Today I followed up on seeing a 3-spd. PUCH that a guy put in Craig's List. $100/best offer. It says PUCH USA on the head-badge - and USA on the downtube. So it's likely of Japanese Puch manufacture. Though the owner thinks it's made in USA. I won't pop his bubble. Looks to be from the early - mid 1970's. The frame is solid and doesn't appear to have been in any bad crashes - fork straight and frame aligned. And the guy states it won't get 2nd. gear. All in all - true to my Puchaphilia - I'm going to take it off his hands. It requires a full overhaul, naturally, and I've got a question:
My Sutherland's vanished a few years ago and I haven't replaced it. It had excellent exploded-parts diagrams for the various 3-speed hubs, and I'm guessing this to be a Shimano. Does anyone have experience with what the hub is? And any links to Tech. Docs for such? A nice exploded view, perhaps?
Also links to disassembly instructions & part's list? It's been awhile since I pulled apart a 3-spd. hub, and they were Sturmey-Archer. I'm guessing the Sturmey-Archer and the Shimano are more similar than dissimilar.
Those planetary-gears are neat! I'd like to get an 8-spd. to take apart at some point.
Any experiences with these bicycles would be most welcome - Happy Trails!