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• #2
cheap freewheel won't last you long
i binned dicta after a month (it felt shit from the beginning and fell into pieces when i was trying to put it in on different wheel)
i'm on a second shimano dx - each runned smoothly for 2-3 months,just ordered wi from ebay for 54quid - it's not a fortune
my advice - if it's your secondary bike buy any cheap - they're all crap, or shimano dx if you can find cheap on ebay
if you gonna be using it a lot it's worth spending extra on wi one (it's double the price of shimano but will probably outlast few of those) -
• #3
got a shimano one from CRC, this one
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=7805
and it's very quiet, if not silent?
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• #4
ada: with shimano dx, do you actually mean the one in my link or a different one? as I am using mine for quite some time now and its really still more than fine
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• #5
I meant the dx bmx freewheel SFMX30 which is usually around 20£ and it runs much smoother than the cheap ones and its v quiet.
Hard to say anything about those from your link, could be the same but older version. -
• #6
that is what I was trying to say, the one in my link is old and only available as nos or vintage, but it is really well made - distinctively better than the sf-mx30, I have that one as well and was able to compare the two.
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• #7
How can you tell that it's well made? Ball bearings are the first thing that is wearing out in cheap freewheels.
I guess it's worth trying it for that price anyway. If you're lucky it'll be the same quality as the newest shimano for the fraction of the price. -
• #8
buy cheap, buy twice (well actually buy numerous times but that is not how the saying goes!)
The WI is the ONLY freewheel worth using if you are intending to actually put some miles on the bike.
They are many times better from new (quicker engagement, no knocking/sloppy noises) and I have had mine for a year and around 2000 miles and it is still as good as the day I put it on. £60 very well spent. -
• #9
I dunno, Ive heard of WI freewheels that havent lasted that long at all, at least with shimano a new one is only 20quid.
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• #10
Oh, not heard that. My anecdotal evidence suggests they are extremely durable. This is on a cross bike that gets hosed down at least one a week, chain/freewheel has grit and mud in it etc,.
Also the aspect of how silent it is (no knocking or slop) which to someone who is obsessed with having a quiet bike is worth the extra money alone.
Again, if you pootle around or it is not main bike then fine, but if intending to do 1,000's of miles then worth it for the reliability, silence, very fast engagement.
And I have used the other options over the last 35 years...
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• #11
WI Is actually super noisy when coasting, good if you don't have a bell - you just stop pedalling:)
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• #12
No kidding; never mind the quality, I had to sell mine on because I couldn't take that rattle.
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• #13
That is not a rattle, it is the noise of the ratchet. The difference is that is supposed to be there whereas the knocking and slop from any of the lesser freewheels isn't...
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• #14
How can you tell that it's well made? Ball bearings are the first thing that is wearing out in cheap freewheels.
I guess it's worth trying it for that price anyway. If you're lucky it'll be the same quality as the newest shimano for the fraction of the price.Again, it's not just the same quality as the newest shimanos, but it is clearly better.
As said, I have both in front of me and it's obvious when you see them. The movement is smoother, the engagement is better, the parts are more precisely aligned.WI might be even better, no doubt, but I find the noise annoying and prefer quiet coasting.
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• #15
Fair enough, the ratchet noise is on the loud side.
I don't tend to coast much at all so that is where the WI winds hands down for me. I find the knocking noise of a cheap freewheel when pedalling very annoying
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• #16
if you are interested you should really try the one in my link, never heard any knocking from it, too
in fact I never heard any sound from it at all, no matter what situation
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• #17
Ratchet sound doesn't bother me at all, but just like kerley said i don't coast unless i have to/i'm slowing down.
IMO worth the money
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhWxFEN1b6k
Tokyo Fixed is selling it for 70£, touch it, feel it, spin it and maybe you'll change your mind -
• #18
anyone know what tool to use to get this off?
just bought a wheelset with one of these on... cant even see how to dismantle it for destructive removal..
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• #19
I can not get the shimano freewheels to last more than 5-6 months, after that they clunk and jump around.
Is there a way to service them?
Or is it worth buying 2/3 more or just going for the one WI (they seem really loud)?
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• #20
anyone know what tool to use to get this off?
just bought a wheelset with one of these on... cant even see how to dismantle it for destructive removal..
Freewheel tool
Hey,
for everyone looking for a really good freewheel without spending a fortune on the WI ones, here's a good advice, I now bought my second of these babies. Probably the only silent freewheel in the world.
http://cgi.ebay.com/160605498700
also: http://bmxmuseum.com/forums/viewtopic.php?id=251992
They are 1/8" and a super strong, fine build, not comparable to current Shimano freewheels, it's a really dead-silent freewheel with a fast and fine-stepped engagement.
and it's even cheaper than all the horrible acs/dicta etc. crap