[CR]Are new French threaded freewheels possible?

(Example: Production Builders:Cinelli)

Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2008 12:46:00 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Thomas Adams" <thomasthomasa@yahoo.com>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Are new French threaded freewheels possible?


Dear List:

This month's frustration is with the 3-4 sets of elegant hubs I have sittin g around the bench that I don't want to build into wheels because they are french threaded and it's difficult to impossible to get usable freewheels f or them.  By usable I mean 5 speed 14-26 through 14-30 tooth.  Ultra si x spaced freewheels in these sizes and french threads would make me turn ha ndsprings, but I know that's not going to happen.

If you see french threaded freewheels, they are either beat to death, or 13 -22 teeth and smaller.  It makes sense, as the ones that weren't used are in mighty racer sizes, while the ones that gave sensible gear ratios are c hewed up.  The last time I saw a 14x28 tooth french threaded NOS freewhee l, it went for more than $100. 

What would it take to approach Sunrace or another manufacturer, and get a r un of 14-26 5 speed french threaded freewheels made?  I think this size is optimal as it's compatible with the largest number of derailleurs, fram es and hubs, and at least gives a decent flat land gear spread.  Tourists could run a triple.

French theads are a hair smaller than english/italian, so the freewheels wo uld have a touch less material cut away, right?  Are the freewheel body b lanks big enough to allow french threads to be cut?  If so, is there anyt hing more to the operation than to have Sunrace stop the line, put in a fre nch tap and cut a couple hundred french threaded bodies? 

Or could it be done by a small/home machine shop?  Then we just need unth readed freewheels, and we could cut the threads ourselves, assuming we can find a correct tap and assuming an assembled freewheel will allow a tap to pass through and cut the threads.

Does anyone know what the minimum order is?  If it's a couple thousand, i t probably won't happen.  But if it's 100 freewheels, I'm fairly sure the re would be a market for them.

Alternatively, does anyone have 14x26 or 28 tooth french threaded freewheel s for sale for around $50-$75?

The things you think about while avoiding doing chores at the work bench.

Tom Adams
Manhattan KS