Date: Fri, 10 Dec 2004 18:26:12 +0000 From: rodk3d@comcast.net To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Cc: internet-bob@bikelist.org Subject: [CR]best chain/f'wheel on Super Record drivetrain ???
Hello, I'm about to set up a Super Record drivetrain on a bike with a 126 rear end and will be using Suntour (friction) bar-cons.
I'd love to hear some opinions on which freewheel and chain will give me the best possible shifting combination. I'm open to vintage and new, whatever works best.
thanks! Rod Kronenberg Fort Collins, CO Rod: I think that is a wide-open question as you've framed it thus far, and would be virtually impossible to answer with any authority, other than to state personal preferences. Frank Berto spent years studying this very subject.... You may want to get much more specific - best under what circumstances? With what gearing? On what kind of frame geometry? What is best / important to you? If absolutely any components are acceptable, then go for some twist-tooth super-duper-shifting cogs and a modern chain of your choice. If you are thinking of a "period-correct" racing crossover setup with closely-spaced freewheel cogs and a double crank with no more than an 11-tooth difference, that's much easier to discuss, but still a pretty broad subject. All of that said, my general favorites on my 126mm-rear-spaced bikes with no more than a 24-tooth max. freewheel cog (it's flat here in the my area) are the later six-speed Winner freewheels and Sedisport chains. The narrow Sedisport works well with the vintage narrow-caged Campy (and other) front ders., and shifts well due to its "bulged-link" design. A bonus is that neither of these components is particularly expensive. The chains (at least modern descendants) are still made, and the Winners are reasonably frequently still available NOS. Another nice option IMO is Regina CX with a CX chain, particularly if you want to stay "tutto Italiano," but these are very difficult to find NOS now.... Greg "unchained melody" Parker Dexter, Michigan