Originally Posted by yaser_cyclist

Hi Nazeer,

I think you can definetly try the local 5-speed gear set. Of course you should never compare it with a Shimano etc but still if you can get them to be set properly and with little maintenance they do give pretty good service.

I have a race bike(Raliegh) which is well over a decade old and it originally had a single gear and later on I fitted it with a after market 5-speed gear set(the make was spark) and though it hasnt been used much for the last cpl of years, I never had any complaints with it. Yes, it doesnt shifts with the tick tick of a shimano but within days you will get used to the shifting and proper setting of the screws will help avoid the chain falls. I had also installed the same set on a Ranger LE without any complaints.

Just take care of one thing though - make sure you strech/expand the rear drop-out equally so as not to adversely effect the overall geometry. The only thing I had to do was add one wheel nut on either side of the axle right after the bearings and that was more than enough to accomodate the new freewheel.

I would recommend you learn the points to install, configure and maintain the gears yourself rather than relying on some mechanic(unless he is an expert). That will save you from a lot of headache since 90% of the mechanics out there still don't know a bit about the gears. Which city are you from?

All the best.
Yaser.