Screw on type hubs, geared/single speed compatability

PenguinWithHair

Hey, would anyone be able to tell me...

If a had a threaded type mtb hub (advertised for various speed cassettes) would I be able to stick a shimano single speed freewheel on it? Do the older style threaded cassettes have the freewheel built into it?

Also would this work the other way around? If I had a 700c wheel currently set up for single speed with a threaded hub, shimano single speed freewheel and 135mm axel - would I be able to stick a multi speed cassette on it?

I'm having a hard time getting my head around chainlines, dropout spacings, chainset alignment...

Many thanks.

nicklouse

you would need an adaptor to space it out. and they are like Hens teeth now.

and unlikely as the hub shell would be too wide.

what are you actually wanting to do?

PenguinWithHair

Hey there, remember you sold me those reba teams right? You might be pleased to know they're on my sister's bike now still going strong. Fantastic piece of kit! Anyway...

I'm thinking of doing two things, buying a mtb threaded style rear wheel (advertised for use with 7 to 9 speed cassettes) and putting a shimano single speed free wheel on it.

Sticking a threaded style multigeared cassette on my rear 700c wheel currently set up with a threaded shimano single speed freewheel on it, 135mm axle (so in theory wide enough for a multi geared cassette?).

Weirdly, turning a single speed road bike into a geared bike, and turning a geared mountain bike into a single speed... Confused yet?

nicklouse

PenguinWithHair wrote:

Hey there, remember you sold me those reba teams right? You might be pleased to know they're on my sister's bike now still going strong. Fantastic piece of kit! Anyway...

not me.

I'm thinking of doing two things, buying a mtb threaded style rear wheel (advertised for use with 7 to 9 speed cassettes) and putting a shimano single speed free wheel on it.

dont get a wheel with a cassette hub and fit a SS kit.

Sticking a threaded style multigeared cassette on my rear 700c wheel currently set up with a threaded shimano single speed freewheel on it, 135mm axle (so in theory wide enough for a multi geared cassette?).

wont work get a new wheel or hub.

Weirdly, turning a single speed road bike into a geared bike, and turning a geared mountain bike into a single speed... Confused yet?

Weird.

bikaholic

OP, post some pictures as it's not clear what you got - you mentioned cassettes and freewheels in the same sentence and that would almost immediately rule out what you're aiming for.

Monty Dog

Just to help with some terminology:

Screw-on sprockets = freewheel

Splined sprockets that fit over freehub on rear wheel = cassette

A screw-on singlespeed freewheel will fit your hub but to run any bike with one gear, you need to make sure the chain is pretty straight between the chainring and rear sprocket (chainline) otherwise the chain will come off which can be 1. pretty annoying or 2. really painful if it causes the transmission to jam.

With any single gear arrangement, keeping the chain pretty tight is also important to stop it coming off too. You'll probably need to use a chain tensioner or even an old rear mech.