> >Good point! I have seem that phenomenon also. Additionally, some
> >bike-boom era Regina bodies have such bad "runout" (or "wobble")
> >when they rotate the they can be essentially unusable. Make sure you
> >have a good one....
> >Greg Parker
> >Ann Arbor, Michigan
> >(P.S.): Never use the big-big or small-small combination, please!!!
>
> While it is true that a bike with all-matched components should not
> need freewheel spacers (or bottom bracket spacers - they are the same > thing), it amazes me that an item that was so ubiquitous just a few
> years ago seems to have disappeared from the face of the earth. Or
> does anybody have some? If so, please contact me off-list
>
> Freewheel spacers are useful when matching Dura-Ace freewheels to
> Maxi-Car hubs and similar sacriligeous, but extremely successful
> combinations. And there is no harm in moving the freewheel 0.5 mm or
> even 1 mm outward to give a little extra clearance for a worn
> derailleur against the spokes if there is enough space on the other
> side. (Of course, don't stack freewheel spacers ad infinitum, as this
> will leave too few freewheel threads on the hubs to engage the
> freewheel properly!)
>
> As for the big-big combo - there is no reason why it should not work
> or be used on a well-designed bike. Especially one from the CR
> timeline: With a 5- or 6-speed rear (or 4- or 3-speed!), and usually
> relatively long chainstays (excepting some British bikes!), chainline
> isn't an issue. You do run into problems if you are using huge
> freewheel cogs for which the rear derailleur wasn't designed, or if
> you need more chain wrap capacity than your derailleur offers.
>
> I use the big-big (usually a 48-22 or 46-22) on most of my
> general-use bikes! I save the small (32 or 30 tooth) ring for the
> really steep hills. If you have only 8 or 10 gears, every one should
> be useable!
>
> (BTW, I haven't converted my bikes to modern "compact" cranks. >These machines came equipped with these gears.)
>
> So, back to my original reason for posting: Anybody got any freewheel
> spacers to spare? Anybody need any? A machine shop could turn out a bunch in no time... Maybe we should place a joint order.
>
> Jan Heine, Seattle
> Editor/Publisher
> Vintage Bicycle Quarterly
> c/o Il Vecchio Bicycles
> 140 Lakeside Ave, Ste. C
> Seattle WA 98122
> http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com
Loose Screws has the (aluminum) spacers, I believe, in 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 mm thicknesses. Or are they no longer available from them, and/or are you talkin' steel ones? If you want to wear out your drivetrain prematurely, go ahead and use the extreme cog combinations, as I sell lots and lots of vintage drivetrain parts, but I still wouldn't recommend it on most bikes.... ;-) (I'm sure most of Jan's bikes have what most of us would consider to be very long chainstays, so with sufficiently flexible chains that are replaced at proper intervals, and steel freewheel cogs only, with the kind of gearing he uses, he can probably get away with doing it without experiencing premature wear.... He's also not a big, heavy, gear-masher kinda guy...). (The Mechanical Engineer in me just doesn't like the noise or the accelerated wear that results from riding in the extreme combinations on most bikes...). Greg Parker Ann Arbor, Michigan P.S. What else might folks like to see reproduced in terms of vintage lightweight bike parts? Please contact me on- or off-list with any and all suggestions, and think of things that would appeal to more than one person. Thanks....