7 speed freewheels with a lower 13 tooth..
DNP sells a 7 speed freewheel with an 11 tooth..

And Shimano megaranges with 11 tooth lowers also exist and float around on eBay from time to time.

^--- proof of their existance, lol..

 

[auraslip]

I need to start pilfering my local bike co-op for 52th road cranks because new ones cost $100+ and they never go for less than $50 on ebay.

Any one want one?

 

[vanilla ice]

You can get 52-56t chain rings for cheap online. I have a 56t I think I paid $15 for. Its the bigger non-standard ones that you have pay thru the nose for.

 

[Lemlux]

For those who have front hub motors, the rear wheel can be built from a shimano capreo hub with a 9 speed 9t-26t cassette. This seems to be used mainly on recumbent trikes with 20" wheels.

Here's a product link.

http://www.utahtrikes.com/PRODINFO-Shimano_Capreo_Cassette.html

They also sell 60t and 65t chainrings which, I understand, apparently won't work with a front derailleur.

http://www.utahtrikes.com/PRODINFO-SCHLUMPF_LARGE_CHAINRING.html

 

[FMB42]

Also be advised that running a smaller than "standard" freewheel sprocket can, in some cases, cause the chain to rub on the frame chain stay.

 

[theRealFury]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/7-Speed-Freew...Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item45fadc7c7c

That should be good for 30mph +, cant vouch for quality though but im eyeing it up myself for a future purchase

 

[dogman dan]

I had thought that those smaller screw on freewheels had some kind of problem fitting over the 14 mm axles on rear hub motors. Many retailers will only have the 14 tooth ones in the bin.

 

[theRealFury]

I had thought that those smaller screw on freewheels had some kind of problem fitting over the 14 mm axles on rear hub motors. Many retailers will only have the 14 tooth ones in the bin.

Ahh ok, have not heard that. Looking at the pictures from San Diago Electric Bike the axle gap looks pretty standard but i have emailed them the question to be sure.

 

[theRealFury]

Just had a reply from Pat at San Diago Electric Bikes as follows.

I use these freewheels on ALL 14mm axles (including the thicker Electric Motors). This 11t is perfect & that is why I stay with them.
Thanks,
Pat

So i'm going to give it a try once i get the rest of my gear together.

 

[nicobie]

Justin at ebikes.ca has been selling an 11t 7speed freewheel for years. They are cheap and loud, but work fine.

http://ebike.ca/store/store_motors.php

Scroll toward the bottom of the page. He carries lots of different types.

 

[jimw1960]

If I can ask a related question, I just bought a FS downhill bike with an 8-speed for my next conversion. Does anyone know if an 8-speed freewheel can be used with the new HS/HT rear hub motors? Or is it too wide to fit the dropouts when combined with the width of the motor? I'd hate to have to buy a whole new shifting system to make it a 7-speed.

 

[theRealFury]

If I can ask a related question, I just bought a FS downhill bike with an 8-speed for my next conversion. Does anyone know if an 8-speed freewheel can be used with the new HS/HT rear hub motors? Or is it too wide to fit the dropouts when combined with the width of the motor? I'd hate to have to buy a whole new shifting system to make it a 7-speed.

An 8 speed will most likely fit but it is a very tight squeeze and it took me about 20 minutes just to get it into the dropouts. a 7 speed will be much easier to fit in there (especially if your after fitting torque arms as well). I'm not 100% sur but i gathered that you could use a 7 speec freewheel with an 8 speed gear changer and just adjust the set screw to limit the movement so its cant drop into the last gear? Thats what im going to try anyway.

 

[Bazaki]

People, I know a 11 tooth freewheel is available, but I was hoping that a 8 tooth also was available. How about welding an extra 8 tooth on a 6 speed freewheel ?

 

[FMB42]

There are (as several ES members have said) various physical limits of just how "small" you can go on a freewheel (with the threaded hub boss diameter being just one of them). Yet another factor in regards to "sub" 11 tooth sprockets is that you literally won't have enough inner sprocket "ring" material left to provide adequate strength.

Also keep in mind that the smaller the sprocket, the greater the wear and tear on the chain.

 

[Doctorbass]

if that might inspire some of you, here is my modified 5 speed 11 tooth freewheel

http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=27108&hilit=freewheel

All gear are welded with 3M DP420 EPOXY as well as my disk btake adaptor!!!

Doc

 

[wesnewell]

If I can ask a related question, I just bought a FS downhill bike with an 8-speed for my next conversion. Does anyone know if an 8-speed freewheel can be used with the new HS/HT rear hub motors? Or is it too wide to fit the dropouts when combined with the width of the motor? I'd hate to have to buy a whole new shifting system to make it a 7-speed.

No need for a new shifter. Just don't use 1st gear. I still use my 7 speed shifter with a 5 speed freewheel. Just use 3-7 on the shifter. You can adjust the low gear stop to keep you from going into the lower gears if you want, but I didn't even do that.

 

[jimw1960]

If I can ask a related question, I just bought a FS downhill bike with an 8-speed for my next conversion. Does anyone know if an 8-speed freewheel can be used with the new HS/HT rear hub motors? Or is it too wide to fit the dropouts when combined with the width of the motor? I'd hate to have to buy a whole new shifting system to make it a 7-speed.

No need for a new shifter. Just don't use 1st gear. I still use my 7 speed shifter with a 5 speed freewheel. Just use 3-7 on the shifter. You can adjust the low gear stop to keep you from going into the lower gears if you want, but I didn't even do that.

Thanks. For some reason I was thinking the spacing between gears was different for 7 and 8 speeds. If it is, then the indexing for the 8-speed shifters wouldn't align properly to the 7-speed. I guess I'll just go ahead and buy a 7-speed freewheel and find out.

 

[snellemin]

I fitted an 8 Speed Freewheel 11-28t on my bike. It was just a dropin with no fuss. I'm using the magic pie motor, which is maybe thinner than the HT motors.

 

[dogman dan]

There is a small spacing difference with 8 speed but not too bad. It may index a bit funny in either 1st or 7th depending on how you tune it. It's the 9 speeds that really index different, and might require a shifter change. One option, switch to a non indexing old school shift lever.

For the original post, 11 tooth rear and 48 tooth front is not too bad. You can pedal up to 30 mph with that.

 

[vanilla ice]

Here is an 11-34 nine if you have the axle width to spare:
http://store.comcycle-usa.com/ProductInfo.aspx?id=5904746
I have something similar on one bike with an old school non-index shifter. The bummer about 9 speed freewheels is with the wide spacing you can bend axles on a standard hub. That is why you don't see too many of them for sale. But I doubt that would ever be a problem with the thick axles on hub motors. An 11-34 would be perfect if you have no front derailleur. The 34 for those hills..

 

[SoSauty]

Shimano Capreo casett has a 9 tooth on their 9 speed. You need their special hub for everything to fit. Don't know if you can make use of it. Sold by Harris Cycles.
http://sheldonbrown.com/capreo/index.html

 

[itselectric]

If I can ask a related question, I just bought a FS downhill bike with an 8-speed for my next conversion. Does anyone know if an 8-speed freewheel can be used with the new HS/HT rear hub motors? Or is it too wide to fit the dropouts when combined with the width of the motor? I'd hate to have to buy a whole new shifting system to make it a 7-speed.

No need for a new shifter. Just don't use 1st gear. I still use my 7 speed shifter with a 5 speed freewheel. Just use 3-7 on the shifter. You can adjust the low gear stop to keep you from going into the lower gears if you want, but I didn't even do that.

Thanks. For some reason I was thinking the spacing between gears was different for 7 and 8 speeds. If it is, then the indexing for the 8-speed shifters wouldn't align properly to the 7-speed. I guess I'll just go ahead and buy a 7-speed freewheel and find out.

Jim:
there is a topic that talks about the freewheel width
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18314

7 spd is 36mm in width, and 8 or 9 speed is 40+mm in width:

The HS/HT will fit all 7, 8, 9 speed DNP freewheel, the secret is that you must use a one mm freewheel spacer with 8 and 9 speed, otherwise it will rub, because of the motor bearing housing new design.

Ken