Stupid question about how to remove a rear cassette.
- Thread starter Brand X
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OP
OP
Brand X
Guest
Thanks Raleighnut (btw, I like Raleigh's, I've got an old Raleigh Chiltern) I'll give that a try!
A clean freewheel comes off more easily than a dirty one.How did the spokes break while you were trying to take it off? It may be that the spokes have started to reach their fatigue life. In which case more to go in due course. Lightly grease the the freewheel before screwing it back on, when the wheel has been repaired.
I tried holding the wheel and stamping on the end of a spanner and hitting it with a lump-hammer (not all at the same time). Result: Broken two broken spokes. I'll give RN's method a try, it sounds obvious now he mentions it.
I hope I haven't knackered the old wheel because buying a new wheel turned out to be a mistake; I bought a half-price Tru-Build wheel from Tredz for £24 ($31) inc P&P, which sounded like a bargain, but the wheel is even to my untrained eye a piece of junk and the 7-speed cassette was missing. There's a gap in the join and the edges of the join are sharp, so I'm definitely sending it straight back. Awful, awful wheel.
OP
OP
Brand X
Guest
The rest of the bike wasn't much better, but for £62 ($80) I'm not complaining, it just needs a darn good scrub.
EDIT*
Huzzah! Success. A pair of gloves, a vice, a squirt of penetrating oil, and a bit of determination, and it's finally come free. Now all I have to do is mend it.
Last edited:
Ajax Bay
Guru
If you buy a new wheel, the sprockets (whether cassette or block) will not come with it. But now you have got yours off you can use your current freewheel block (provided you buy one with a thread for a freewheel).
raleighnut
Legendary Member
BTW when refitting the freewheel block give it a smear of Copaslip (or Vaseline) but there is no need to tighten it massively onto the thread. The first time you ride the bike it will 'self-tighten' as much as is needed.
Ajax Bay
Guru
TMN to me: Post #15.
OP
OP
Brand X
Guest
The product description says it comes with a cassette, or am I misunderstanding it? It sounds like it comes with gears.
http://www.tredz.co.uk/.Tru-Build-S...mano-7-Speed-Cassette-Alloy-Q-R-Hub_44401.htm
Ajax Bay
Guru
The product description says "Rear wheel 700c alloy rim silver, Shimano 7 speed cassette alloy Q/R hub. Suitable replacement for most 700c wheeled trekking bikes."
This describes the type of Q/R hub ie it can take a 7 speed cassette (not like your freewheel block btw). Would have to buy a 7 speed cassette separately (about £12).
This has a hub compatible with your block, I think. This is not a recommendation.
This describes the type of Q/R hub ie it can take a 7 speed cassette (not like your freewheel block btw). Would have to buy a 7 speed cassette separately (about £12).
This has a hub compatible with your block, I think. This is not a recommendation.
OP
OP
Brand X
Guest
i need to learn more about bike wheels, but surely a hub is a hub? Does "7 speed cassette hub" mean the wheel can only take a 7-speed cassette, or that other hubs can't take a 7-speed cassette?
It would have been a lot clearer if they had stated "cassette not included".
Ajax Bay
Guru
Correct and correct. 7 speed hubs' freehubs are a bit shorter than an 8 speed freehub. After that there's better compatibility. You can get around this with spacers (ie to get a 10 speed freehub to take a 7 speed cassette, say), but it's not efficient.
All (to all intents and purposes) freewheel blocks have the same threading (look at the Sheldon link I offered earlier - Post #19 - for more information.
simon.r
Person
Yes and yes.
There are 2 main types of hubs, those which take a screw on freewheel and those that take cassettes. The vast majority of modern bikes costing more than £300 ish will have a cassette rather than a freewheel fitted.
Cassettes have anything from 7 to 11 cogs and are different widths, so the freehubs need to be different widths. There are at least 2 different fitting systems for cassettes.
It's not that complicated when you look into it, but definitely worth a bit of research before buying hubs / wheels.
raleighnut
Legendary Member
The difference is Cassette hub or Freewheel hub, they are completely different.
