Freewheels - Campy or Regina - where to find them?

[dd74]

Does anyone out there know where I can source six and seven-speed freewheels? In particular, I'm looking for a 13 or 14-28, Campagnolo or Regina.

I know Harris Cyclery sells Shimano Hyperglide 13-28, which would be fine, but I'm not sure how it will work with an Campy Record DT shifter drivetrain.

Thanks for the help.

[zmudshark]

Pretty tough to find one w/28 big cog, since that was beyond spec for an SR RD.

I have a pile of Regina 23t that are available.

[Formulasaab]

6 or 7 speed suggests friction shifting, no?

Or at least, downtube shifters with a friction option.

With friction shifting it doesn't really matter if you're mixing brands... Just move the lever a little.

[dd74]

Pretty tough to find one w/28 big cog, since that was beyond spec for an SR RD.

I have a pile of Regina 23t that are available.
Yeah, interesting, as I have a Regina with a 28 big cog, and it seems the SR RD handles it very well. It's the smallest cog that's having the problem. My LBS thinks the gear may be bad. It's either a 14 or 13, I can't remember.

[Tony T]

eBay (http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=14-28+Campagnolo+7+speed+freewheel&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0&_nkw=14-28+Campagnolo+6+or+7+speed+freewheel&_sacat=0)

[oliver1850]

He could be using 6 speed Campagnolo indexing DT shifters. They made 6 and 7 speeed index gears to work with the whole range of RDs from Triomphe/Victory/Nuovo/Super Record through 1st generation Athena/Chorus/Croce/Record RDs.

[oldpotatoe]

Does anyone out there know where I can source six and seven-speed freewheels? In particular, I'm looking for a 13 or 14-28, Campagnolo or Regina.

I know Harris Cyclery sells Shimano Hyperglide 13-28, which would be fine, but I'm not sure how it will work with an Campy Record DT shifter drivetrain.

Thanks for the help.

It will..also look at IRD freewheels, 6s and 7s..about $50(what I sell 'em for), more durable cogs, better innards..compatible with Campag or shimano 8s spaced systems.
13-28 for both 6s and 7s.

[ultraman6970]

If you use the D/T shifters in friction mode (like real men do :P) you can use any brand of freewheel or even cassettes probably all the way to 8 speed w/o any problem.

If you are using indexing with campagnolo. I would go straight to shimano d/t shifters and use those in friction too, shimano manufactured down tube shifters way more reliable than the campagnolo ones, specially in fiction, and I like campagnolo. If you can get you hands in a set of suntour superbe or cyclone even better.

Good luck.

[texbike]

It will..also look at IRD freewheels, 6s and 7s..about $50(what I sell 'em for), more durable cogs, better innards..compatible with Campag or shimano 8s spaced systems.
13-28 for both 6s and 7s.

I had an IRD freewheel with a SRAM chain on an old Nuovo Record setup (heresy, I know...). It worked great. In fact, the shifting seemed to be crisper and quicker than the Regina freewheel and chain combo that they replaced. Of course the Regina stuff it replaced wasn't in tip top shape, but I couldn't remember when NEW Regina stuff worked as well.

Texbike

[dd74]

Thanks, guys. Yes, it's friction shift that I have, not indexed.

I think I'll look into the Shimano 13-28.

[Ralph]

The Shimano HG freewheels will shift far better with friction shifting than the old freewheels did. I went thru all that.

One thing I did learn when doing that. The HG freewheels, in index mode, are designed for the chain to catch a new cog about about the same time it leaves a cog....so in friction mode sometimes the chain wants to skip across the top of both cogs. You solve this problem by using a slightly more narrow 9 speed chain with 7 speed HG freewheels....when in friction mode. I also think IRD sells good stuff.

[Ken Robb]

I have a bike w/1981 Nuovo Record gruppo and replaced a sachs 7 speed freewheel with 13-28 Sun Race which works fine. It is ramped as opposed to the old straight-cut Sachs. This means that it is quicker to grab the next cog with less lever movement but it also will tend to ghost shifting if I move the lever too far. The straight cut cogs required that I over-shift a bit to move the chain to the next cog and then back the lever off a bit to center the chain on the cogs. Either way works fine as long as the rider knows which method to use.

[Marz]

Thanks, guys. Yes, it's friction shift that I have, not indexed.

I think I'll look into the Shimano 13-28.

I used that 7 speed freewheel on my friction shift Campagnolo set up.

Cheap to buy.

And Absolutely No Problem, works perfectly.

[canadasteep]

I had trouble finding a 26 (larger cog) 7 speed freewheel from Suntour.
Was looking for Winner/Winner Pro for sometime since from what
I read, it was a very well engineered and well, I was very impressed with the superbe pro derailleurs I picked up (for my 80's esque road project).

I do recall that Sachs-Aris does make a freehweel up to 28.

I wonder how the IRD models compare?

[oldpotatoe]

I had trouble finding a 26 (larger cog) 7 speed freewheel from Suntour.
Was looking for Winner/Winner Pro for sometime since from what
I read, it was a very well engineered and well, I was very impressed with the superbe pro derailleurs I picked up (for my 80's esque road project).

I do recall that Sachs-Aris does make a freehweel up to 28.

I wonder how the IRD models compare?

I don't think the Sachs-Aris are made any longer altho there are probably a few 'out there'. Since I am a freewheel user on both my bikes, and used these previously, they seemed to be somewhat 'soft' in that the cogs didn't last long.

The very best FW made, IMHO, is the 7400 one..I have a stash, but the largest cog is a 26(13-26/7s).

[Formulasaab]

On my 6 speed friction bike I actually prefer my original Regina freewheel to the new Shimano I have on there now.

As others have said, the Shimano shifts quickly but I find that the lack of shift-ramps on the Regina make it simpler to use. It's not "slow" to shift compared to the Shimano, just slow-er. But when you are set in a gear the Regina is quieter and more forgiving of a little misadjustment/misalignment.

The result is the Regina gives me fewer ghost-shifts.

[Ralph]

Solve Ghost shifting with a more narrow chain.

[binouye]

+1 for the IRD freewheels working well with otherwise vintage Campagnolo drivetrains. Works better than the old Regina it replaced, but I haven't tried other options.

[jvp]

ghost shifting can also be caused by loose DT shifter "friction adjusting wing nut".

[redir]

On my 6 speed friction bike I actually prefer my original Regina freewheel to the new Shimano I have on there now.

As others have said, the Shimano shifts quickly but I find that the lack of shift-ramps on the Regina make it simpler to use. It's not "slow" to shift compared to the Shimano, just slow-er. But when you are set in a gear the Regina is quieter and more forgiving of a little misadjustment/misalignment.

The result is the Regina gives me fewer ghost-shifts.

Really? I have the opposite experience. The IRD with the ramps is much more accurate then the blocky Regida imho.

Interesting take on it though.

[canadasteep]

Really interesting to hear ppl's diff. experiences.

I am very happy with the Suntour winner pro freewheel (4 prong removal).
It spins very well/smoothly in the hand. I don't have the experience to say if it shifts better than the sachs-aris, but the action/mechanism felt better.
In any case, it's for my Sunday bike.

I hope this link isn't old news, but here's a great site w/detailed freewheel info:
http://www.bikepro.com/products/freewheels/frees.html

[Louis]

And here I was, thinking that my using 9-spd was anachronistic. ;)