I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

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X-Man
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I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

Any advice?

All I can find that looks like decent quality is 7 speed and not really the gear selection I would like.

I had an 11-32 cassette before putting on the Bionx hub requiring I use a freewheel rather than the cassette.

davew
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

I just took my wheel to a local bike shop. After explaining at length why I would want a bike wheel that weighs 20 lbs, no small feat, he showed me his wares. I selected a Shimano "Mega Range." This has fairly typical gearing (sorry, I don't know the tooth counts) with a really huge granny gear.

--
Full time ebiker
BionX and Wilderness Energy

"we must be the change we wish to see in the world"

X-Man
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

Thanks for the response davew. I will take a look at the Shimano, it sound like a good option.

Thanks

uriel8
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

Kevin sells 3 sizes of cassette at Greenspeed.us (ElectricCyclery.com). The info is on the BionX kit page, I believe.

This post contains relevant information about parts.

Bob

brace
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

I have the same problem: I need a 8 speed freewheel in the 11-XX format instead of 13-XX they usually offer.

I think it's quite different to have 11 or 13 in the fastest gear, especially when pedaling with tail wind or downhill.

In case a 11-XX 8 speed freewheel doesn't exist on the market do you think it is a better choice to install an 8 speed 13-XX freewheel or a 7 speed 11-XX freewheel? (by the way the 7 speed 11-XX I am talking about is a Shimano Mega Range that is 11-34)

So which is the best compromise? Losing one speed or moving from 11 to 13?

I have a bike that has an hybrid Shimano system: Alivio controllers for shifitng gears and Deore cassette + rear derailleur. So I read 1-8 in the speed indicator, but if I install a 7 gears freewheel I'd have to adapt it somehow... Is this difficult to do?

Thanks a lot.

cyclepete
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

I'd like to know where you found a 11-34 Shimano Megarange 7-speed. They don't seem to make them anymore. They seem to be available in Europe but not the USA.

The only 7-speed MegaRanges I can find in the US are 13-xxx

brace
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

www.jvbike.com have 2 more in stock. To be honest they just told me that they have two 11-34 freewheels, without telling me that they are Shimano MegaRange. But from some internet search I realized that they are most likely Shimano Megarange.

So I cannot guarantee they have Shimano MegaRange, maybe try and ask.

adamtki
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

I'm planning to get my second bionx this summer but i can't seem to find an 8 speed freewheel with 11 tooth in the smallest chain ring. Anyone find more information about this?

adamtki
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

I heard from Harris Cyclery that they'll have the Shimano 11-28 7 speed in a couple of months when Shimano gets more in stock. The 7 speeds should be sufficient for an 8 speed. Although the spacing is not exactly the same, they're close enough. I read that the difference is 4.8mm v 5mm.

vfrjim
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

I contacted Harris Cyclery and their response was: "There are currently no 11-28 Shimano freewheels available. Shimano says they will make more by the end of the year. But can't tell us anything other than that"

Looks like nothing till end of year or next year...

adamtki
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

A few weeks ago, I went to the large REI store in Seattle looking for something else and took a shot in the dark and also asked if they had a 7sp 11-28t freewheel. They did! In fact, they had several. It was the Shimano I was looking for, so I bought two of them. It wasn't from the regularly stocked items. It was a part from the bike shop. If you have a large REI store, ask their bike repairs department. They may just have it.

vfrjim
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

Thanks for the reply, found one at my local REI. Now to install it...

cyclepete
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

I just got a Shimano 7-speed 11-28 from one of the better stocked ( but overpriced) local bike shops in my area. They also had an 11-34 megarange. But only one of each.

This freewheel will probably wear out in less than a year, especially since I spend a lot of time on the 11-tooth ring. The fewer the teeth the faster the wear. So I don't know what I'll do a year hence. Maybe Shimano will start up production by then

If Bionx and their dealerships were smart, they would locate a supply of 11-28 and 12-28 freewheels.

adamtki
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

That's why I got two of them. :)

Also, to reduce wear, I switched my front largest chain ring from a 50t to 53t. With the 50t, I would spend too much time in the last two smallest rings. With the 53t, I noticed I spread it out between the last 3 rings. So it should last significantly longer.

vfrjim
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

So far so good with the 11t 28 7 speed, but strange thing is that after swapping out from my 8 speed 13t 32 is that when I select 7th gear is goes to gear 7 and I got to be careful not to select gear 8 by accident or it would go past the final gear. I thought that I would never have used gear 1 on the selector anymore and it would be 2 thru 8, but no. But it works very well and the funny thing is that I no longer have any problems with the rear derailer switching gears by itself and thought that I would have to fine tune it after I was finished installing it. Weird.

cyclepete
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

You can adjust the limit screw on your derailer to keep the chain from going off the gears and into your spokes. Although I just realized that the Bionx motor is like a giant spoke protector - you can't go into the spokes because there are no spokes near the gears, just motor housing.

adamtki
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

Yeah, you better fix that. You don't want to accidently jam the chain where there's no gear. It'll inevitably happen and when it does, you'll be riding pretty fast.

dumb_doggy
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

I had the same problem, but being unable to find an 11t freewheel, I changed my front chainring from 48 to 56t, and used the 13t freewheel.

vfrjim
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

I did do the adjustment and now gear selector #7 and 8 now go to #7 and does not fall off.

