Here's my take on it:
Folks still riding freewheel equipped bikes are likely older (perhaps because they're maintaining a bike that they've had for years) or are enthusiasts of the 'classic old gear'. And quite likely because they are older, they are likely more interested in finding lower gears not higher gears, hence the emphasis on the 24T, 28T 32T cogs at the other end. People do tend to slow up a tad as they age.
Looking that the 7spd 13-24 the cog selection seems reasonable. Do you honestly find you spend enough time in the 12 (or an 11?!) that the IRD design would not work for you?
I race and I only ever make into the 12 when I'm screaming along down a gradual incline with a tailwind. :-P I don't race on anything classic, but even if I did I still would rarely need a 12...
David Master B category with euro-sports.ca -- David Bilenkey Ottawa, Ontario, Canada dbilenkey@sympatico.ca
http://www.wooljersey.com/
> -----Original Message-----
> From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org
> [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of
> Donald Gillies
> Sent: November 1, 2006 2:38 PM
> To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Cc: interlocracing@aol.com
> Subject: [CR]Re: New IRD Retro Freewheels ( Shimano Dura Ace Copy )
>
> http://www.interlocracing.com/
>
> I am a little bit surprised that, if they are copying the
> Shimano Dura ace freewheel, their new 7-speed freewheels
> don't support 12-24 ratios. It seems like a freewheel with a
> racing gear range - ending in a top-end of 24T, should start
> at 12T, or even 11T if possible.
>
> I have a 12-21 Dura Ace freewheel, and was considering one of
> these new ones to get a slightly wider ratio, when I noticed
> this issue.
>
> - Don Gillies
> San Diego, CA, USA