Thread started by ephemerae at 02.25.09 - 9:34 pm

So, you'd think it would be less complicated to change a spoke on a singlespeed than one of them new fangled geared road bikes with de-ray-lerrs and stuff. AND YOU'D BE WRONG.

I'm going slightly insane as I just can't seem to get the bloody cog off this thing. I got this tool from the LBS, some kind of wrench adapter with 4 notches, which I can see are supposed to fit into notches in the freewheel thingy, which is supposed to get it off and it's completely the wrong size so it's full of fail.

I'm irrationally annoyed because I know it's just a stupid case of not having the right tool, but I can't seem to find the right one anywhere, and it doesn't help that I don't know what it's called or what size it's supposed to be, and I wanna get my freaking bike working so I can get some riding done.

Advice?

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bike co-op?



_iJunes
02.25.09 - 9:40 pm

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First, what iJunes said.
Then, take your wheel to the LBS, swap what you have and find the right adapter, so you can fix it at home if more spokes break later on.
If untouched for a long time, freewheels can get really tight, so it might take some pressure.



Alex
02.25.09 - 10:10 pm

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it just a regular BMX freewheel, right?



Alex
02.25.09 - 10:12 pm

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the tool with the notches removes the lockring.
then a normal chainwhip will remove the cog.
sheldon brown had a how to article on his site, but i cant seem to find it. use your magic google powers, im sure it will show itself.



ruinedbyidiots
02.25.09 - 10:12 pm

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ah so. thank you gents.



ephemerae
02.25.09 - 10:57 pm

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"the tool with the notches removes the lockring.
then a normal chainwhip will remove the cog."
-RBI

If it's a freewheel system, this is advice is wrong!!

If you have a singlespeed freewheel, it is most likely the BMX type, in which case the 4-notch tool will actually remove the freewheel, and there is no lockring. If this is the case, mount the 4 notch tool in a vice, fit the wheel into the tool, and get torque by grabbing the wheel by the rim/tire. If a strong person can't remove it this way, the only option is destroying the freewheel.

If it is a fixed cog, then there should be a reverse threaded lockring. First remove this using a notched lockring wrench, then remove the cog with a chainwhip.

If it is something else, like a cassette hub converted to singlespeed, you will need a lockring remover specific to that type of cassette hub.

Please ignore shitty advice.

Look at the park tool website if you desire real knowledge.





zombiefiesta
02.26.09 - 12:01 am

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Hold the wheel in a clamp. or just your legs. Then take a a nice long piece of old chain and wrap it around the freewheel. hold both ends of the chain and pull till the freewheel comes loose.






stillline
02.26.09 - 11:57 am

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The cog on a freewheel can spin freely in the counterclockwise direction. That is what makes it a freewheel. You can wrap a chain around it and turn all day long.

If you want to remove it, you need to unscrew the body of the freewheel from the threads on the hub. This requires a notched tool.





zombiefiesta
02.26.09 - 1:07 pm

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