Any threads about adding gears to a bike?

[Trytis]

I have a really old bike that I really enjoy riding. Problem is it does not have gears. Since I'm fairly new to bike modification, the first mod i'd like to do is upgrading the bike to have gears. I did a quick search but nothing came up. Any help would be appreciated.

Cheers!

 

[horsefarmer]

Easiest thing to do if you have a single speed coaster brake hub would be to swap it out for a internal gear hub such as a nexus 3 coaster brake hub.

 

[RustySprockets]

What's your level of mechanical prowess? Horsefarmer's suggestion would be a good starting point, made even simpler if you swapped the entire wheel.

 

[indianadave]

I picked up a newer Schwinn three speed coaster brake bike for $40 just for the wheels and shifter. Put them on my 60 Schwinn Speedster

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[indianadave]

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[Bicycle808]

2 speed kickers or autos are another option; they obviate the need for a shifter/cable, and have a small OLD, so less spreading of the frame is required, versus many 3speeds. Plus, if you can find an old F&S Torpedo Duomatic or F&S Automatic, you won't need to spread at all....

 

[Wildcat]

Your bike is probably a one speed with coaster brake with a 26 x 1.75 or 26 x 2.125 inch tire,

so an internally geared hub would use the same chain and sprocket you have now. The new rim should keep the same tire size. I would get the whole same size wheel and just add your tire and tube to it, unless I had experience with lacing up spokes.

To switch to a cluster and derailleur would be much more involved than a internally geared hub. The chain and sprockets are a different size.

They have the coaster brake versions on the internally geared hubs, so you still brake the same way and don't have to add a handbrake. You can go all the way to 8 speeds, but I've found 3 to work fine on a cruiser. There are a good selection of shifters for them.

Older styles or the latest type depending on the look you want. A stick shift on the top bar looks cool, as does an old style twist grip. One of our advertisers here has a good selection of stick shifters you'll see at the top of the page on their ad.

If you decided on a 2 speed kickback, you wouldn't need to add any cables or shifter, they shift by pedaling back slightly.

You have a lower gear and your standard gear like the bike has now with the one speed, so you start off easier and can go up hills easier. The auto versions shifts at one certain speed only, but you choose when to shift on the kickback style hub.

Then pedal backward to stop just like your one speed hub. I've used all the different types except the ones with more than 3 speeds. The 7 speed Nexus is popular too. They have freewheel versions also with no coaster brake, so be sure it's ordered correctly if you get one.

The old Bendix kickbacks, yellow or red band (they have 3 bands on the hub shell) are good too, if you find one in good working order. They were made back in the 60's.

 

[horsefarmer]

Wildcat, Pretty much the tutorial right there!

 

[Bicycle808]

Bendix Blue Bands are pretty rad, with the overdriv planet, but they seem to be mostly (or maybe even only) available as 28h

 

[RustySprockets]

Bendix Blue Bands are pretty rad, with the overdriv planet, but they seem to be mostly (or maybe even only) available as 28h

I looked into that a little while back and I believe the blue bands WERE available with a 36h shell, but almost never as original equipment on a bike...you had to buy it as a separate item. Hence, very few of those elusive buggers exist.

 

[Wildcat]

I bought two of the auto 2 speeds hubs, and found the best prices on Amazon, then had the wheels laced up by a professional. That can get expensive though.

The 3 speeds need to be adjusted just right, so a bike shop may be the way to go to get the wheel and everything installed if you have trouble getting the gears to shift and have it guaranteed,
but the 2 speed auto or kickback wheels are ready to go on the bike just like a standard wheel. I would rather do everything myself, but don't have the ability to lace up a wheel from scratch.

If your bike is a Schwinn, it may the old S-7 rims, they take a specific 26" tire, a different size from the usual 26". Then it would be good to use a new regular size 26" rim and have a better selection of tires.

 

[Wildcat]

I saw this the other day:

2 speeds without the chain changing chain wheels. It's like having 28 and 45 tooth chain rings.
It's pricey though.

https://www.pattersonbike.com/portfolio-item/fsa-metropolis-patterson-two-speed-crankset/

 

[RustySprockets]

I saw this the other day:

2 speeds without the chain changing chain wheels. It's like having 28 and 45 tooth chain rings.
It's pricey though.

https://www.pattersonbike.com/portfolio-item/fsa-metropolis-patterson-two-speed-crankset/

Son of Dana?

 

[Bicycle808]

I´ve been itching to put a Patterson crank on a bike with a NuVinci or even a 3speed for a while now.... Gear ratios would be difficult with the Nuvinci, though... probably the Patterson with the standard 28t sprocket coupled with a 15t on an AW would do it.

I haven tried it yet, but I´m concerned that fitting the control plate on the larger diameter of an American BB might be an issue...

 

[Wildcat]

It would be an expensive experiment. I would mate it up to a 2 speed kickback hub, or even the 2 speed auto, making the bike a 4 speed.
Ratios would be like
1st- 41,
2nd- 55,
3rd- 66,
4th- 88.

 

[meekhayloff]

I also want to replace my Histop singlespeed hub by Sturmey Archer S2C. Is it Worth it?

 

[Dr. Tankenstein]

I also want to replace my Histop singlespeed hub by Sturmey Archer S2C. Is it Worth it?

In a word, yes.
The Histop, while perhaps one the most widely used hubs (standard on most 'Big Box' bikes, eBay wheels and even entry level wheels from your LBS), there is no beating the long standing reputation of SA hubs.

SA has been making hubs for all bicycle (and some motorcycle) applications since 1902! Histop has been making them since...[emoji849]

On top of the reliability of their products, they have rebuild kits for almost everything they make. Unless you count buying a new bike or wheel for parts, I haven't seen a lot for Histop...

Just my .02


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[RustyGold]

I bought a metropolis from a cargo bike builder a couple months ago. He had changed plans mid-stream and shelved it without using it (never installed, still in box). I think I paid $80 for it. My plan is to use it on my '59 Hercules with a 7sp nexus (currently on an Earth Cruiser) with 700c wheels to create a vintage 14spd road bike . I haven't plugged the gears into a calculator to see if is worth doing...but, it sounds cool, so it is my plan for now .

Jason

 

[Bicycle808]

The gearing challenge with the Patterson and try the IGHs is that the smallest sprocket offered for the crank is the 28, which comes standard. There are optional larger sprockets, but nothing smaller. Because most IGHs are meant to run a minimum 2:1 direct drive ratio, you"re stuck with a 14t rear sprocket, but you could prolly get away with a 15t. This presents problems, not only because the popular Nexus 3 isn't compatible with a 15t sprocket, but because the Patterson's overdrive gear is equivalent to a 45t. 45f x 15r is pretty high for the higher end of most IGHs planetary range...

Part of why I was thinking NuVinci has to do with the fact that it has a very wide range, plus Fallbrook says they can manage a 1.8:1 direct ratio, which helps a lot. Even still, if I built it into a 700c wheel, the range would be a quite low 24.4" to a very high 141". 141" is VERY high and, realistically, I'd never get a chance to use the higher end of the range for practical reasons.

But I wanna try it anyway...

 

[RustyGold]

I messed around with the numbers, and with an 18t (I think) on the 7spd Nexus (since it is a close ratio box), you end up with a range equivalent to a typical three ring setup (mid 20s to ~107…irc). The downside is the in high range, the first four gears overlap low range. So, a seven might be overkill...but, 14spds sounds cooler

Jason