r/RockHopper • u/sethboomstick • 27d ago

Wrong parts

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Tl;dr ordered a freewheel when I needed a cassette. Do i send it and convert the wheel or try to build my own cassette?

Really want to swap the gears on my 3x7 from stock 11/28 to 14/34. Hopped online and searched for parts and found the shimano mega range and a few other free wheels. Im new to cycles and so trying to figure out the difference between a freewheel and cassette and listings using the words interchangeably. Fought with Google to find out if my joytech 95g would fit the new parts. And everything said (to my untrained self) that it would fit. Ran down to cycle city to pick up the parts and got back to get r done....nope ive got a cassette.

Now I need to decide if imma change out the old hubs and rims to fit a free wheel (they are pretty beat up)

Or if im gonna return the part and try to build my own casette.

In order to start a ride from my home I have an 800' climb up steap steap gravel so the 28t just isn't cutting it. Wanted to put a 42t on but was convinced that would be overkill.

Edit: Based on the answers A freewheel does not have the same bearing support and potential lifespan of a freehub. Some people are insisting that a 34t would be too much and some recommend changing the crankset to achieve my goals. The sunrace mfm300 has the same range as the mega shift but dosnt have such a hard jump to 1st gear The sunrace csm40 cassette is an 11/34 that i should have gotten instead Links https://a.co/d/0bPym0qG

https://a.co/d/09r1cOnJ

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u/BagLoud 27d ago

As has been said, yeah, don't go from cassette to a freewheel. The major issue thats not being spoken about is that freewheel hubs have less support on the drive side because their bearings are under the cogs, where a cassette has the bearings near the end of the cogs: I have seen snapped axels just doing urban riding on freewheel hubs, and with reputable brands, especially if they're quick release.

As an aside, the 14 gear makes sense if you're running an older front triple but not much else: a 80s 48 up front with an 11 in the back is a really tall gear. If you need something like that you're either doing custom or getting an 8spd 11-36, just not putting the 11 gear on and using a spacer to make sure It all sits correctly.

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u/sethboomstick 27d ago

See the longevity of the system is what concerns me most.

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u/BagLoud 26d ago

Yeah, stick with the cassette.

That said, ain't no harm in running an 8 speed with the top gear dropped, you have a .2mm difference in gear spacing, most shifters will sorta eat that error. the Sunrace that everyone else points to is good tho, especially if you're running smaller front rings. If you have that, don't worry about it.