Shimano SF-1200 Single Freewheel

Only average

I gave this only three stars, as mine packed it in (freewheeling in both directions) after only 8,000 km (5,000 miles). From discussions with other single-speed riders, this seems to be par for the course with these freewheels. Bear in mind that I live in the Pacific Northwest, one of the worst places for getting long life out of bike components, especially freewheels and brake pads! But also consider cost per km. You are paying about $22 for 8,000 km of use with this unit. You could pay $80 for the premium White Industries freewheel, but it would have to last almost 4 times longer - almost 30,000 km - to amortize its additional cost. And bear in mind that you'd still need to replace the WI gear case for around $50 after maybe 10,000 km, as the teeth will have worn down and become noisy (unless you're spending more money on more frequent chain replacement), so you're still ahead with this Shimano unit. Just use it on a double-sided hub, with a fixed gear on the other side so you'll at least be able to make it home when the unit packs it in at 8,000 km.

Pros: Low cost, Shimano quality control, probably the best of the reasonably-priced freewheels.

Cons: It WILL fail at 8,000 km or so.

Would Buy Again: Yes
Would Recommend: Yes

Reviewed on: November 07, 2016
Reviewed by: Dharma Dog

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