6/7 Speed Freewheel To 8/9/10/11 Speed Cassette Bike Conversion 

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You are doing a wonderful job of filling out my winter project lists. I've been monitoring Craigslist for an old steel frame bike to upgrade but wanted to go with 8-10 speed wheelset, this just showed me how to handle the bending. Awesome.

Nice toolset! A few months ago I made a homemade threaded-rod spreader much like you did and used it to widen the rear triangle on a throwaway bike for a project I'm working on, worked great too. Enjoyed watching your conversion, well done!

Thanks! I managed to convert my vintage Peugeot U06 from a 5 speed freewheel to a 8 speed cassette with a pair of mavic helium you're the best bike guy to explain how to do things I learned a lot from your channel!

your videos are excellent. you don't skip any steps throughout the whole process and it gives me the feeling like i'm doing it myself and learning all the little important things i normally would from a process like this (i've done most of these procedures myself before but i pick up little things here and there)

As a mechanical guy who's just starting to get into bikes, this was an incredibly enjoyable video to watch. It was very well put-together, included lots of little useful information that you wouldn't normally find in an instructional video, and was easy to follow. I will definitely come back to your channel when the time comes to do my first custom bike build. Cheers!

I have an 1985 Raleigh Super Course and plan to do much of what you have demonstrated here. I can't tell you how helpful this was! A very well done video.

You're the real one. I just love how you work with bikes but the most important, your work is a high quality work.

You sir, are the best thing to happen to bike enthousiasts since Sheldon Brown!

Ha! I just watched this video 9 years after you posted it. I've converted a couple of vintage bikes. Took a lot longer than an hour, though (mostly due to the need to deep clean everything!) The most recent bike just coincidentally had it's rear triangle already set to 126mm, even though it was originally just 5 speed in the back. However, I did need to align the dropouts but I didn't have those cool alignment tools. Hello 15" Crescent wrench! The only change I would make is to suggest that you use a quick link on the chain to facilitate removal and cleaning. Of course, quick links are much more common now than they were even 9 years ago, so that might just be a sign of the times. Overall, great video!

Thanks for the video, very informative and useful since I'm upgrading my Dad's road bike from 6 speed to 8 or possibly 9 speed

This is a perfect video! I recently bought an old bike, I think it's a 70s or 80s Puch. My goal is to upgrade it to a Shimano 105 R7000 groupset with 700c wheels. This explains everything in detail for what I need! Can't wait to get started, already ordered Shimano BR7000 brakes, Jagwires and new bar tape to start.

Personally, the BEST bike channel! Thank you RJ.

Damn man! That was some hardcore upgrading on the bike, nice!

This was very interesting to watch! I am performing a few upgrades as well and loved watching your approach. I learned a lot.

RJ really appreciate you and these videos

RJ, your videos are amazing man, congratulations! I hope to do the same upgrade on one of my bikes and this video it´s gone be a lot of help. Thanks and greetings from Chile, south america.

I've learned a lot from you. Keep it going, this is my favorite "bike" channel by far. Thanks!

Like your channel and have used many of your videos for my bikes. As far as spreading the rear triangle, I first used a threaded rod as you showed, then I tried a much easier method which had good results. I simply used one of the quick clamps on which one of the jaws is reversible so it becomes a spreader. It worked great and if you go too far, you just use the same tool to pull it back together the needed distance. Give that a try next time you need to adjust a rear triangle. Keep up your good instructive videos.

Thanks. I got a great deal out of this build. I’m having a mid-80’s Wilier Triestina restored at the moment. I wrestled with stretching the rear triangle and modernizing. (I don’t put out the watts like I did in the 80’s.) In the end I opted to stick with original components to stay period true. After watching this upgrade I can guarantee there will be some (winded), second guessing when the hills demand granny gears and the vintage Wilier denies.

Love this👍🏻👍🏻 I have a 86 Miyata seven ten. And i want to try a similar upgrade. Very helpful stuff RJ👍🏻

that expander is brilliant! i just used sheldon brown's 2x4 to go from a five speed to a 7

This is video is exactly what I need to finally make a decision! I have a 1976 Schwinn Super Le Tour 12.2 (Panasonic built) I've been debating between a full refurbish or a 700c and component upgrade. Been part of my decor for about a year and half... I've also been pricing new steel road bikes that would essentially be the same thing as converting this bike would be, but not nearly as cool. It has a five speed freewheel, so I'll have to measure the width between the drops, but hopefully it's doable for a 8 or 9 speed conversion to 130mm. I'm thinking a 50/34 up front and a 11-32 9 speed in back as my ideal set up. Your videos are awesome. When ever I'm stuck this is my first source... Thanks!