So my front gear is 52T and 11T is the fastest rear gear. With moderate pedaling it goes 31 MPH on my trainer, not bad. I ordered some slicks for the road and should be in on Saturday. If I end up needing more oooomph, I will change the front gear to a 56T, but that will probably require a new Derailer and larger chain.

dumb_doggy
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

When I changed my front chainring from 48 to 56t it did not require any changes to the deraileur or chain.

vfrjim
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

Just a heads up to anyone with deep pockets that needs a freewheel, I emailed JV Bikes info [at] jvbike.com with this question:

"I saw on your website that you offered a 7-spd Freewheel (11-28T or 11-34T) for $30.00
Do you have either available separately? Which one? What would the cost of it shipped to the US"

This was there response: Only few Shimano Tourney 11-34 are left. We can sell only one, and the price is $50.00

It took them 7 days to respond and they seem to be jacking the price since few are available. IMO, what jerks for jacking the price.

brace
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

Finally I bought the SunRace 13-34 freewheel. I decided that it is better not to lose one gear.

At present I am using the PL-350 with the 32 km/h limiter. Pedalling with the 13 gear it is more than enough to go much faster than 32 km/h (with about one pedal cycle per second, as suggested by Bionx). So basically having the 11 gear would be useful for the non assisted mode.

So basically I don't miss the 11 very much, I only miss it when I go out in "race mode", so when I bike for sport. I find it really nice to do this with Bionx. It is the same fun as going without motor, but much easier going uphill. Typical time gains are 35% (I live in a mountain / hilly area). So a 36km road I use for training now I can do it in 1:05 arriving at home well, while before I did it in 1:35 arriving strained. Of course when using the Bionx for sport I use it only uphill, because it is quite easy to go faster than 32 km/h on flat ground (if there is no strong front wind).

I am wondering if tricking the system a little o be able to reach 35-36 km/h (changing the wheel size), probably my ideal assistance speed limit would be 36 km/h, anyway I find that the speed limiter helps saving on the battery, yesterday I made a 13 km road using a lot of assistance (2 to 4) and I used half battery (hilly terrain with a couple of really difficult slopes - 28km/h average speed). Since I was just using the bike instead of a car I was not really running, so I was always in the assistance range. (my weight: 85 kg)

I am always using generation a lot, and it seems like it is useful. It is also very good to avoid breaking on average slopes.

randy65d
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

if anyone reading this thread knows the location of an 11-28 shimano 7 speed freewheel, which is the subject of most of this forum, then i would greatly appreciate it. I can't seem to find one anywhere. i am currently using a 13-28 7 speed freewheel but i need a little more top end for a recumbent that i am building.

DISH
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

Ebikes.ca has DNP 11-30 and 11-32 freewheels in 7,8 and 9 speed models. Prices currently range from $25 to $32.

Go to http://www.ebikes.ca/store/

Type freewheel into the search box to see what is currently available.

At this time Shimano is no longer making any freewheels with an 11 tooth gear.

-==-

cjr
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

I sure don't count the SunRace product distributed by Bionx as "high quality". See my review comparing it to the IRD Defiant 7-speed product at http://electriccyclist.com/a-tale-of-two-freewheels.

Charlie
http://ElectricCyclist.com

Charlie

Canis-Lupus
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

In Australia, this distributor is selling an 11-34T freewheel, 2 cogs better than my present 11-32T, which itself was hard to find. When I get back to Australia (I'm overseas), I'll be getting one. I ride a trike and tour with load, I'll need the extra 2 cogs for the climbing I often encounter.

http://www.e-mtb.com.au/8-speed-screw-on-cluster-1134t-p-224.html

Widman
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Re: I need a quality 8 speed freewheel for my Bionx PL-350

I just received one from a supplied in Vancouver BC: http://www.ebikes.ca/store/store_motors.php
It will be installed tomorrow on my Montague Swiss Bike LX with 350 Bionx and will see how it works.
Supplier said that it was not quite as quiet as a Shimano, but I could not find another one than this.
My current one that I got from Bionx makes a snapping sound when in high gear and under load,
then again when I let off. It does not jump a ring, but the sound is like I would shift the rear gear
under load. Hopefully the new freewheel with take care of this issue. I paid $21 for overnight shipping
and it did arrive the next day.

I can report on my results in a couple of days.

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