Best upgrade path? Bent axles on freewheel, considering freehub

[adamhearn]

I use a cheap hybrid for commuting my heavy weight to work (short distance, on road). The bike is a 21 speed 3 * 7 with freewheel and Shimano Tourney derailleurs, 700c wheels with 32c Gatorskins at 90-100 psi.

After 1500 or so miles I started to break spokes on the original rear wheel so I replaced it with a Raleigh Tru-Build model configured with 36H Mach1 240 rim and unknown hub/spokes. It wasn't supplied with an axle so I re-used the original as it was straight. A few hundred miles later I found the axle had snapped at the 'usual' location behind the freewheel. I replaced the axle but that has lasted for only a couple of hundred miles as is now bent.

Obviously my weight and the state of the roads aren't ideal but I'd like to have a little bit more reliability and my thought is to get a new wheel with a freehub.

Options of find a 7 speed cassette and spacer or upgrade the gears to 8 speed. But I've seen that may require a new rear derailleur.

Another complication seems to be with the frame as the dropout distance for the rear is 135mm so I may be limited in choice.

Anyone know of any cheap/serviceable wheels fitted with hubs that would fit the frame and not cost a packet?

 

[Randy Butternubs]

I had a similar problem. With around 500 miles on the bike I *snapped* an axle in the typical freewheel place, just inboard of the drive-side bearings.

My understanding is that 7 speed freehubs can be found but are rare/no longer produced? 135mm OD is standard mountain bike spacing so I just got a Deore LX hub for about £30 and plan to use a spacer with a 7 speed cassette.

If you want to use a 130mm OD road hub apparently it is not a problem to just bend the dropouts together if you have a metal frame.

 

[BSRU]

My old hybrid had a freewheel and I broke three axles before buying some wheels with a freehub.
Supposedly it is a common problem with freewheel hubs.
No problems finding 135mm rear hubs, Shimano Deore/XT/XTR all have that size.
A pair of Shimano M:Part Mavic A319's with Deore hubs would do the job, about £120 for a set.

 

[adamhearn]

Thanks for the info - especially about Deore hubs. Just ordered a wheel from Rutland Cycling with a Deore hub albeit using the cheaper Mach 1 rim. Decided to 'upgrade' to 8 speed so also grabbed a cassette from Chain Reaction Cycles and a [matching] shifter from a seller on eBay. It's a cheap fix at £61 all in (I've got a spare new chain which should do for 8 speed - KMC Z7). Hopefully it'll all play nicely

 

[Leaway2]

My axle snapped in my hybrid rear wheel. I replaced the axle. They are about £5 on Ebay. I did have to buy the cone spanners, chain whip and freewheel removal tool though
I bought Weldtite, seems to be OK.

 

[adamhearn]

Put it all back together and can't get the indexing working smoothly. It was a risk in that it was an old Shimano Tourney 7 speed unit and whilst it's documented to not be compatible with 8 speeds, I was hoping it would be fine. It does work but shifting on the cassette can be temperamental. For example, if I set the cable tension for when the chain is on the large chainring I can't get smooth running on the smaller rings.

Seems that the rear derailleur is either bent (could be), worn (could be) or just doesn't have the strength in the spring for the ever so slightly wider 8 speed cassette (it is quite loose/wobbly). Few more £'s on the repair bill Could've bought a number of replacement axles and then some!

 

[adamhearn]

Replacement derailleur now fitted and it's all good now

Changing from a freewheel to freehub needn't have been so expensive but having a completely new drivetrain [that is better than what was on there previously] should mean I'm good for a while to come.

 

[anotherDave]

My understanding is that 7 speed freehubs can be found but are rare/no longer produced?

135mm OD is standard mountain bike spacing so I just got a Deore LX hub for about £30 and plan to use a spacer with a 7 speed cassette.

If you want to use a 130mm OD road hub apparently it is not a problem to just bend the dropouts together if you have a metal frame.

I'm about to convert a 21 speed hybrid from freewheel to freehub. I used the Ridgeback Speed as a guide.

http://www.ridgeback.co.uk/bike/Speed

That model apparently uses: "Hubs: Shimano RM30 rear, Rims: Ryde ZAC-19SL Aluminium 36h"

A web search for RM30 hybrid wheels produced a Wilkinson wheel set offered by Evans, and a Rigida rear wheel offered by 'woollyhatshop.com'. Ryde and Rigida are the same company so I've ordered that one. Fingers crossed!

 

[albion]

I think there are two types of axle, standard steel and far far stronger chrome moly.

I think the Weldtite one is chrome.