Gearing

I've got a 7spd bike (Kent NEXT Avalon) with a Shimano 14-28T rear
freewheel and 38T chainring. What I'm wanting to do is replace the rear
gears with an 11-34T Sunrace cassette to give me more speed and a lower
1st gear for steep hills. My question is will the cassette fit? I assume
I'll need a chain whip and lock ring tool. Anything else I should be
aware of?

Secondly, I'd also thought about replacing the single chainring with a
28-38-48T crank to give me maximum choices of gears. Any special tools
required to do that? Other suggestions welcome.

On Dec 31, 2:39*am, Wes Newell wrote:
I've got a 7spd bike (Kent NEXT Avalon) with a Shimano 14-28T rear
freewheel and 38T chainring. What I'm wanting to do is replace the rear
gears with an 11-34T Sunrace cassette to give me more speed and a lower
1st gear for steep hills. My question is will the cassette fit? I assume
I'll need a chain whip and lock ring tool. Anything else I should be
aware of?

Secondly, I'd also thought about replacing the single chainring with a
28-38-48T crank to give me maximum choices of gears. Any special tools
required to do that? Other suggestions welcome.

I would suggest that you check out this link which will explain very
clearly the difference between a 'freewheel' and a 'cassette'.

Hope this helps you.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/free-k7.html

Lewis

*****

On Dec 31, 2:39*am, Wes Newell wrote:
I've got a 7spd bike (Kent NEXT Avalon) with a Shimano 14-28T rear
freewheel and 38T chainring. What I'm wanting to do is replace the rear
gears with an 11-34T Sunrace cassette to give me more speed and a lower
1st gear for steep hills. My question is will the cassette fit? I assume
I'll need a chain whip and lock ring tool. Anything else I should be
aware of?

Secondly, I'd also thought about replacing the single chainring with a
28-38-48T crank to give me maximIum choices of gears. Any special tools
required to do that? Other suggestions welcome.

I have a feeling that that bike has a thread on freewheel. You'll want
a freewheel tool and a big crescent wrench to remove it.

A Shimano Megarange freewheel in 11-34 should run 15-20 USD. With a
38T chainring up front, it'll handle anything short of alpine
conditions. I wouldn't bother with a triple conversion, as you'll end
up throwing more at teh bike than it cost in the first place.

On Dec 31, 10:24*am, landotter wrote:
On Dec 31, 2:39*am, Wes Newell wrote:

I've got a 7spd bike (Kent NEXT Avalon) with a Shimano 14-28T rear
freewheel and 38T chainring. What I'm wanting to do is replace the rear
gears with an 11-34T Sunrace cassette to give me more speed and a lower
1st gear for steep hills. My question is will the cassette fit? I assume
I'll need a chain whip and lock ring tool. Anything else I should be
aware of?

Secondly, I'd also thought about replacing the single chainring with a
28-38-48T crank to give me maximIum choices of gears. Any special tools
required to do that? Other suggestions welcome.

I have a feeling that that bike has a thread on freewheel. You'll want
a freewheel tool and a big crescent wrench to remove it.

A Shimano Megarange freewheel in 11-34 should run 15-20 USD. With a
38T chainring up front, it'll handle anything short of alpine
conditions. I wouldn't bother with a triple conversion, as you'll end
up throwing more at teh bike than it cost in the first place.

Odds are good that the original derailleur won't handle the 34. Be
prepared to spend a few bucks on a new derailleur, and of course a new
chain. That will require a chain tool, if you don't yet have one.

- Frank Krygowski

On Dec 31, 11:37*am, Frank Krygowski wrote:
On Dec 31, 10:24*am, landotter wrote:









On Dec 31, 2:39*am, Wes Newell wrote:

I've got a 7spd bike (Kent NEXT Avalon) with a Shimano 14-28T rear
freewheel and 38T chainring. What I'm wanting to do is replace the rear
gears with an 11-34T Sunrace cassette to give me more speed and a lower
1st gear for steep hills. My question is will the cassette fit? I assume
I'll need a chain whip and lock ring tool. Anything else I should be
aware of?

Secondly, I'd also thought about replacing the single chainring with a
28-38-48T crank to give me maximIum choices of gears. Any special tools
required to do that? Other suggestions welcome.

I have a feeling that that bike has a thread on freewheel. You'll want
a freewheel tool and a big crescent wrench to remove it.

A Shimano Megarange freewheel in 11-34 should run 15-20 USD. With a
38T chainring up front, it'll handle anything short of alpine
conditions. I wouldn't bother with a triple conversion, as you'll end
up throwing more at teh bike than it cost in the first place.

Odds are good that the original derailleur won't handle the 34. *Be
prepared to spend a few bucks on a new derailleur, and of course a new
chain. *That will require a chain tool, if you don't yet have one.

- Frank Krygowski

It's got a Tourney-ish rear mech on it. 34 will be fine. Most of those
things work great with Meganerd cogs.

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 07:24:24 -0800, landotter wrote:

On Dec 31, 2:39Â*am, Wes Newell wrote:
I've got a 7spd bike (Kent NEXT Avalon) with a Shimano 14-28T rear
freewheel and 38T chainring. What I'm wanting to do is replace the rear
gears with an 11-34T Sunrace cassette to give me more speed and a lower
1st gear for steep hills. My question is will the cassette fit? I
assume I'll need a chain whip and lock ring tool. Anything else I
should be aware of?

