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Use of Regina Cogs

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The system used for Regina Corsa and Oro cogs is versatile but arcane. It started out as a simple and straightforward way of choosing the five cogs needed. In response to the demands of professional racers and bike makers, they added to it. A few times they added to it. Things got complicated, as for instance the production of 9 different types of 15-toothed cogs, some of them barely distinguishable to the eye. However, the longevity of the system was an encouragement to dealers to stock a cog selection, and many did. Who today will stock cogs for custom builds when they will be obselete next year? Of course, with only five cogs on the rear wheel, the correct selection of each was far more important than when one has 8, 9 or 10 rear sprockets.

Shown in the first photo are one each of a 5,6,and 7 speed freewheel. The five speed unit is a Regina Oro '78 notched body with an 18-28 cog range($86). The six speed freewheel is a French-threaded Atom (made in France) freewheel with three Regina Oro cogs on the outside. A few Regina cogs will fit Everest freewheels also. The 7 speed freewheel is a Regina Oro '79 splined body with a 12-20 cog range($186); in previous years 13 teeth was the smallest possible cog, and six was the maximum number of cogs possible on a Regina freewheel.

The second photo is of a Regina Corsa freewheel modified and mounted on an old Bianchi. The middle sprocket is the high gear, with cogs of 18-16-15-23-26. The purpose of this arrangement was to avoid what some people call 'Schwinn gear' or 'rent bike gear', the cross-gear combination of the small sprockets on front and rear obtained by putting the wires in their slackest position (both levers forward), and the consecquences of its use, a too-loose chain or one than falls off the sprockets.

For more info on Regina, see :
http://www.derbyking.com/Detail/?n=54
http://www.derbyking.com/Detail/?n=23