Drive train decision, freewheel+v brakes, or no freewheel and disc brakes

waylow

Member
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8:13 AM
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Jul 16, 2008
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101
Location
San Marcos, TX
I have the Staton 40 spoke wheel with lefthanded freewheel, that I bought to put on my motorized cruiser project. The bike was not up to my standards, and I scrapped that plan for a new one involving a Diamondback Response Comp with disc brakes. I really love the discs and I do not want to give them up. so my option is andyinchville1 's tophat adapter and the smallest sprocket I can fit to keep the use of my disc brake. But that means the chain would always be moving when I am moving, and the staton gear reduction box will be spinning too. however the centrifugal clutch will disengage, so the engine won't be pushed by the momentum.

What does everyone think? give up

I did a lot of research since I wrote the above, and judging by andy's videos on youtube, I doubt that the tophat will work to allow the use of the rear disc, there is not enough room to move the disc out a 1/4 of an inch, nor would that allow the disc caliper to mount to the frame. the disc needs to stay put to work. I think I might be stuck with the staton rear wheel and lame rim brakes.
 
IMO the left hand freewheel is one of the biggest selling points of the Staton setup. Using the gearbox without it would create much drag when pedaling and coasting would be pretty sorry. As to disk brakes, they sound great but my V brakes have never failed me. As the front wheel does 70-80% of the braking, use the disk there and a V on the back.
 
Staton also sells freewheel adaptors and sprockets to fit onto their gearbox. They ran out of their modified 16t and 17t gearbox sprockets, so you need his freewheel adaptors to utilize the sprockets he's selling.

So I ended up with a freewheeling sprocket on the hub and a freewheeling sprocket on the gearbox.
 
Staton also sells freewheel adaptors and sprockets to fit onto their gearbox. They ran out of their modified 16t and 17t gearbox sprockets, so you need his freewheel adaptors to utilize the sprockets he's selling.

So I ended up with a freewheeling sprocket on the hub and a freewheeling sprocket on the gearbox.

That was one thing that I was very interested in doing. 2 freewheels.
due to the disc break situation, I think I will be going with the v-brakes and the staton wheel that I already have. I also have adapters and fixed gears for the outdrive a 13t hill climbing gear (I live in the TX hill country) and a 16t cruising gear. And I was going to set up a derailleur and chain tensioner setup to switch between them. Like I have seen on the forum... Sorry I can't remember who has that off the top of my head. So basically back to my original plan.

But while I have that disc break wheel off, you better believe that I will be trying my best to come up with my own machined adapter to try and make it work by keeping the disc in the same place.

I am stoked about this project. My new bicycle is in at the local bike shop, just have to pay for it now haha. When I get it, I can start designing my mounting rack. Hurray Computers!

Thanks a lot for the input guys, I feel much more confident about the rim brakes now. I just hope that the 40 spoke wheel is as strong as I want it to be. rim brakes require a perfectly true rim to work their best. My first ride is getting closer by the day!
 
waylow, I'm using dual freewheels because that's the only way I could use his 16-tooth and 17-tooth sprockets, and I already had Staton adaptors. Like you, I'm interested in utilizing dual track sprockets on the gearbox's stubby output shaft. However, it looks like there's only room for the sprockets and no freewheel mechanisms on the output shaft.

Do you have Staton's 40 or 48-spoke wheel and hub? Staton declares they are much stronger than 36-spoke wheels, but he's using 14ga. SS spokes. It sould be nice if you could use 12ga. spokes on 48-spoke wheels.

Don't forget to strap each crisscrossing pair of spokes with tiewraps for added strength.
 
5-7HEAVEN:

I have staton's 40 spoke wheel with the 16t lefthand freewheel on it, and 7speed right side cog. I my bike has a 9speed cog on it stock, and 9speed shifters, witch is why I want to use the stock wheel with an adapter.

I did not know staton had a 48 spoke wheel or the 17t freewheel, or I would have bought them.

do you have a 17t lefthand freewheel? and do you have a lefthand threaded adapter with a keyway? I have regular threaded adapters. With screw on 13t and 16t fixed gears, for rigging up a shifting system.
Using the Ratio Calculator shows that using the 17t on the drive side and 16t on the hub, would give 39.4 mph at 9000rpm. And 16t drive 17t hub gives 34.9 mph at 9000rpm. That is quite a difference. Since I have the 13t also, it makes me want the bigger sprocket for higher speed daredevilness.

