New wheelset for friction shifting?

[AndreasM]

Hello Paceline -

I was interested in a new wheelset for my commuter (a Centurion comp TA) which runs a Shimano 600 friction drivetrain and I assume a 126 rear spacing. Does that rear spacing come into play if one is attempting to put a less-than-9-speed cassette on a newer wheelset? or are there just larger spacers between the rings, thus evening the distance out between older and newer cassettes.

Basically I want a lighter/newer wheelset but want to see if I have to overhaul my drivetrain to do it.

Any advice would be great.

[Joe Remi]

130 OLD wheels have longer axles.

[Puget Pounder]

newer wheels have 130mm spacing, which is the axle. Yours is 126. This does not affect the spacing of your cogs, but it does limit what your cassette ranges are.

EDIT: By axle, I mean distance between the locknuts.

You can't use any cassette over 7 speed (without fidgeting) on a 126.

You can use 8/9/10 on a 130, as well as a 7s with a spacer.

Since you are running friction, all you really have to change is the cassette and chain and you are set.

[Joe Remi]

You'll probably want to take your frame to a builder who can accurately coldset your rear triangle to 130, thereby freeing you up to use whatever modern wheels you want, but I would buy the wheel and try it first. You can bend steel a bit without worry, and that production frame may not be exactly 126 anyway. With a little gentle spreading at the dropouts, your new wheel may drop right in. Not ideal for quick wheel changes in a race, but no biggie for a commuter bike.

[rccardr]

Most likely no need to cold set if yours is a 126 (pretty sure the Comp TA was 126) and you want to put in a 130. Just grip n' spread 'em.

You can actually run '9 of 10 on 7' with friction if you want to stay with a 126 OLD wheelset with a Hyperglide freehub (I recommend the lovely Shimano 600 Tricolor of the late 80's). Just buy a 10 speed cassette and take out the second-smallest cog, then mount and tighten the lockring. Same thing with '8 of 9' if you can find a 9 speed cassette cheaper.

PP's suggestion is best, though, if you ask me. Get yourself a modern 130 OLD wheelset and a 9 or 10 speed cassette and shift it friction-like. You may find the shifting less smooth than modern stuff due to the wider cages and lack of ramps and pins on the chain rings, but it will work.

[palincss]

You can't use any cassette over 7 speed (without fidgeting) on a 126.


See Sheldon on "8 of 9 on 7 (or 9 of 10 on 7)"
http://sheldonbrown.com/k7.html

[AndreasM]

Thanks everyone - I have a line on a pretttty cheap pair of Aksium's. Am I potentially running into any issues with that choice given the friction and 7 speed cassette?

[paulYpaul]

Are you running Shimano 600 7-speed hubs and not liking them? I'm confused about the reason for the upgrade -> more gears or better wheelbuild?

I just switched to campy-11 on my Merckx and took off my dura-ace to open-4cd wheelset that is 126 spaced. Really enjoyed that wheelset.

[Puget Pounder]

See Sheldon on "8 of 9 on 7 (or 9 of 10 on 7)"
http://sheldonbrown.com/k7.html

...

reread my qualifier.

[Puget Pounder]

See Sheldon on "8 of 9 on 7 (or 9 of 10 on 7)"
http://sheldonbrown.com/k7.html

I am well aware of this.

"Fidgeting" should have been "jerry-rigging". Didn't have my coffee yet. It was a qualifier saying that it can be done, but I don't see why this would help in his case.

No need to complicate things so I didn't go into it.

[AndreasM]

Full disclosure: I got in the habit of jumping curbs on my commute to work..:no: somewhere along the line a busted a few spokes and I figured I'd see what some options were for maybe a new wheelset.

[Bob Loblaw]

Aksium, or any racing type wheel, may not be the best choice if you like hopping curbs.

Another option is to stick with existing hubs and lace them to new rims using fresh spokes. Probably close to a wash in terms of price against new wheels, and then you have zero complications (apart from finding a wheel builder).

BL

[Joe Remi]

Thanks everyone - I have a line on a pretttty cheap pair of Aksium's. Am I potentially running into any issues with that choice given the friction and 7 speed cassette?

If the cassette fits fine on the Aksium wheels, (i.e., not a Uniglide cassette), all you need is a spacer behind it so that the cassette stays near the end of the axle on that longer freehub.

[velomateo]

I have a set of old Matrix wheels on 105 hubs. They are older 126mm hubs but have a cassette body that is the same spline pattern as the current Shimano stuff. I used an old 9 spd cassette paired with some 10 spd spacers and was able to get a useable 8 spd. I also use a 9 spd chain. Very quick shifting from my Super Record friction set up.
PM me if you're interested in them - I no longer use them.