Rear Freewheel Vs Front Freewheel

[Puddin]

I've searched but not really found any results. Ive recently been looking to get back into trials after quiting a couple of years ago and while looking at stocks it got me wondering. Why dosen't anybody use freewheels on rear hubs? Because having the freewheel on the cranks will effectively reduce the amount of engagement points per revolution of the rear wheel. It also means the chain is revolving whenever your riding around so slighlty more chain wear (I know its only a tiny amount but its still worth considering) and theres also more chance of your trouser leg getting pulled in! And the only advantages of a front freewheel I can think of is putting the weight more central on the bike and being able to get away with a slighlty smaller sprocket, so the chain is slightly more out of the way and slighlty lighter. But I still don't think front freewheels are so much better to warrant nearly everybody who hasn't got a freehub using that setup. Anybody want to prove me wrong? I'd like you too cause the bike I've got coming has a front freewheel setup!

[DannyBazz (:]

Think its something to do with gearing....

So you run an 18t freewheel on the rear, you gotta run like 22t upfront, weighs more, bigger sprocket looks ugly, lack of bashrings, catches frame etc.

Then you run 12t sprocket on the rear, 18/16t upfront and theres loads of clearance, more bashrings and cranks available, lighter, better gearing.....

Not sure though.

[Puddin]

Yeh I see your point I think FFW is more useful on a mod bike. But its on stock bikes I was more curious about (mainly as this is the type of bike I've been looking at) as with a 16/18 freewheel you'd only be using a 18/20 front sprocket so not much size differance. And I'm not too keen on the idea of the chain always running through a tensioner.

[terry26rims]

I have a Saracen Flea 4 stock with standard 4 arm cranks and 22t chain ring with bash ring and a 18t Echo TR Freewheel on a fixed Echo TR Hub with a Echo TR sprung tensioner. I find this ideal for Trials use and i also use it 5 days a week to do 5 miles to work and 5 miles back, which is why i like the chain to keep still when coasting. If i had another bike soley for trials it WOULD have a FFW because of ground/chain clearance. Weight in chainring/sprocket. Weight in crankarms/BB..

[Puddin]

10 miles a day on a trials bike! You alright in the head? Haha

[terry26rims]

10 miles a day on a trials bike! You alright in the head? Haha

No i'm not! Lol. But i have good stamina for a smoker.

[Alex Dark]

Front freewheel or rear freehub...either will work with the right set-up. Rear freewheel is only a good idea if you're on a really tight budget I think

[PaulG]

There is a few reasons I can think of,

Gearing, it allows you to run a nice 18-15 gearing small bashring and huge clearance.

Weight, sounds silly at first but it gets the weight of the freewheel into the middle of the bike and it actually makes a difference the back end is just the bit more flickable and weight distribution more even for balance

speciality components is the last reason, trials has gotten to the point where things are actually being made for us, all this stuff is front freewheel and it's actually good stuff that works well, freewheels like the try-all and Echo SL are solid and have masses of engagement so why wouldn't you use them?

[ogre]

when you can get 108 click freewheels your getting the same EPs a king with 18-12 would get... theres a lot to factor in besides performance; it's cheaper to maintain a FFW they're disposable or the internals are replaceable, and there all pretty cheap. so the reduced lifespan of FFW isn't a problem. theres also fewer products to suite rear freewheel, tighter frames offer less clearance.