Nice one RJ - I doubt I'll be able to do this as fast as you. Thanks very much for the video!

Thanks for the video, I enjoyed watching it. I used to buy old steel bikes from my local tip (dump) in the late 90s and do similar conversations. I used to use a old rear solid axle to spread the frame. I used the string method to measure alignment, it was interesting to see you using the tool, I'm not sure which method is better but I would guess the tool is. For aligning the dropouts I had a setup using 2 axles with reversed track nuts on the ends to achieve a similar result. Thanks again, brought memories back.

Thank you so much for this. Can’t wait to do this to my 1982 Fuji Sagres

Thanks. Lots of good tips for the DYI home guy.

excellent vid RJ, you covered loads there. very helpful. cheers.

Good videos as always rj

Thank hoy very much for the advice. Now I Know how to convert from six to eight. I have troubles with the conversion. I have a Benotto bike since 35 years ago. Thank you very much

Well do that man, great video, Liverpool, England, salutes you on another great bike conversion...

I just set my 1984 Raleigh Wyoming mixte. Thank you so much RJ!

Excellent video, thank you for making it and posting it.

Thanks for sharing sir! Its a really2 big help. Specially for a beginner like mi. Kudos!

Very well explained. Thank you

Excellent work, salute from Venezuela..!

nice video. I used a car jack for my old frame with Good result.

Fantastic channel, has helped me alot. Many thanks

Awesome video! I learned a lot. Thank you!

Great video. And I absolutely love that beautiful bike! Makes me want to say the Pledge of Allegiance.

love that frame!

I really enjoyed it and I learned a lot thank you .

Thanks for this video. Plan to upgrade my vintage Raleigh 10-speed at some stage in the future. Great guide for such a job.

Makes me want to UP date my OLD bikes. I have a 1970's PEUGEOT racing bike, and a 1970's Motobecane touring bike

really cool video, will be giving this a go on my old peugeot.

Nice little project. I have a 1985 Team Fuji and it's still sporting a 6-speed cluster (Sun Tour Winner). I've been tempted to convert it but I think I'm gonna keep it period correct. When I need big range I have my carbon bike. I love the SRAM Red 22 group but there's something undeniably smooth and sexy with friction shifters and the nicer Sun Tour derailleurs. This turned out nice. Happy spinning!

Nice safety shoes ;) Seriously though, yet another awesome explanation video. Thank you

Helpful vid thanks. Useful shifter & chain stays alignment advice.

FOr the stay spreading pert, putting a washer & jam nut on the outside of the right-hand dropout would be simpler than using a vice grip. Excellent video and wisdom!

15:42 WAW!.... Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely check that tomorrow afternoon, when I'm back home.