Secondly, I'd also thought about replacing the single chainring with a
28-38-48T crank to give me maximIum choices of gears. Any special tools
required to do that? Other suggestions welcome.

I have a feeling that that bike has a thread on freewheel. You'll want a
freewheel tool and a big crescent wrench to remove it.

A Shimano Megarange freewheel in 11-34 should run 15-20 USD. With a 38T
chainring up front, it'll handle anything short of alpine conditions. I
wouldn't bother with a triple conversion, as you'll end up throwing more
at teh bike than it cost in the first place.

Thanks to everyone for the responses. Now if I can find a cheap 11T
freewheel I'll give it a go.

On Dec 31, 1:55*pm, Wes Newell wrote:
On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 07:24:24 -0800, landotter wrote:
On Dec 31, 2:39*am, Wes Newell wrote:
I've got a 7spd bike (Kent NEXT Avalon) with a Shimano 14-28T rear
freewheel and 38T chainring. What I'm wanting to do is replace the rear
gears with an 11-34T Sunrace cassette to give me more speed and a lower
1st gear for steep hills. My question is will the cassette fit? I
assume I'll need a chain whip and lock ring tool. Anything else I
should be aware of?

Secondly, I'd also thought about replacing the single chainring with a
28-38-48T crank to give me maximIum choices of gears. Any special tools
required to do that? Other suggestions welcome.

I have a feeling that that bike has a thread on freewheel. You'll want a
freewheel tool and a big crescent wrench to remove it.

A Shimano Megarange freewheel in 11-34 should run 15-20 USD. With a 38T
chainring up front, it'll handle anything short of alpine conditions. I
wouldn't bother with a triple conversion, as you'll end up throwing more
at teh bike than it cost in the first place.

Thanks to everyone for the responses. Now if I can find a cheap 11T
freewheel I'll give it a go.

Let us know how it goes.

- Frank Krygowski

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:47:18 -0800, Frank Krygowski wrote:

A Shimano Megarange freewheel in 11-34 should run 15-20 USD. With a
38T chainring up front, it'll handle anything short of alpine
conditions. I wouldn't bother with a triple conversion, as you'll end
up throwing more at teh bike than it cost in the first place.

Thanks to everyone for the responses. Now if I can find a cheap 11T
freewheel I'll give it a go.

Let us know how it goes.

Well, I can find 7spd freewheels for under $10, but ones with an 11T cog
are 3 times that. Now I'm procrastinating about just buying a new 21spd
bike of the same style. I'll make up my mind by spring.:-)

On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 15:47:18 -0800, Frank Krygowski wrote:

On Dec 31, 1:55Â*pm, Wes Newell wrote:
On Fri, 31 Dec 2010 07:24:24 -0800, landotter wrote:
On Dec 31, 2:39Â*am, Wes Newell wrote:
I've got a 7spd bike (Kent NEXT Avalon) with a Shimano 14-28T rear
freewheel and 38T chainring. What I'm wanting to do is replace the
rear gears with an 11-34T Sunrace cassette to give me more speed and
a lower 1st gear for steep hills. My question is will the cassette
fit? I assume I'll need a chain whip and lock ring tool. Anything
else I should be aware of?

Secondly, I'd also thought about replacing the single chainring with
a 28-38-48T crank to give me maximIum choices of gears. Any special
tools required to do that? Other suggestions welcome.

I have a feeling that that bike has a thread on freewheel. You'll
want a freewheel tool and a big crescent wrench to remove it.

A Shimano Megarange freewheel in 11-34 should run 15-20 USD. With a
38T chainring up front, it'll handle anything short of alpine
conditions. I wouldn't bother with a triple conversion, as you'll end
up throwing more at teh bike than it cost in the first place.

Thanks to everyone for the responses. Now if I can find a cheap 11T
freewheel I'll give it a go.

Let us know how it goes.

Couldn't find a cheap one. By the time I bought the freewheel and tools,
it was going cost About $50. And then I'd have to remove the wheel, etc.,
etc. Just decided I didn't want to spend my time on it so ordered the
Sierra Madre model for $200 shipped. 28-38-48T chain rings and 14 or
13-34T freewheel. With a 21-89 gear inch, that should suffice. Original
bike was only a 35-70 gear inch spread.

Hi,

On 01/03/2011 08:09 AM, Wes Newell wrote:
Couldn't find a cheap one. By the time I bought the freewheel and tools,
it was going cost About $50. And then I'd have to remove the wheel, etc.,
etc. Just decided I didn't want to spend my time on it so ordered the
Sierra Madre model for $200 shipped. 28-38-48T chain rings and 14 or
13-34T freewheel. With a 21-89 gear inch, that should suffice. Original
bike was only a 35-70 gear inch spread.

Congratulations on your new bike!

Actually, are bikes really THAT cheap? My current one cost about 1.000
Euro and compared to the quality I've got, it's a real bargain (similar
quality bikes come at two or three times the price).

Here I could by a bike for 200 Euro, but I wouldn't ride it for a single
mile - the cheap ones are really that bad. The brakes don't meet the
rims, the gear shift is hard or impossible to set up right, the wheels
are anything but true, sometimes the frames are not even straight.

Not that I want to make your new bike sound bad - but I can't help
wondering.

Somebody linked you to Sheldon Brown's website earlier - please read the
parts on brake setup and check your new bike when it arrives, it really
only takes a few minutes ;-)

Gotta go and get a new brake cable for my mate's bike ;-)

Happy New Year.