Bicycle Mechanics - Left hand drive internally geared hubs...

I have been searching for these online for some time and have come up dry. At this point, I can care less about brand, although I would like it to be free-hub style, no drum brake non-sense. 3speed is what I am shooting for, but for some reason, I can seem to find any production models that accommodate a left hand drive train.

In the case that no manufacturer makes a left hand drive internally geared hub, is there a way I can modify one? This seems ridiculous I know, but it is necessary for an upcoming build of mine. Suggestions anyone?

Thanks a ton!

-Mal

Sheldon Brown adapted a Sturmey Archer ASC 3-speed fixed hub to left hand drive:
http://sheldonbrown.org/gunnar/

I have no ideas about how to come up with a freewheeling version. Good luck.

No company makes a LH-drive 3-sp hub.

No company makes a LH-drive 3-sp hub.

Hrm, well in that case, I wonder if it's possible to modify one to do the job...
Maybe I could reverse the ratcheting mechanism inside an old shimano hub. I don't know at this point.

I suppose I could get a splined cassette hub, and flip the cassette around. Destroy my idea please!

This is the reason standards exist. If you're going to use a nonstandard part, you have to get all the other parts it interfaces with to work with your jimcrackery.

That said, I'm really, really curious what this project is.

Sturmey ASC is the only way to go for LHD. Schlumff might be another way to go, if you can figure out how to pair it with a tandem left crankarm.

Hrm, well in that case, I wonder if it's possible to modify one to do the job...
Maybe I could reverse the ratcheting mechanism inside an old shimano hub. I don't know at this point.

I suppose I could get a splined cassette hub, and flip the cassette around. Destroy my idea please!

It would be easier to construct a new hub and cassette body from scratch.

I suppose I could get a splined cassette hub, and flip the cassette around. Destroy my idea please!

It's been done... sort of. John Tetz did it for his front-wheel-drive recumbent. Here's how the hub was done:
http://www.recumbents.com/mars/pages/proj/tetz/VFS/projtetzVFS02lefthanddrive.html

If you want a multi-cog cassette, well, I'd be interested to see how you're going to shift it. There's no left-handed derailleurs AFAIK.

I, too, am interested in what you're creating.

The project I will be working on shouldn't even be mentioned here at bikeforums because it involves a two stroke gasoline/oil engine. If that hasn't put you off, you might want to take a look at this guys website. He hand builds small human/engine powered cruisers that are pretty cool and actually rather practical IMO. You can crank it when you want, or just jam with the engine.

http://xisletattoo.com/mmm_about.htm

Whatever you think about it, I was toying with the idea of mounting an internally geared hub to this machine since this bike only has one gear. However, as it turns out the engine is LHD and the rear cog the engine transmits power to is bolted to a very custom hub, so any tinkering with a traditional internally geared hub would be useless. I am going to call the guy who manufactures these to see if there would be any way to alter the drive train to be right handed so that I could use a shimano 8spd or a more robust equivalent.

If not, I plan on making one myself with an old 24cc weed whacker engine :) i will update this thread if I ever get it going.

There's no left-handed derailleurs AFAIK.


The earliest Windcheetah recumbent trikes ran the chain down the LH side of the frame (to the offset rear wheel) and had hand-built LH front derailleurs. The rear mechs were standard though.

Why not run the engine to a tandem crank?

That way, you can power the left side with the engine and the right side can power your traditional internal gear hub.


BTW, for the power output that engine will produce, it will definitely be a good idea to consider the Nuvinci CVT hub, which is actually designed for those kinds of loads.



The project I will be working on shouldn't even be mentioned here at bikeforums because it involves a two stroke gasoline/oil engine. If that hasn't put you off, you might want to take a look at this guys website. He hand builds small human/engine powered cruisers that are pretty cool and actually rather practical IMO. You can crank it when you want, or just jam with the engine.

http://xisletattoo.com/mmm_about.htm

Whatever you think about it, I was toying with the idea of mounting an internally geared hub to this machine since this bike only has one gear. However, as it turns out the engine is LHD and the rear cog the engine transmits power to is bolted to a very custom hub, so any tinkering with a traditional internally geared hub would be useless. I am going to call the guy who manufactures these to see if there would be any way to alter the drive train to be right handed so that I could use a shimano 8spd or a more robust equivalent.

If not, I plan on making one myself with an old 24cc weed whacker engine :) i will update this thread if I ever get it going.

