1) I was able to fix my spacing problem by just moving spacers from the freewheel side to the non drive side (duh). I guess that only a rank amateur couldn't come up with this solution in less time than the evening it took me to figure it out. I hadn't realized that the wheel didn't sit centered in the dropouts because the dropout adjuster screw was further in on the non drive side, causing the wheel to look centered, but actually if I had put the thing on a truing stand I could have seen that the wheel was sitting in the dropouts at an angle. Certainly this is the confusion that could only happen to a someone who is either very tired from a day's work, or never had figured out spacer experimentation method 101 for themselves.. always relying on previous mechanics' work when overhauling rear hubs. Live and learn. Can anyone else identify with the joy and pride that I felt when I finally succeeded through trial and error and careful thought?
2) Marcus's problem is quite different in that it does seem that he needs to space the freewheel out a bit. The caution in using an adjustable cup ring on the hub would be to make sure that the edges don't extend out so far that they catch the rotating big cog, causing the freewheel to lock. Is the adjustable ring the same thread as the hub? Interesting coincidence if it's true.
3) My Superbe Pro crank in the 172.5 size, still hasn't arrived from Holand yet. The crank was supposedly sent out on the 28th of May, so it's a month tomorrow. Has anyone done business with Renaissance cycle in Holland on this list? Is this time for concearn?
4) Marcus says that his Regina freewheel has a little wobble in it. I always thought that freewheels that have this quality, might have been designed that way to assist quick shifting somehow. Theoretically the wobble would let the moving chain jump up or down easily at the apex of the wobble. Strange the musings during an evening wrenching session.
Garth Libre in Miami Shores. (This evening the Benotto hit the streets after only a week in the workstand..... cobbled together from three or four other bikes' cast off parts. Lovely ride, and every bike is so different. Thanks to the crack addict who gave up his bike for the resurrection.)