How long is your output shaft? mine is 3cm between the snapring grooves... which I forgot to order with it haha. but that seems pretty long. I do have the dual output shaft model, just in case I want to use it for something else later with a different setup.

How do you have it set up? 17t on the hub or outdrive? that would make a big difference

Thank you so much everyone on this forum, it has been such a big help to me, and my bike is going to totally rule when it is done, thanks to all the help and knowledge that I received from the forum and everyone I have talked to.
 
www.staton-inc.com

Wheel 26 x 1.75 to 2.00 48 Hole Rim width is 1 inch. Ryno Lite # 47694 Alum. Silver Anod with rivets use 14 guage SS spokes.
$77.50

The Staton 17t freewheel sprocket is for the gearbox outdrive. not the hub. Dave also did not have his machined 16t or 17t sprockets in stock. I bought his machined 15t sprocket and his 16t and 17t freewheel sprockets. . Staton starts with a B-type sprocket with setscrews and machines(mills) them to 1/2" thickness to fit his output shaft. Then the sprockets are secured by circlips. If you forgot to order the clip, they're easily found locally, even at Home Depot. I forgot to order his woodruff key, so I bought a longer one at HD and cut it down to fit.

I have regular threaded adaptors. My output shaft is 1/2" long, or roughly 1.5 cm. I didn't measure the shaft, but the adaptors are 1/2" thick and so are Staton's machined sprockets. The 16t and 17t freewheel sprockets are thicker at the outer edges but are 1/2" at the center.

FWIW, Staton also has a 24-tooth sprocket with left-hand threads. On his site, you can see it mounted on his hub. It's a direct bolt-on with no freewheel, so you need to use freewheel sprocket at the gearbox's output shaft. The hub sprocket looks like 1/8" thickness so you'd need a #41 wider chain and gearbox sprocket.

I have a sneaking suspicion that the output shaft can be lengthened at a cost to accept 3 or more sprockets. If your outdrive is actually 3 cm long, then it is within your realm now to install two threaded adaptors and four track sptockets. Then it would be a simple matter to order the longer ouput shaft directly from Staton and retrofit it onto any of his older gearboxes.

In fact, with determination and innovation, wouldn't it be wonderful if the 7-speeds and derailleur could be inexpensively mounted onto the Staton output shaft?!

The only advantage I can see with freewheels at the outdrive and the hub is that you can play with your chain like you can with the derailleur side.

I can't really critique how this is working because I threw my chain a few seconds into the ride. I just love the fact that I have dual engines on my bike, "Mr. Hyde". I can just pick up the chain from the road and continue motoring on my front wheel drive.
 
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If your outdrive is actually 3 cm long, then it is within your realm now to install two threaded adaptors and four track sprockets. Then it would be a simple matter to order the longer ouput shaft directly from Staton and retrofit it onto any of his older gearboxes.


I can't really critique how this is working because I threw my chain a few seconds into the ride. I just love the fact that I have dual engines on my bike, "Mr. Hyde". I can just pick up the chain from the road and continue motoring on my front wheel drive.

I like the idea about the 4 gears on the outdrive. two of the staton adapters are a little too small, but I think it would be easy to mill a new 3cm adapter with some bar stock up at the school. I will definitely be looking into this, with one 3cm adapter, I can easily fit 3 fixed gears on the outdrive, and that would give me all kinds of options for hills, cruising, and speed.

And the electric front hub is a great idea... I'm not looking forward to riding my million pound bike up the hills to my apartment on man-power alone.
 
waylow, actually it's dual 2.2hp Mitsubishi engines. At one time I DID run a 600-watt front hub, but I just couldn't handle the daily charging and 105 lbs of electrics, not including bike and rider.

Yep, I thank my lucky stars that I added the front engine. The rear engine threw the chain again, half a mile out on the ride. Again, I picked up the chain off the road and kept motoring on my Sunday drive.

I also picked up someone's checkbook in the middle of the road. This guy writes checks in the thousands of dollars!:eek:

Still waiting for him to return my call.
 
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