Knocking noise from the freewheel area.

[Melonfish]

I'm about to replace my freewheel, mostly because one of the cogs is worn to hell so it slips!
however i have a nice rhumba beat as i cycle, now will replacing the freewheel sort this or should i look at stripping out the freehub and cleaning it too? i only get the noise as i pedal not as i freewheel (which actually makes me think it perhaps isn't the freehub?)

whilst i'm at it, its a 7 speed hybrid with 3 cogs on the chainset, its got a large climb gear 34T should i just do the regular method of measuring round the largest cogs plus 2 links or should i get a specific chain length?

and finally, i want to replace the skewers with quick release, i take it any standard mountain bike/hybrid ones should be fine? can anyone suggest any particular brand?
thanks!
Pete

 

[calibanzwei]

Linking the thread I started on the same freewheel issue fella
http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/tapping-out-a-rumba-beat.84325/

 

[compo]

Just to clarify: You say you have a 7 speed freewheel, but also speak about the freehub. Freewheels don't use a freehub, they screw directly onto the wheel hub. It is possible you have a 7 speed cassette with spacers behind it but they are not common. The cassettes slide onto a freehub and are secured by a locking ring. I would lay a guess you have a freewheel rather than a cassette. Which do you think you have on your wheel?

For chain length, yes your biggest to biggest plus a couple of links will give you the length. The other way of course is to count the links on your current chain.

When you say you want to replace the skewers with quick release items I assume you want to remove the wheel axles and replace with quick release skewers. You will need hollow wheel axles for the QR skewer to go through the middle. Also a good opportunity to replace your wheel bearings whilst the axles are out.

 

[calibanzwei]

We have this - http://www.jejamescycles.co.uk/shimano-mf-tz31-7-speed-multiple-freewheel-14-34t-id6835.html

 

[compo]

Woolly Hat Shop, 7 speed freewheel, £9 posted.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Shimano-T...sure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item43a97669a8

 

[PpPete]

How to tell the difference between freehubs and freewheels
http://sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html

Chainlength: I always use the biggest cogs + 2 links method...
Do not shorten the chain to the same number of links as the old chain as the old one will have "stretched".

 

[compo]

How to tell the difference between freehubs and freewheels
http://sheldonbrown.com/freewheels.html

Chainlength: I always use the biggest cogs + 2 links method...
Do not shorten the chain to the same number of links as the old chain as the old one will have "stretched".

Surely it doesn't matter how stretched the old chain is, it will still have the same number of links as when it was first fitted. That is why I said count the links not measure the chain.

 

[PpPete]

Surely it doesn't matter how stretched the old chain is, it will still have the same number of links as when it was first fitted. That is why I said count the links not measure the chain.

We simply don't have enough information though.... who knows whether the chain on the OPs bike has been shortened since it was first fitted (was it even the right length when it was first fitted?) , or bigger cogs fitted along the way.
112 (for example) links might be just the perfect length on the old stretched chain. If you cut the new,unstretched, chain to 112 links you might find it is too short.
That is why I said measure the chain (the new one) against the biggest cogs and add two rather than counting links.

 

[Melonfish]

Er, right ok thats cleared a bit up about freewheels/freehubs at least!
yes i have a freewheel, the type that screws directly to the wheel hub, that should get rid of the knocking. also i did pick my freewheel up from woolyhat

chain - sweet, thought that would be fine, largest cogs +2
the skewers i did not realise i needed hollow axles, now i do know, whats the best way to go about this?
thanks
Pete

 

[compo]

There is another way to assess chain length for derailleurs other than very short caged ones. Wrap chain around largest chainwheel, smallest gear sprocket and through the derailleur and around the jockey wheels, then bring the two ends of the chain together until the two jockey wheels on the derailleur are both vertical in line, then break the chain at this point. I have used this method more than once where the "big to big" method hasn't worked for some reason and has given me a too short chain.

I have only mentioned this out of interest, however, I would recommend the conventional big/big/two links method if it works.