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    Customer Satisfaction at FreeWheelSpa.Com

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    I aim to please!  My business seems to be rather unique.  In all my searching I've not found another website offering bicycle freewheel cleaning, restoration, and service.  I'm glad I can offer such a place, whether it is for those who hate to throw things away, the restoration purist, or just for someone who has been the sole owner of their bike for 40+ years and they want to keep it all original.  I'm glad I can help, and do so at what is hopefully a reasonable price.

    I do want customers to be satisfied, and if there is ever anything in question or wrong with a FWS serviced freewheel, I'll be glad to take it back for further attention, refund the cost, and cover reversed shipping.  I stand behind my work and feel it is paramount that the customer come first and be satisfied.

    Recently I have received unsolicited comments from happy FWS customers.  I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I felt they were worth sharing.  Some members of Bike Forums Classic & Vintage section have posted that dis-assembly, cleaning and greasing of freewheels is not necessary.  They advocate for the less than adequate flush and oil method.  But here is what a few happy FWS customers have said:
    • Dave in San Francisco writes: "While I was walking I found myself thinking about all the great things you've done for me these past few weeks...   All the Regina's you worked on, including the one with warped cogs...  Then all the Sachs you made like new!!   What you did for me goes far beyond a service one merely pays for.  I can't thank you enough for your efforts and your willingness to share your time helping me.  You made fixing up my bike so much easier and the end result far better than my highest expectations." 
    • John in New York writes about his Sachs: "Looks NIB, you weren't kidding! A thousand thanks for your patience and hundreds of hours fiddling to learn how to take it apart! Happy riding, pastor.  Been a pleasure!"
    • Mike in Miami writes about his Shimano Sante: "I'm figuring the mechanism was worn out and would never be right. Sometimes things like this happen. Thanks for the effort, If I owe you anything please let me know."
    In the case of the last comment, the Sante was a different sort of freewheel.  No matter how many times I took it apart for cleaning, new grease and adjustment, I could not remove a small "catch" when the body was freewheeled.  It was ever so slight, and my guess is that when mounted on a bike, the "catch" would not hinder performance.  But one never knows until there is some real world experience.  There was no charge for the Sante and I covered return postage.
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    More Sachs Stories

    Over the past month I've worked on four additional Sachs freewheels.  All have been 6 speeds and all had the two smallest cogs threaded onto the body while the other four cogs had splines and spacers.  Pretty much the same as most Suntour, Shimano, and later model Regina freewheels.

    But these four were different in that the bearings were loose, and not held in cages as was the case for Sachs 7 speed Aris freewheel mentioned in the previous posting.  I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. 

    All in all, I like the loose bearings better.  The Sachs freewheels really purr when they have been properly cleaned, serviced, and new grease applied.  I like them so much I recently bought one for myself.
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    Sachs Seven Speed Freewheel & Bearing Cages

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    _I was sent this Sachs 7 Speed Freewheel recently and was surprised to find that the internal bearings are held in place by plastic cages.  I'd never seen this in the Shimano, Suntour, Regina or Atom freewheels I had serviced.  As you can see there about 2/3rds less bearings in this system. 

    While I was able to clean and service the bearings and cages, I wonder if Sachs meant for the bearings and cages to be replaced?  It would seem the sensible thing to do since it was quite a tedious process to scrape the old, plaster-like, grease from the cages and bearings.
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    As can be seen, the bearings are offset in the cages towards the center.  This insures proper contact with the races. 

    This particular freewheel used both threaded and splined cogs in order to build it to the body.
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