...anybody ever do this?...Ive seen a couple done; just wondering if there were any problems installing or after. I'm about ready to start a new project and want to update to several rear gears...
thanks.
thanks.
derailer onto older frames?
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rusty1 said:
yep.
they're ugly
they're vulnerable
the back wheel, being asymetrical, is an inherently weaker design
the chain, being narrower, is weaker
the chain, being bent sideways, wears out quicker
they're ugly
they're your bikes of course 8) - but have you considered a sturmey AW 3 speed? all the looks, some of the gears and none of the weaknesses
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I have done this but the biggest thing is with most frames they only have a fender brace and nowhere to mount brakes. If you have access to a welder this is no problem.
Not finished but
Not finished but
For $125 plus shipping, i'd go with a Nexus 3speed inter3 rear wheel conversion with coasterbrake. If you want a lower gear, you could always go with a 20 or 22 tooth rear cog on a regular single speed wheel. With the frame you got, your gonna wanna run a hub with a coasterbrake, single, two or three speed, if you cannot weld on cantilever points (for cantilever brakes; 90's style) to the rear on the seat stays. The only SAFE way to use a multispeed hub/rear wheel set up on such a cool old skool bike like this is to have a knowledgable welder weld on the mounting poles for cantilever or linear pull brakes, or mounts for a rear disc brake set up, but then again you'd need a rear disc wheel. Look up Chubby's one stop cruiser shop on-line and check out the Nexus 3speed conversion kit. Has everything you need to convert your classic bike over and does it very cleanly, too. I'm with hubgearfreak, but good luck whatever you do. I've done the multispeed hub conversion and usually always ended up going back to what it was.
If you wanted to do the unthinkable, you could swap out to a unicrown fork with a center hole for mounting sidepulls or forks with the studs/poles to mount linear or catilever brakes.
If you wanted to do the unthinkable, you could swap out to a unicrown fork with a center hole for mounting sidepulls or forks with the studs/poles to mount linear or catilever brakes.
a good thing with derailleurs though, it's pretty cheap to do a conversion (though brakes can be an issue). nearly any old mountain bike will have the same size rims and most all you need to do it. just swap it out.
Thanks for all the replies; I already have it figured out, I used the derailer like the one Mad Max used/suggested...an easy bolt-on.
As I get further along, I'll post my progress with some pics.
When I get done, my bike will look somewhat like Deormans.
Thanks again.
As I get further along, I'll post my progress with some pics.
When I get done, my bike will look somewhat like Deormans.
Thanks again.
yoothgeye
I build stuff.
Front brakes should be adequate on most bikes, as long as you don't install something super stoppy like a disk or V-brake. Why not mount a caliper on the underside of the chainstays, maybe hack an old kickstand to make a bolt on mount?
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yoothgeye said:
That's a great idea. I might give that a try.
outskirtscustoms said:
+1 to a great idea! Now i'm gonna go look to see if I can't remount the sidepulls under my 78' Klunker so I can run full fenders on it. What would be cool is if I had the mechanical workings and parts for the drum brake that is supposed to be in the stock Schwinn drum hub it has. That would take care of the where to mount brakes issue, and thats about the only issue. Good luck!
Forgot to include picts of my conversions...
My 86' Murray Monterey ss to 6speed conversion. More of a hot mess of unalignment issues and chain throwning till I converted it to narrow chain (regular "10speed" chain). Its a ss again, but I may go back. Hmm.
My 86' Murray Monterey ss to 6speed conversion. More of a hot mess of unalignment issues and chain throwning till I converted it to narrow chain (regular "10speed" chain). Its a ss again, but I may go back. Hmm.
hubgearfreak said:
Ok thats all the bad, lets go over some of the good.
They work.
If you bend a wheel replacments are easy to find
They are reliable.
They are easy to setup.
Flat tires are quick and easy to fix.
If you wear one out you don't have to rebuild a wheel.
They are cheaper.
They work.
Seriously though, if you plan on using the bike off road as I do go with a derailler. If not your best bet is an internal with either a coaster brake or a drum.
sandmangts said:
1. SA AW 3 speed is (according to sheldon brown) the most reliable variable gear system ever made for a bicycle
2. well made wheels with 36 spokes only bend from mega-abuse or alterications with motor vehicles. jobst brandt states that a well made wheel, properly tensioned, will last the life of the rim
3. see 1
4. so is an AW. there's nothing to it once you know what you're doing. it's all there in my earler link
5. does anyone really struggle with a togglechain, really?
6. that's 10s of 1000s of miles away with an AW. don't d*r*ll***r hubs also wear out and need new ones eventually?
7. obviously - they're cheaper things made more cheaply. there's no plastic inside an AW. however, over the life of an AW, it'll work out more expensive to keep buying chains (that wear out quicker - too thin), blocks (that wear out quicker - too thin), chainsets (that wear out quicker - too thin) an chain shifting devices (that get bashed, being vulnerable)
7. see 1.
even if any of your points had any merit - you still can't get away from the fact that having the dangly bit at the back is well ugly. :wink:
I like internal gear hubs as much as anyone, I actually prefer them for street bikes. Based on my experience though, they are not really suitable for extensive off-road use, at least the older ones. If you don't mind the limited gear choices, have the right tools and like taking them apart every other ride, more power to you. If you must, the SA is less likely than the Shimano333s to break from a up-berm missed shift.
...as far as the chains wearing out quicker, ...I've got over 6000 miles on a Huffy 6 speed with very little maintanance!
and I've seen some pretty ugly bikes even tho they didn't have that "dangly thing hangin down back there"!
and I've seen some pretty ugly bikes even tho they didn't have that "dangly thing hangin down back there"!
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Any bike can be beautiful or ugly, it just depends on what you do to it.
With the huge chain wheel on my Flightliner, having a rear derailluer is like having gears 6-10 on a regular 10-speed bike,
(you will obviously need a compatible rear wheel).
I reccommend a 5-speed sprocket for older bikes, you may have to spread the frame a bit.
Single speed is fine for straightaway riding, but if you encounter hilly terrain, gears are almost essential.
I actually like the look of a shiny derailluer on my bike. You can get em cheap and they will work very well for you
as long as you keep up with the simple maintenance required to keep them in good shape.
My two cents. Good luck!
(you will obviously need a compatible rear wheel).
I reccommend a 5-speed sprocket for older bikes, you may have to spread the frame a bit.
Single speed is fine for straightaway riding, but if you encounter hilly terrain, gears are almost essential.
I actually like the look of a shiny derailluer on my bike. You can get em cheap and they will work very well for you
as long as you keep up with the simple maintenance required to keep them in good shape.
My two cents. Good luck!
