My 1981 Raleigh Team has been using a Maeda (sp?) 13-14-16-18-20-23 freewheel merrily until now, paired with a 52/42 up front. I've been wanting a 26, so I swapped in a freewheel I had here that has never been used before, a 14-16-18-20-23-26 Shimano. (Apparently my choice of cogs wasn't the norm for a 14-26, but my selection makes the most sense to me. The others I saw went from 22 to 26 at the end, something like 14-15-17-19-22-26, if memory serves.)
First, the new freewheel was given to me as a body and loose cogs. I just hand-threaded the cogs on there. I assume I don't need to take chainwhips to them to tighten them individually as the force of riding will do that - am I right about this? I cranked on them each a little in the repair stand just by holding the rear brake and pushing on the pedals.
Second, I noticed that, with the wheel all the way back in the horizontal dropouts, I couldn't shift into the 26. Moving the rear wheel halfway or a bit more forward solved that problem. Is this normal? How does one negotiate between using the "B" screw and the placement of the wheel - which should I try first, and is the center of the dropouts the "default" place to put the wheel?
Third, I need longer chain to wrap the 52/26. The 52/23 on the old freewheel, although I rarely used it, did work just fine and I'd like to be able to go big/big if I forget and use it. The chain I have says "Regina" on the links. What model of chain ought I to look for to be period-correct (we're talking early 80's here) and does anyone on the list have one for sale, NOS? I'd like to just put on a new chain to go with my new freewheel and keep the old one around for a rainy day. FWIW, the original owner replaced the original pulleys with blue Bullseye's, and those are what I have on there now.
Many thanks in advance.
-S-