free wheel versus cassette

[jeohearn]

Does anyone have a view about free wheels versus cassettes. I've been using a free wheel because my bike (Magnum from I believe Costco) came with one. But now my break pads have worn thin the wheel. My LBS suggests a cassette as they say it's stronger and serviceable (bearings etc). I am carrying ebikekit 36v10ah LiFeP04 on my rack so not too heavy. Apart from the freewheel versus cassette question, does anyone have general suggestions as to a rear wheel to get. (BTW my bike is not set up for disc brakes.) I'm dealing with a LBS that is well respected.
Thanks as always for your expertise,
Jeff

 

[Ykick]

What type of motor do you run? Front or rear? Cassettes won't work on rear hub motors. Freewheels only...

I run a Cassette wheel on my front drive bike. Many more gearing options and they work well.

 

[motomech]

Ok, I see you are running a frt. Aetona on 36V w/ the stk. controller, right? And that you were once thinking about bumping up to 48V?
I would suggest that ...
If the freewhl. still works fine, just replace the rim and save up for that power up-grade. Dogman would know better that I, but I think that motor on 48V wouldn't need much indexing though the gears.
Also, you might look into a frt. disc conversion[if applicable] and learn how to use the frt. brk.[no offense, most of the riders here could probably use some practice in this area]. That way, you won't keep wearing out your rear rim.

Edit, You would want to be sure that your fork is strong enough for 48V, with the proper torque arm.
Perhaps a fork upgrade w/ a disc would provide the needed strenght for 48V, resolving both issues at the same time

 

[heathyoung]

Cassette is so much better than freewheel, I've managed to shear 4 out of 5 cogs free from a cheap freewheel (GRRR)

Also agree on front discs, only use regen on the rear now its so badly bent

 

[motomech]

Agreed, I like my cassette, but as I understand his post, his freewhl. is still fine.
"If it ain't broke...."

 

[jeohearn]

I have a front hub motor (aetoma). So, cassette is the vote.
Any comments on a make or kind of a rear wheel. Otherwise I'll go with the LBS's basic wheel for about $60 plus cost of cassette and chain -since it is old- and I've been told when getting a new freewheel or cassette to get a new chain if it's been used a lot which mine has.
I like the idea of getting a conversion to enable putting on rear disc brakes -is this inexpensive and easy?

 

[motomech]

So what you actually have is this,

http://www.campsolution.com/mongooseebikepoweredby36v40ahli-ionpackwithcharger.aspx

Why didn't you say so?

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

I have a front hub motor (aetoma). So, cassette is the vote.
Any comments on a make or kind of a rear wheel. Otherwise I'll go with the LBS's basic wheel for about $60 plus cost of cassette and chain -since it is old- and I've been told when getting a new freewheel or cassette to get a new chain if it's been used a lot which mine has.
I like the idea of getting a conversion to enable putting on rear disc brakes -is this inexpensive and easy?

What ever wheel you get, be sure that it's hand built, not machine built.

It's pretty easy to get one from a bike shop these days, IIRC J&B sells handbuilt wheels as it's standard (they are the major supplier of bicycle shops at least in my neck of the woods) and if you have any problems with the quality of the build (i.e. spokes braking for no particular reason etc. , etc.) they have a way of knowing who built it by a color code and are willing to back it up, but you have to make sure you insist on it.

Regen braking is a great thing, and also reliance on the rear wheel is a bad idea mainly because 75% of your braking ability on any conventional two wheeler is always coming from the front wheel, so it could explain premature wearing out of the rear by using it too much to compensate.

Cassette is my vote too, and if possible, I would recommend a heavy duty rim like the Sun Rhyno Lite. You should be able to get one with 13G spokes for around $200 built with that rim, but again, if you're not carrying heavy loads, a single wall rim in the back is passable, but probably won't save you enough over a good double wall rim like the Rhyno to make it worth it.

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

So what you actually have is this,

http://www.campsolution.com/mongooseebikepoweredby36v40ahli-ionpackwithcharger.aspx

Why didn't you say so?

Sure, put discs on the rear, front disc brakes are dangerous.

Front brakes of any kind will lock if you use them wrong, and all things equal, disc brakes simply work better, why in the world would you say that a better brake is some how more dangerous?

How many motorcycles still use drum brakes? Not many if any modern ones to include motocross.

If front discs are more dangerous than rim brakes it's the fault of the user who is jamming the brakes instead of modulating them, and this would be just as dangerous with good quality rim brakes.

 

[jeohearn]

OK, another detail regarding number of teeth on the cassette I will buy. I currently have on my freewheel: 13-28. I like the 13 as it makes for comfortable pedaling at full speed. The 28 is a nice way to start and to get enough speed up to engage motor safely. I know my LBS has in stock a 13-30. I am wondering if the 30 will be too big -that is, I'll have to shift to next speed to get enough speed up to engage motor safely. I don't go up any steep hills and don't want to as I don't have enough power, so the need for 30 teeth is not necessary for that. Any thoughts?

 

[MadRhino]

front disc brakes are dangerous.

What is dangerous, is to have poor braking power and modulation.
You may think that good front brakes are dangerous, until the day that you would need them to stop in time.
Good brakes can save your bones, and the front brake is 80% of your braking power for that matter.

