rear atom hub freewheelin' 5sp to 1

[martimagico]

Hey guys, i need some quick know how.
I got this rear atom hub on a 26" wheel w/ a five speed freewheel.
does anyone know if i can swap it (just the 5 speed gear, keeping the atom) with a 20" wheel bmx style freewheel?
i have the crap for the 5 speed but the columbia/goodyear hi-way patrol special i'm mounting it on has that linear dropout that won't fit the derailer.
any help would be great!

 

[66olds98]

I have taken off a number of multi and single speed freewheels. I have never noticed a diff. The easiest thing to do is try and see what happens. I think it will work, though.

 

[martimagico]

next dumb question..............
i've never had to pull one, do i need a special tool???
thanks

 

[user 135]

You should be able to put on a BMX freewheel. Getting the 5 speed off could be trickier depending on the model. You can put a derailer on it the bike if you really want . I did it with a 5 spd on my Clunker w/ a Grimeca drum hub. Most of the older deraillers from Schwinns and such fit into the horizantal dropouts. look for a derailer like this. viewtopic.php?f=2&t=6153

 

[66olds98]

Lol. Yes you do...Your LBS should be able to pop it off. For free i would hope, no tools required to install.

There are a few diff. styles of tools, So your best bet is to go to the LBS

http://images.google.com/url?q=http://w ... J4IbiWQyxQ

BMX Freewheel;
http://www.globalbikesonline.com/catalo ... ewheel.jpg

 

[user 135]

You may need to respace/spread the dropouts to fit the drumbrake axle or you could change the spacers on the axle if possible.

 

[ParkRNDL]

Yeah, last weekend I watched the guy at my LBS just pop the freewheel off a used 5 speed wheel that he sold me. Took him all of 10 seconds. The tool looks like an inside-out socket; the outer splines of the socket grab the inside splines of the freewheel. That's one reason why that cheap bike tool set thread in the Bike Talk section caught my attention...

--rick

 

[martimagico]

thanks for all the good info!
cman, you're right about the drop outs i had to spread them just a touch.
as for a local b/s mine is about to close, the next nearest is about 40 miles away!
i'm going there tuesday, maybe they still have that tool!
any recommendations on a good brand high tooth count free wheel?

 

[Anonymous]

The Zoot bike was originally a single with a coaster...I had to "spread 'em" a little to get the rim in there.

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=5380

 

[martimagico]

update, i went to the local swap meet and bought a 5 speed puller,a 18t freewheel and a freewheel installer(17 bucks!).
i got home and realized the 5 speed puller was not what i needed, so i got in the "mexi-can-do" spirit , grabbed my pinche dremel and chopped that bad-boy off, carefully as not to damage the threading on the hub, it worked out pretty good , i'll post some pix, now it looks kinda undersized for my big atom hub, but it's cool, i just hope the gearing will work out for easy pedaling, i'm building this as a "green" commuter and for being a 58 columbia built goodyear hi way patrol, it's really light! kinda an extreme opposite of my 100lbs. "phantom menace" schwinn that on is in my intro..............