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Questions and answers about sports

Raleigh Nitro MTB – 5-7 speed freewheel conversion – 135mm spacing

5 min read

Asked by: Duy Valdez

Can I replace a 5 speed freewheel with a 7 speed?

5-Speed to 6- or 7-Speed



You will generally need to add a few spacer washers to the right side of the axle, building it up far enought that the cone locknut can reach the frame dropout through the wider freewheel body. You will need to re-center the axle but probably won’t need to replace it with a longer one.

Will a 9 speed freewheel fit a 7 speed hub?

7-speed hubs won’t normally accept 8-, 9- or 10 speed cassettes without modification.

Can I put a 7 speed freewheel on a 6 speed hub?

If the bike is from post 1989 or so it will have a block not a cassette, and a cassette won’t go on the hub. If it’s a 6 speed cassette it may have a threaded top cog meaning a modern 7 speed cassette won’t fit either.

How many speeds can a freewheel have?

The Freewheel



It typically comes with anywhere between 1 to 7 cogs, and it is rare to find a freewheel on a modern bike. You do however find them on some new single-speed bikes. A freewheel that comes with 1 cog can also come fixed, meaning that you always have to be pedalling unless the bike is stationary.

How many teeth does a 7 speed freewheel have?

7 SPEED FREEWHEEL SCREW ON CASSETTE FALCON INDEX 14/28 TEETH COG MTB or RACER.

Are freewheels interchangeable?

No, freewheels are completely different from the cassette / free hub system and are not interchangeable. A freewheel includes the ratchet mechanism that allows the sprockets to rotate backwards as well as the sprockets themselves, and threads into the hub.

Can a 7 speed be converted to 9-speed?

Converting a 7-speed wheel to 9-speed



The sprocket of the 9-speed wheel is the same height as that of the 8-speed wheel, so it can be converted to 9-speed using the same method as for the 8-speed wheel.

Can I replace 7 speed cassette with a 9?

The answer is yes. Basic answer is, it’s not worth trying. A seven speed hubshell is wider then a hub with 8, 9, 10 speeds, and a 8 9 10 speed freehub is wider then a 7 speed.

Can I put an 8-speed cassette on a 7 speed wheel?

Quote from video: So if you're free hub here is like Frank from that little base. There up to the rim. There is thirty five millimeters. Then you can probably install an eight nine or ten speed cassette on to that free

Are 5 and 6 speed freewheels interchangeable?

You will need a new rear wheel to change the hub for more gears. Freewheels are not interchangeable. Stick with the stock twist shift, and stock bike.

What is a flip flop bike hub?

Flip-flop hubs, also called double-sided hubs, are rear bicycle hubs that are threaded to accept fixed cogs and/or freewheels on both sides.

How do I convert my cassette to freewheel?

Quote from video: And basically it's a very simple tool all it is just as metal bar with a little piece of chain there and a longer piece of chain here and all it's designed to do is to grip onto your sprockets.

What is the difference between freewheel and freehub?

The term “freewheel” refers to the whole gear cluster with the coasting mechanism inside. The freewheel is screwed onto a set of threads on the right-hand side of the wheel’s hub. On a freehub system, the coasting mechanism is a sub-assembly of the wheel’s hub.

Will a 8 speed chain work on a 5 speed?

A 7.1 mm wide 8-speed chain* will fit all the other systems (5, 6 and 7-speed ones).

What’s the difference between a freewheel and a cassette?

The freewheel is a single-unit and the act of pedaling tightens the freewheel to the hub. Whereas the cassette hub is a set of gears (cogs) that slides onto a cassette and is held in place by a lock ring.

Can I fit a 9 speed cassette on an 8 speed hub?

Yes. 8 and 9 speed cassettes are interchangeable.

Are all Shimano Freehubs compatible?

Shimano Microspline freehub bodies are only compatible with Shimano 11 and 12-speed mountain bike cassettes that feature a 10T smallest sprocket. These wide-range cassettes will not fit any other freehub body, and similarly, no other cassette design (including Shimano 12-speed road) will fit a Microspline freehub body.

Can you convert freewheel to cassette?

You cannot convert a freewheel hub to cassette. You need a new rear hub. What he said. You’ll have to either get a whole new rear wheel or buy a rear hub and spokes and have them re-laced to your current rim.

What’s the difference between a freewheel and a cassette?

The freewheel is a single-unit and the act of pedaling tightens the freewheel to the hub. Whereas the cassette hub is a set of gears (cogs) that slides onto a cassette and is held in place by a lock ring.

How do I know what size freewheel I need?

Quote from video: On a bike it can be difficult to determine if you have a cassette or free will but this is the simplest way. After you remove the rear wheel from the bike spin the sprockets backwards.

How do I know what freehub I need?

Knowing What Freehub You Need

  1. If you have 10, select a Shimano/SRAM freehub.
  2. If you have 12 gears, select an XDR freehub.
  3. If you have 11, look at your crank.
  4. If there is one chainring up front, select an XDR freehub.
  5. If there are two or three chainrings (gears) up front, pick a Shimano/SRAM freehub.