Shift happens

[deorman]

Like a pretty hefty percentage of users here, I have a fond attachment to the simple use and appearance of the basically obsolete 1-spd bike. There's no denying, however, that if you want to get somewhere in a hurry, or have rough or hilly terrain, geared bikes do the job a lot better. Derailleur systems have improved over the years, but the basics have remained pretty much the same. I have some basic use and operation knowledge of older internal gear hubs, but going by the trouble shooting postings and responses, it's clear that it's by and large useless when it comes to the newer generation multis. What I know about them basically consists of riding my friend's Kettler down the street a couple of times. I'd like to see a single thread on the subject, besides the scattershot help on individual situations. Which ones are better, what can go wrong, are they over/underdrive, and so on, maybe in the help section to be stickied if it gets useful enough. :|

 

[udallcustombikes]

+1

I have had a couple come and go through my garage but I have never spent enough time with one to get to the point that I want to keep one.

 

[icyuod2]

i have had loads of sturmey archer 3 speed hubs. (mainly the aw)

let me start by saying, if ya had only 3 gears, sturmey nailed em with the aw at 75,100 and 133.3 percent.

outta the 30 some odd aw's that have passed through my hands, i've had to service 2.
The first had the index chain/bar broken off inside the axle. once removed the hub worked fine.

now the second i worked on did switch gears just fine, how ever it did have a broken pawl spring.
when you run into a broken spring this is what happens.

when you switch gears, there's an element of slop. basicly your crank has to make anywhere from a 1/4 to a 1/2 rotation, before the gears engage.(or graviy kicks in) they can be riden this way, however if you where standing on the peddles, given her snot and ya switch gears, the crank would feel like its falling out from under you (1/4 to 1/2 rotation)

outta 30ish old beat on rusty hubs,i say only finding 2 hubs in need of service is a definate sign of quality. i didn't even oil the others and some i've been riding now for 3 or 4 years.
i have no need for any other 3 speed hub. the aw is everything i need and there super easy to find for next to nothing.