Re: [CR]Now: Six-speed freewheels Was: catalogue #3

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Date: Fri, 23 Feb 2001 09:01:02 +0000
Subject: Re: [CR]Now: Six-speed freewheels Was: catalogue #3
From: "Hilary Stone" <Hilary.Stone@Tesco.net>
To: chuckschmidt@earthlink.net, RALEIGH531@aol.com
Cc: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org


As far as I am aware the first production bike with a six-speed freewheel was the Moulton Speed Six in 1964/5. Although not common it was a genuine catalogued production machine built in reasonable numbers. It used a special freewheel with small top sprockets and a modified Cyclo Benelux P60 rear derailleur (modified by Cyclo not Moulton). Regards Hilary Stone

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>From: Chuck Schmidt <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>

>To: RALEIGH531@aol.com

>Cc: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

>Subject: [CR]Now: Six-speed freewheels Was: catalogue #3

>Date: Fri, Feb 23, 2001, 7:40 am

>


> RALEIGH531@aol.com wrote:

>>

>> Thanks for the catalog pages.

>> I was surprised to see a 13-26 six speed Regina freewheel in 1964(?)

>> Was this intended for touring and would it have required 126 spacing?

>>

>> Pete Geurds

>> Douglassville, Pa

>

>

> Good question!!! This always puzzled me. In the mid-1950s the racing

> bikes came with 4-speed freewheels, even though there were 5-speed

> freewheels available. In the mid-1960s the bikes came with 5-speed

> freewheels even though there were 6-speed freewheels available.

>

> I have heard that the early 70s Raleigh Professional was the first

> production bike that came with a 6-speed freewheel (Atom) and I don't

> think 6-speed freewheels were generally in use until the mid-1970s.

>

> Seems like there was a ten year lag each time before anyone decided they

> really needed another gear. Quite a contrast to today's drivetrains

> with the number of speeds in the rear increasing every couple of years.

>

> Chuck Schmidt

> South Pasadena, California

> http://www.velo-retro.com (NEW list of reprints and T-shirts)