 

[MadRhino]

OK, another detail regarding number of teeth on the cassette I will buy. I currently have on my freewheel: 13-28. I like the 13 as it makes for comfortable pedaling at full speed. The 28 is a nice way to start and to get enough speed up to engage motor safely. I know my LBS has in stock a 13-30. I am wondering if the 30 will be too big -that is, I'll have to shift to next speed to get enough speed up to engage motor safely. I don't go up any steep hills and don't want to as I don't have enough power, so the need for 30 teeth is not necessary for that. Any thoughts?

The choice has to be according to the weight of your Ebike, the terrain that you ride, and the speed that you want to achieve.
With a heavy bike and hilly terrain, you'd want the granny gears to be able to pedal it back home if your battery is dead, and if you want to ride fast the 11 t gear is a must. I use 11-34 on most of my bikes.

 

[LI-ghtcycle]

OK, another detail regarding number of teeth on the cassette I will buy. I currently have on my freewheel: 13-28. I like the 13 as it makes for comfortable pedaling at full speed. The 28 is a nice way to start and to get enough speed up to engage motor safely. I know my LBS has in stock a 13-30. I am wondering if the 30 will be too big -that is, I'll have to shift to next speed to get enough speed up to engage motor safely. I don't go up any steep hills and don't want to as I don't have enough power, so the need for 30 teeth is not necessary for that. Any thoughts?

The choice has to be according to the weight of your Ebike, the terrain that you ride, and the speed that you want to achieve.
With a heavy bike and hilly terrain, you'd want the granny gears to be able to pedal it back home if your battery is dead, and if you want to ride fast the 11 t gear is a must. I use 11-34 on most of my bikes.

I'd go for the the 11 - 34 too, it's never a bad idea to have options, and you're not going to save any real money going with a 13 - 30.

You can always choose to use the 13 instead of the 11, but if you ever decide you would like to be able to pedal along with the motor at higher speeds the 11T is going to allow you to do that.

Also, think of how much easier it will be to go up even minor hills with a 34T if you have a malfunction and do not have the benefit of the motor's power and are moving along under pedal power alone, just my thoughts.

 

[Jethro56]

While you could do any of the above things. I'd suggest finding a used bike that has discs and a 8 speed cassette and transfer the kit to it or rob the parts off the used bike.

 

[dogman dan]

I'm not sure what the heck freewheel vs cassete has to do with brakes. Disk wheels are more common for a more expensive cassete equipped 9 speed bike wheel, but you can get a screw on freewheel wheel for 7speed that has disk hub.

My solution would be to go to the flea, buy a busted up bike that still has a good rear wheel on it, for about 20 bucks. Likely to be a screw on freewheel type, off of an older, but quality for it's day, MTB. Likely, it would need a new freewheel.

Is your old freewheel broke? if not, reuse it.

Buy brake pads often enough, and keep em adjusted. I've never heard of a rim wearing out that was getting rubbed by the rubber. You have to have been down to the metal.

You can buy rims for about $25. You own a rim, on the original front wheel. Take the rim from the front wheel, and lace it to the rear hub. Take a real good picture of the wheel, and match the lacing pattern. I just did that myself last night, to make a non disk wheel into a disk wheel. Then if you must, take the loosely laced wheel to the lbs for truing.

Lacing is really not so hard, while truing is the real art of it. It's really simple once you see the pattern. On one side of the hub, you have innie and outie spokes. Each innie goes every 4th hole. Each outie, goes into every 4th hole, leaving every other hole empty for the spokes on the other side of the hub. Fairly simple. Get started right on the first group of 4 spokes, and the rest just falls into place easy as pie. 1 2 3 4 that hole.

 

[Ykick]

What happened to me was that I built a front drive bike, rode it quite a bit and then found a nicely equipped used Cannondale that I planned to do a rear motor conversion. Once that was done, I realized I now had a pretty decent rear wheel w/cassette hub laying around from the Cannondale so I just put that on the rear of the front motor bike. Good upgrade all the way around and use of available components.

'sure you don't need to build a 2nd rear motor bike?

 

[jeohearn]

I went the cheap route and kept my freewheel, bought a $39 wheel...and new pads since the lack thereof is how the brakes wore out the rim in the first place. Keeping an eye on the pads is crucial -thanks. At a future date I'll either learn the art of lacing to make a better wheel or buy a good handmade one. Thanks for all the ideas.

 

[dogman dan]

40 buck wheel is not a bad way to go. Just suggested a relace in case you had zero money. I got zero money lately, so I just laced another wheel yesterday. saved me about $150. Now If I can just locate those brake disks......

 

[motomech]

So what you actually have is this,

http://www.campsolution.com/mongooseebikepoweredby36v40ahli-ionpackwithcharger.aspx

Why didn't you say so?

Sure, put discs on the rear, front disc brakes are dangerous.

Front brakes of any kind will lock if you use them wrong, and all things equal, disc brakes simply work better, why in the world would you say that a better brake is some how more dangerous?

How many motorcycles still use drum brakes? Not many if any modern ones to include motocross.

If front discs are more dangerous than rim brakes it's the fault of the user who is jamming the brakes instead of modulating them, and this would be just as dangerous with good quality rim brakes.

I know, I don't haVE your practiced patience, got a little frustrated and made a scarcastic comment. Not very becoming, I know. I tried to delete it, but not in time.
I still think the OP doesn't understand that he needs to learn to use the frt. brk.