8:57 - If you don't have one of those expensive fancy frame alignment gauges you can use a regular spirit level, 1 m long (enough for virtually all bikes out there, as a typical between axle distance is 106-108 cm, and then some of it is due to fork rake). You just place, or "press" the level against head tube and seat tube, and place the "rear' tip of the level inside of the rear triangle - and then measure the distance from inner side of the dropout to the level. A "typical" level is made from an aluminium section 20 x 50 mm, and when you touch the frame with the narrow side of it, the inner side of the dropout falls just at/ next to the opposite side of the section. So you can just eyeball the distance - that is, to compare how evenly left and right side are spread (if you keep it within 1-2 mm difference you should be OK). Or you can use a ruler to measure the gap if you want to be accurate. AND Anyway, this method would be more accurate than string method, IMO. Optionally, if you feel creative and willing to spend some time, you can grab a 100-110 cm piece of aluminium section, like, say, 30 x 30 or 25 x 40 mm, drill a hole through one end and thread it (say, M10 or so), into which you can screw a screw (bolt) - which then can be moved "in" or "out" to accurately compare the spread of left and right side of the triangle. About the "spreading tool" - yes, it looks like a good idea, except that... it isn't really. The problem is, the lower tube of the right side of the triangle is usually flattened a bit on the outside in the area where chainwheels come close to it, so it would bend much easier than the left one. I've tried this method when I was to spread "my" first few frames, but because of the above mentioned issue it never produced satisfactory results, so I dumped it - and now when I'm to spread (or "shrink") the frame I just take the bottom bracket out (its innards, that is), put some brass linings onto jaws of my vice (which is affixed securely to a heavy workbench), grab the bike by the BB in the vice, and then use a piece of soft-wood (pine or spruce, so it won't scratch the paint; something like 1 m long, 3 x 8 cm batten) as a lever to spread out (or in) the frame (the fulcrum is the seat tube, obviously. Then adjusting the "parallelnes" of the dropouts - again, "expensive" and "fancy" comes to the fore - as those tools ARE pretty expensive (at least comparing to what they actually are) - like, 140 quids, with delivery, for a pair of fancy screws with long handles? When a two M10 hardened bolts, two nuts, two long nuts (a.k.a. "female nuts") and four thick and wide washers would do? Costing altogether much less than a £10? (For leverage use adjustable wrench or a piece of a pipe of suitable inner diameter.) And yes, I know - there's a video by Bike Guy showing how to DIY that gauge. And yes, I'd also agree that when you're running a proper full-time bicycle shop you just buy tools on the market and don't waste your time on DYI follies - it's just not worth it. But for me, a full-time bike hobbyist for past 25 yrs spending couple of days doing DIY shenanigans AND NOT spending a grand on fancy tools does make a sense. (Sorta... to a degree.) And frankly, those "pro tools" often aren't really that "pro" - I looked at many bike stands available on the market, comparing their design, stiffness and price, and then I decided... to make one myself. (Ditto for dishing tool, truing stand, headset bearing tool, and others). Yes, it took me couple of days to make the bike repair stand, almost a week to make the truing stand (incl. dishing tool) - but the repair stand is as stiff as... well, never mind - suffice to say it's better than anything on the market, for less than a hundred quids, including zinc-plating (done, obviously, in a specialised electroplating shop). Truing stand? Maybe 50 quids... Admittedly, one has to have an access to fabricating tools like a proper band saw/ disc cutting machine, a MIG/MAG welder and such - which I've had - so I could, but then other folks are not blessed with such access, so... Yeah, life isn't fair, I know. ;-)

Gerry Sanabria, I didn't leave it all. I spread it, released it, and measured. Then spread it further. You probably need to spread it farther.

this video covers almost every thing good one....

ihtiyac duydugum bir videodu tesekurler.

really love that bike

Patrick Suter, Yes. The limiting screw on the derailleur will only let it go over so far, essentially turning the trip shifter into a double.

as he's stretching the 2 triangles apart (8 min +) I found myself sweating , tensely saying to myself : "don't crack....don't crack....don't crack...." HOORAY ! :)

Really helpful.. Thanks

These nuts !

Thank you Sir!

I like how the bikes you call vintage are the ones I started working on. Way to make me fill old lol good video thanks

awesome

You make it look easy

Excellent ,,, I got a 9 speed dura ace on an old Schwinn paramount steel frame and. It’s way better than my Colnago carbon bike....

Nice tools

What a co-winky-dink! I'm doing the same thing to my Raleigh (USA Technium Olympian). Didn't have to spread the dropouts; they're already set at 130mm (my Bontrager rear wheel just slid right in)... . .

good job

Great!

Thank you so much,

Nice Vid!!!

that's a lot of pepsi!

Nice job. That's a good looking old bike. it's funny, I don't like lever shifters. I only use downtube shifters. I just can't use them. Too many wires up front. No the less, it looks good with the upgrades!!

that whole 1st long part with all those tools just to bend the frame out, would've took me about 30-45 seconds, I just grab and bend, arm power, done it with tons of forks, some frames. you gotta be an engineer or something. you know a lot about bikes I noticed and Reynolds frame is sweet, light, comfy. and they will hold a good value!!!!!! Take Care and ride fast.

cool, thanks

Thks

jinneemagic302, You should be able to do this on any of the steel alloy frames. Just not aluminum, carbon fiber or titatium or anything like that. But as I said in the video, you do this at your own risk.

Great tips, thank you! Not sure why you replaced the stem... if it allowed the use of modern cartridge bearings sure... but it looks cosmetic only (but the old one looked classic!)

I have this same vintage frame in original 6 speed down tube shifter set-up. Wouldn't dream of messing with the precious thing. Ride it only on a few fine weather special days. Akin to a rare Ferrari or Aston Martin in my stable.

here's a tip, brace the brake bridge as cold setting might stress (it) to the point of fracture, you can do this by cutting a piece of wood at the angle the seat tubes are set at then hold either side of the bridge with a G clamp. if you break the brazing at the bridge you'll need proffesional repair and repaint £££ !!