Why on earth are you using a 2-stroke?

You can get a 5HP R/C airplane motor for under $200, and Mars Electric has a 15HP unit for a little over $400.

And LiFeP04 batteries are cheaper than ever.

Your link doesn't work

It might be just as easy to modify the motor to turn the other way and reverse it in the frame. 2-strokes have no valves or cams so only the ignition would have to be modified to fire at the correct time.

Why on earth are you using a 2-stroke?

You can get a 5HP R/C airplane motor for under $200, and Mars Electric has a 15HP unit for a little over $400.

And LiFeP04 batteries are cheaper than ever.

Two stroke engines tend to be considerably lighter and more compact for any given power. I was under the impression that virtually all model airplane enginess are two strokes, or are you referring to electric motors above.

The power levels you mention would likely tear up any IGH available and I personally would not trust the brakes on any bicycle to deal with such power and potential speed levels.

Also in most states a moped, electric bike or similar vehicle is restricted to 30 MPH maximum speed. Otherwise it requires registration, insurance etc. In Nevada mopeds below 50cc and 30 MPH require no driver's license, insurance or registration. I would have to check on electric bike rules.

The project I will be working on shouldn't even be mentioned here at bikeforums because it involves a two stroke gasoline/oil engine. If that hasn't put you off, you might want to take a look at this guys website. He hand builds small human/engine powered cruisers that are pretty cool and actually rather practical IMO. You can crank it when you want, or just jam with the engine.

http://xisletattoo.com/mmm_about.htm

Whatever you think about it, I was toying with the idea of mounting an internally geared hub to this machine since this bike only has one gear. However, as it turns out the engine is LHD and the rear cog the engine transmits power to is bolted to a very custom hub, so any tinkering with a traditional internally geared hub would be useless. I am going to call the guy who manufactures these to see if there would be any way to alter the drive train to be right handed so that I could use a shimano 8spd or a more robust equivalent.

If not, I plan on making one myself with an old 24cc weed whacker engine :) i will update this thread if I ever get it going.You don't need to put the 3 speed in the hub of the wheel. In fact, it would be stronger elsewhere because it would have to take rpm not torque. Just see how fast you can spin it without blowing it up due to inertia! Think about it: If you have a ten tooth sprocket on the motor and a 44 tooth clamped to the rear hub, you are multiplying the torque X 4!

You can attach a sprocket to one of the flanges of the hub, then have one chain going from engine to hub and one chain going from the other sprocket bolted to the flange of the hub to the rear wheel. Look at how 3 speed hubs for tricycles are arranged.

Also, if you have a manual clutch, then slipping the clutch provides a sort of low gear....

Two stroke engines tend to be considerably lighter and more compact for any given power. I was under the impression that virtually all model airplane enginess are two strokes, or are you referring to electric motors above.
Model airplane engines were exclusively two-strokes and glow-plug ignition when I was a kid but these days 4-strokes have taken over for the larger ones. A local hobby shop has a two cylinder, 4-valve, 4-stroke, electronic ignition model engine. It looks like some one washed a motorcycle engine in hot water and left it in the dryer too long. I didn't even ask how much it cost.

I found this thread thinking about the same thing! I am on motoredbikes.com and running a 2stroke grubee kit on a beach bike.

So far the only thing I've found that might be relevant is this modification on Sheldon Brown's page. It would only give 2 fixed gears with a neutral gear in between, though. IF the clutch wasn't used lightly, it might blow up. But if you mostly tooled around in 1 gear and just shifted for the hilly areas, it might work.

http://sheldonbrown.com/bichain-fixed-free.html

The product you are looking for if you have a grubee or flying horse 2 stroke, is called a Shift Kit. For $150, you can get a bolt on kit and parts which includes a jackshaft, front freewheel kit, and necessary hardware. Then the motor turns the bike's RH gears, and the bike still pedals RH whenever you want.

It might be possible, with rear rack mount of the engine, and a custom electric starter or pirated pull starter. The problem then would be starting the motor. The bike can't be pop-started without a non-freewheeling gear, and can't be pull-started with standard stuff if you run it backwards.

This could work using the front freewheel kits made for the shift kits, on some bikes, but might bind up on others or jump the chain.

If you don't have a front freewheel, the motor could engage and spin the cranks from underneath the rider unexpectedly, causing injury. 2hp is enough to hurt you!

