Bicycle freewheel adaptors becoming available at cost

[Elliot]

Greetings, all fellow backyard-welding pedal pumpers! (Gosh, that sounds corny. But it will
have to do for now )

This may be of interest to many who build human powered mutant bikes and other light vehicles.

Between Burners and Kinetic Racers, and the occasional other Clever Inventor, there seems
to be a steady demand for adaptors to install bicycle freewheels on plain round shafts --
or actually, I suppose, shafts with keyway, so they actually work.

We have found a source -- a bicycle oriented machine shop that has made these before.

Pricing depends on quantity. A realistic quantity is 100 pieces. I was quoted $11,- without
keyway. The keyway would add quite a bit, and then there is shipping and whatnot. So, being
grownups, we should probably brace for $15 - $20. I cannot afford to give away a
Grand or two, but I can front the money and distribute them at my cost.

He usually bores them for ¾â€

[Elliot]

Found them all ready made for ten bucks -- but only for 15 mm shaft. Still researching
source for larger shaft.

http://www.thebikeshack.com/p-37024-670 ... crews.aspx

[Zhust]

Found them all ready made for ten bucks -- but only for 15 mm shaft. Still researching source for larger shaft.

For some reason they switch to using the word "freewheel" rather than "fw" for the one that fits a 5/8" shaft. It's not larger, but at least in Imperial units for those needing such a shaft.

[Elliot]

Fabulous! Thanks, Jason! Some of us old farts don't habla Millimeters! Still working on the 3/4.

[Elliot]

Hmmmm.... Maybe my Metric isn't so rusty after all. 5/8 looks more like 16 MM.

I've ordered five of them, part number 6702200, so we'll soon see.

[Token]

Just in case I ever build a trike... Can you explain what this part does, where it attaches and how it works?

[Lassen Forge]

Hmmmm.... Maybe my Metric isn't so rusty after all. 5/8 looks more like 16 MM.

I've ordered five of them, part number 6702200, so we'll soon see.

Closer to 15... 3/4 is 19 mm. 9/16 is 14 mm. 1/2 is almost 13 mm.

And spark plugs, altho they sell thewm (and the sockets) as 13/16, are technically 18 mm. Old info there. Pretty worthless, but there ya have it.

At least it's not 1/2" NPT. heh heh heh. YOU know of which "X" I'm speaking.

bb

[Elliot]

Hi Sue! How goes planning for this year's End Of The World?

Let's see if I can get this to work:



Hmmm. The preview looks awful fuzzy. But...

1/2 = 12.7
9/16 = 14.288
5/8 = 15.875
3/4 = 19.050

[Elliot]

The purpose of this part is to mount a bicycle freewheel on a shaft.

A freewheel is the ratcheting part that allows the bicycle wheel to roll forward without moving
the pedals -- the part that goes click-click-click-click-.... The freewheel is attached to the
bicycle wheel hub, and it has the sprocket for the chain on it.

Some of us who build pedal vehicles need to attach a freewheel to some other component, such
as the axle of a tricycle. For an axle, we can use simple industrial shafts, which come in
standard domestic sizes like 5/8, 3/4, 1" and whatnot. The difficulty is in attaching
the bicycle freewheel to the industrial shaft. The part that connects the two, is
called an adapter.

Commercial manufacturers of adult tricycles and other pedal vehicles obviously have adapters,
but at least one manufacturer is known to refuse to sell them -- unless you need one as a
replacement on one of his vehicles. I suppose he is afraid somebody will copy his design
and ruin his livelyhood.

We are now trying to solve this problem once and for all.

[Zhust]

Here's the ones I like:

5/32" = 3.969 mm ~= 4 mm
15/64" = 5.953 mm ~= 6 mm
5/16" = 7.938 mm ~= 8 mm
25/64" = 9.922 mm ~= 10 mm (despite the typo in the table)

You get the idea. This all started when I was making the Savonius generator for the Bike With 2 Brains and I discovered that with the 5/16" shaft I was using, I could just use 8 mm inline-skate bearings. I was hitting a wall finding bearings to fit a 5/16" shaft, but skate bearings are available everywhere.

[Elliot]

Wow, I'll have to clear my calendar and enjoy your web site for a while, Jason!

I have a lot of wheels from regular "square" roller skates that use the same 5/16 bolt -- I use
them as chain tensioners and idlers. They are wide enough to cut a groove in the
middle to guide even #40 chain.

Looks like I'm ordering a run of 100 adapters for 3/4" shaft. They'll be around
$16,- delivered to your doorstep -- a bit less for several,
depending on the postage.

[dragonfly Jafe]

...I'll take 5....

[Elliot]

Hi Jafe, good to see you're around!
I don't have time to keep up with everything here on ePlaya.

The shop said it would take three weeks. PM me your address, and I'll send them as soon
as they arrive. That goes for everybody -- I'm getting 100 of these things!
I'm hoping we will have enough for five years. But I'm getting the feeling
we may have to reorder sooner!

[Elliot]

I have taken delivery of 100 freewheel adapters for 3/4 (three quarter) inch shaft, with
keyway and hole tapped for set screw. Don't know the screw size yet, but I'll supply
screws as soon as I can buy them.

These are bare mild steel. I tried a couple of them, and they seem to fit well on both
the shaft and the freewheel.

I wrote a check for $1.173,- -- almost twelve bucks a piece, so I figure $15,- will get
one to your door in a jiffy bag. I'll lose a buck on one, and gain a buck on three.
Perfect.

If you need for the KSR Grand Championship next weekend, PM me and I'll ship Monday.
Otherwise I'll ship the following week. Reimbursement to Elliot Naess, P.O. Box 2825,
Clearlake, CA 95422. Or you can pick them up in the town of Clearlake, Lake County,
CA, by appointment.

[Elliot]

I have now verified that adapters for 5/8" (five eights inch) shaft can be purchased.
I just picked up five of them at a local bicycle store. They come from J&B Imports,
and any decent bicycle shop that does business with J&B should be able to
order them.
Part number 6702200 -- that's for 5/8" shaft. $9.98 or some such.

And I have plenty for 3/4 " (three quarter) here on my kitchen table.