How to Repair a Freewheel Bicycle

A freewheel bicycle is just like any other bicycle except for the gear cluster. The only difference is that the ratchet mechanism on a freewheel stays inside the gear cluster when the gear cluster is removed from the wheel. The freewheel was used until the late 1980s when the Shimano cassette became the standard. There are still plenty of freewheel clusters on the road today though, and they need replaced occasionally. It's not difficult. Some old-school purists insist that the traditional freewheel gear cluster remains superior and easier to replace.

Things You'll Need

  • Freewheel removal socket
  • Adjustable wrench
  • New freewheel gear cluster
  • Soft cloth
  • Grease
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Instructions

    • 1

      Mount the bike in a bike stand. Remove the wheel. Remove the quick release skewer by turning the lever counterclockwise until it comes off. Pull the skewer out of the wheel, being careful not to lose the springs or knob on either end of the skewer.

    • 2

      Set the wheel on the floor, bracing it with your feet, with the rim of the wheel up against your legs. Place the freewheel socket over the axle. Place the chain whip on the gears. The chain on the chain whip should sit on the gears on the right side of the cluster, with the chain-whip handle pointing to your left.

    • 3

      Place a large adjustable wrench on the end of the freewheel socket. Push down, turning the freewheel socket counterclockwise, while you push down on the chain-whip in the opposite direction to give resistance to the freewheel socket. When the freewheel gear cluster comes loose, take off the adjustable wrench, socket and the chain whip. Continue unscrewing the freewheel gears with your fingers until the assembly comes off in one piece.

    • 4

      Clean the inside of the hub with a soft cloth. Wipe a thin layer of grease into the opening. Apply some grease to the threads on the inside of the new freewheel.

    • 5

      Slide the new freewheel cluster onto the bike's axle. Screw it on finger tight and place the freewheel socket into the center of the freewheel. Attach the chain whip in the opposite position from when you took off the freewheel.

    • 6

      Place the wrench on the socket and, using the wrench and the chain whip together for leverage, tighten the freewheel clockwise onto the axle. Remove the wrench, socket and chain whip. Put the skewer back through the wheel axle where it came from and screw the lever and knob back onto the skewer. Put the wheel back on the bike.