Me and Gary Fisher

So the Gitche Gumee (Sin-D) started feeling under the weather.  I noticed on my ride home with Littlest when the chain went slack because the rear cassette was filled with gunk.  I started pulling her apart and putting pieces in the degreaser.  As is pretty typical of my projects, I got to a point where I needed something I did not have so I had to stop.

I made a trip to the Bicyles, Inc. to get the tools I needed and as is typical, I did not know enough to ask the right questions and did not bring the wheel to explain.  The tech was very helpful and did his best to educate me.  They were out of two of the things I needed but he did get me the tool to remove my chain.

So here is what I learned, the rear wheel on a multi-speed bike is one of two types, free-wheel or cassette.  Each has a special tool and is not interchangeable with the other of course. The cassette has a lock nut that spins with the gears and requires a chain whip as well. A free-wheel is part of the wheel and the gears spin independent so all you need is the tool since you can use the wheel for leverage. After some discussion we decided I had a free-wheel. Of course, when I got home, that was incorrect. No troubles, I’ll just take the unopened tool back and get the right one.

Here is where I’m at currently: