fixing up a nishiki

I am fixing/messing up an old nishiki for a friend. I was thinking of switching the 27" wheels for 700 wheels. I'm pretty certain I will have room to move the brake pads down.

I'm not sure how to deal with the cassette in the back. It is a 5 speed now but can I move the cassette over to a 7 speed shimano hub wheel I have laying around? I'm not sure it will be compatible and I can't remember what kind of hub is actually on the bike currently. Or is it possible to move over a 7 speed wheel I have without changing the 7 speed cassette or current chain? or can someone point me out to a cassette and chain that would work with this.

I'm quite sure the 5 speed won't be a cassette. It's probably a spin on freewheel. I've never read any online messages talking about a 5 speed cassette - and even 6 speed cassettes are rarer than hen's teeth.

What's the drop out spacing of the frame (probably 126mm, but could be something else)?

What's the lock nut to lock nut width of the 7 speed Shimano hub/wheel (probably 126mm but could be 130mm)?

What sort of shifters and derailleurs are on the bike and/or what do you want to put on it?

You're in luck with the chain: 8, 7, 6, and I think 5 speed all use the same chain. If the 7 speed wheel fits the frame, and if the bike has non-indexed shifters, then you can likely run that wheel as is.

The bike probably has 120 mm spacing, which mean you'll have to stick with 5 speed freewheels or ultra 6 freewheels.

thanks. I was thinking that I would stick with the friction shifters. can I just pop a 5 speed freewheel on to any hub? I don't think it is that easy...

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Originally Posted by madscot13

thanks. I was thinking that I would stick with the friction shifters. can I just pop a 5 speed freewheel on to any hub? I don't think it is that easy...

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Any hub that takes a freewheel, which is different from the ones that take cassettes. With a freewheel hub, you can change the over-locknut-dimension (OLD) spacing and convert a 6-speed 126 mm OLD to a 5-speed 120 mm OLD if you need to. Probably have to redish though.

the old hub was spinning quite fine, if I remember correctly. I think I am going to try and use that on a 700 rim.

I obviously have a whole lot of nothing to do this summer. does anyone know a good place to read up on wheel building? (other than TE that is)