What freewheel for Magic Pie V5?

[WoodlandHills]

I have a Lightning recumbent I am putting a Golden Motor Magic Pie V5, and I am having trouble finding the correct freewheel. The bike had a 9 speed freehub, but that's gone by the wayside. I tried an 8 speed freewheel, but it is far too wide to fit between the 135mm dropouts when installed. Perhaps a 6 speed? What are you folks using?

 

[Marin]

I have a magic pie 5 with an 8 speed freewheel on 135mm dropouts on my mountain bike.

 

[WoodlandHills]

Interesting, on mine the two smallest cogs extend past the shoulder on the axle where the flats are milled for the dropouts. When I dry fitted it with no freewheel it fit perfectly in the dropouts with the shoulders on the axle flats just touching the dropouts. I will pull it all apart tomorrow and measure everything. I'll need to go to my LBS and get the correct freewheel tool first since mine is for free hubs and is too large.

 

[Triketech]

I ran into the same issue with a Smart Pie; it required spreading the swingarm drop outs to 143mm to fit.

Jacking a steel swingarm an extra 8mm would be OK. Should be OK on an aluminum swingarm for a bike, but not recommended on an aluminum trike IF you plan on putting it back to 135mm. Trikes see heavy lateral loading.

Also depends a bit on the grade of aluminum, temper and tube geometry. 6061 T6 tends to fatigue more rapidly when a permanent bend is made. 7005 is much more forgiving.

 

[Marin]

On mine I did need to spread the dropouts but only about 2mm, also my mp4 came with a spacer for an 8 speed freewheel.

 

[WoodlandHills]

I got my MP from Luna Cycle, I will ask them if they know about the spacer. Thanks.

 

[Marin]

Mine also from lunacycle the spacer came with the kit.

 

[WoodlandHills]

Looks like I will have to try Plan B: I can't spread the rear dropouts because I am running a rear suspension system, the Shockster, and it would bind. I am going to see how much room I have to fit a 5 speed.....

 

[WoodlandHills]

I went with a Shimano 6 speed, which fit with no issues. I did have to leave off the spacer ring that goes between the motor and the freewheel off since it caused the freewheel to just barely rub on the dropout. Without the spacer it fits fine in the dropout and does not contact the hub motor either.

 

[markz]

I had this problem on mine, not a MPV5 though, I just used a bunch of washers that fit perfectly on the freewheel side and it popped the dropout further out.
Though I have a huge 150mm dropout space.

 

[Marin]

Good that you got it going, you will enjoy the ride of the magic pie, I like mine a lot.

 

[WoodlandHills]

If it was just a matter of spreading dropouts I would have run the stock 9-speed cluster on the Pie. I have an alloy rear suspension that can't be bent so it had to be a perfect fit. At a later date I may try a 7-speed if I feel I need more gears.

 

[nycmetrotadpole]

this is my problem to, i am trying to get a smart pie 4 on a greenspeed gt3 tadpole, which came with a 9 speed cassette, i tried it days ago and the 8 speed freewheel but even with one washer near the dropouts, the chain would still rub on the frame. so trying to find some more washers, the spacer that came with the freewheel for the motor side, looks way the chain will still rub on the motor ,, should know by tonight.

 

[nycmetrotadpole]

i am glad i decided to google the spreading of steel bicycle dropouts, i was originally just using a screwdriver as was shown in the instruction video for the hub motor, a search showed that using a all thread road with some nuts and washers i can do it with finesse.