Theres this section too:http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?451938-Gas-Gashol-Alcohol-or-Diesel-amp-Alternative-Powered-Bicycles


Electric motor on stoke-monkey's drives the left side of a cross over tandem crank,
by flipping over a RH thread drive on the motor to be on the left , it works fine .

there is also the Jackshaft mechanism drive the hub then have a sprocket attached to the hubshell

Rohloff hubs have a 4 bolt spider for their disc braking, its the same as 4 bolt mountain chainrings.. those will work as a frame mounted hub ,
then the final drive is on the left side

some custom threaded hubs and freewheels are made LH Thread.

Sturmey has a hub for driving trikes , you can drive a wheel with the chain attached to that hub shell
mounted sprocket.

and there is the new fixed gear 3 speed hub, you can buy one of those and see if it works, NB:
you will be unscrewing the cog into the lock ring, under power.
the lock ring on track/fixed gear bikes is left hand threaded.

Oh and if it will go without pedaling it , it is a motor vehicle,

and subject to all the licensing and insurance requirements of any other motor vehicle mopeds scooters motorcycles..

if you have to turn the pedals but the power is available to assist your pedaling, but will cease if you dont pedal
then its an assisted bicycle.

Theres this section too:http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?451938-Gas-Gashol-Alcohol-or-Diesel-amp-Alternative-Powered-Bicycles


Electric motor on stoke-monkey's drives the left side of a cross over tandem crank,
by flipping over a RH thread drive on the motor to be on the left , it works fine .

there is also the Jackshaft mechanism drive the hub then have a sprocket attached to the hubshell

Rohloff hubs have a 4 bolt spider for their disc braking, its the same as 4 bolt mountain chainrings.. those will work as a frame mounted hub ,
then the final drive is on the left side

some custom threaded hubs and freewheels are made LH Thread.

Sturmey has a hub for driving trikes , you can drive a wheel with the chain attached to that hub shell
mounted sprocket.

and there is the new fixed gear 3 speed hub, you can buy one of those and see if it works, NB:
you will be unscrewing the cog into the lock ring, under power.
the lock ring on track/fixed gear bikes is left hand threaded.

The Sturmey Archer fixed gear 3 speed has 2 cog mounting options. You can screw on a track cog or freewheel, or mount a standard Shimano pattern splined cog with spacers and lockring. No problem driving that backwards.

re: SA 3spd fixed hub

Thanks for the info!

re: SA 3spd fixed hub

Thanks for the info!

Sure. The only thing you can't do with it is install a left threaded left drive freewheel because of the right hand mounting threads, so to use it in a left drive configuration, you're pretty much stuck with fixed gear.
I have one of these, and I'm loving it. I've actually thought about flipping it around to the left side just to have something really different. If I do so, and I just might, I'll either secure the pedal threads with red loctite, or put helicoils in the crank arms to make the threads side appropriate. (I just included this bit to head off all those that were going to tell me why this won't work.)

I say prove the uselessness of left-hand threads for pedals by trying it without messing with the threads.

Seriously, how much torque do you think makes it into the spindle via bearing friction? It's like expecting your pedals to come out by blowing on them.

IMO the left-hand thread only matters when pedal bearings seize.

I say prove the uselessness of left-hand threads for pedals by trying it without messing with the threads.

Seriously, how much torque do you think makes it into the spindle via bearing friction? It's like expecting your pedals to come out by blowing on them.

IMO the left-hand thread only matters when pedal bearings seize.
A seized bearing would cause the left threaded left pedal to unscrew. Precession is a real and considerable force. I've seen the effect on bottom brackets mounted the wrong way (recumbent with movable bb) and freewheels mounted as mid drives.
I've accepted on faith that pedals would react the same way, but maybe you have a point. It would be interesting to try it.

Couldn't you just remover the wheel, flip the wheel over, then turn the bike around the other way and reinstall the wheel? From your original perspective, it would not be left hand drive.

jim

All the pawls and the drive ratchets they engage have to be reversed also..
:bang:
Attract investors to have an entire left bassackwards mirror image hub,
or at least major parts of it, manufactured
and get back in touch.
after you have completed the startup.

All the pawls and the drive ratchets they engage have to be reversed also..
:bang:
Attract investors to have an entire left bassackwards mirror image hub,
or at least major parts of it, manufactured
and get back in touch.
after you have completed the startup.

The S3X will drive in reverse. No ratcheting pawls here.