One thing thats important, if your frame has a chainstay bridge near the BB, put a strong toe strap around there. I spread mine without the strap and cracked the brazing. I took it to a framebuilder for repair. Sheldon Brown does a good explanation of spreading the rear triangle as well. You can use a simple piece of string to align a frame as well instead of the fancy Park tool. After you’re done take it to a shop so they can align drop outs with special tools. They need to be parallel. Its a pretty simple job. Shouldnt cost too much.

After expanding the dropout you could try tapping on the triangle to try to help stress relief as they do at the body shop after pulling a dent out.

i'm going to try this out

Thx sir

I.e India, true Indians always respects culture, most of the indian people should learn the culture from these family. -Salute to your family

Thanks for the video. I just acquired a 1987 Miyata Competition 512 in great (original) condition. I just threw a 9-speed cassette and 700 wheel set on it. I'm leaving it as a friction shift for now; but I am eyeing a 2 x 9 brifter set for $85. The original rear derailleur is working for full motion and moves the chain to all of the cogs. I am experiencing a slight issue in mid-range and the barrel adjustment doesn't seem to help it any. It's more like the chain link is stacking on top of the tooth. Keep in mind I still have the 6-speed chain on it. I only started this project yesterday and I have 2 other bikes to ride. I'll see what happens after I replace the chain. The idler gear and tension gear may need to be replaced also according to what I saw in your video.

Your video really makes my day! It's exactly what I'm planning to do for my first vintage road bike. My bike has mostly the same configuration as yours in the video, 12 speed (2x6) with downtube friction shifter, and it is steel frame. However, there is only one thing different, which is the axle distance. Yours is 126mm, but mine is 120mm, so the question is whether it is still "safe" to stretch it to 130mm (I wanna do 2x8 upgrade as well). Hope to hear your advise. Btw, your tips ad tools shown in the video are truly inspiring. Thanks:)

Would have loved to have seen you do the fine tuning. That is the part I struggle with the most.

seriously considering an 11 speed upgrade on an old Dodson steel frame that I put a lot of miles on as a teenager. this gives me hope that its not a completely wasted cause.

This video has all the mods I was wondering how to do and never found about it until now

this is a good idea, I used a screw car jack between, not as neat, but does the job faster

Back in the day, in order to spread the frame like that or bend a fork back I used to use a big a@@ rubber mallet. I was so good at it that I could fix a fork that was bent back 2 inches and bend inwards 3 inches, with four good whacks. Granted, these were cheap Kmart bikes but I saved various stores and bicycle companies so much time and money with my mallet. I remember we used to get paid like 7.50 to straighten a fork. That was good money when you consider the fact that we made 4.50 per bicycle assembly. That mallet was like Thor's hammer. I was so good, I swing that hammer on the inner side of the fork and bend it back without touching the outside of the opposite fork. Alignment tool? I don't need no stinking alignment tool. 3mm is nothing. One whack and I'm done. By the way, the trick to straightening forks without putting stress on the head tube and head bearings is to clamp the other fork leg in your bike stand. Then again, we had those super commercial park stands. These cheap stands today might break if you whack a fork.

Thanks for your wonderful videos. What about front fork? I have a wider hub for the front wheel. Will you advise to widen the front fork and max by how much? Thanks!

Your videos rule

that was interesting! now I want to upgrade a vintage bike!

Thanks for the many good hints in upgrading the vintage bike. I wonder where did you get the cable stopers, replacing the sis shifters- I'm going to do the same job .

With a 3-4 mm adjustment you can also wrestle the wider wheel in and do it up really tight. Align the hanger and off you are.

Hi RJ and thanks for the tips, I’m doing this on a Reynolds 531DB touring frame. I’ve already taken it out from 126 to 160mm, thats 34mm, and it springs right back to 126! So this tells me that my 531DB tubing is a much higher grade than what that Raleigh Team USA is made of. Have you any tips about how far I’ll need to stretch it to yield the stays by 2mm each side? Have you ever done it with a top grade steel frame? Im just a bit nervous about pushing it too far. Thank you sir.

Hi RJ .....great videos, they always help me out. Wondering if it's possible to use a newer style rear derailleur with friction gears? I have a 70s Peugeot 10 speed. Im looking to upgrade the Simplex rear derailleur. thanks

From what I remember, 7 speed and 8 speed cogs are spaced the same. I know this because I once bought a 32tooth single gear and put it, plus a spacer and then a 7 speed stx cassette onto an 8 speed hub in order to make a custom 11-32tooth cassette. I think I had an 11-32 before shimano had one out. I think the issue you get is with the shifter, not the cassette.

Thanks, man! I need to widen a steel fork a few mm... I'm assuming this method would work for that as well?