Classic & Vintage - Sturmey Archer S2C Kickback Hub Now Available

Sorry if this repeats information already posted.

Both Harris Cyclery and AEBike now show it as in stock for those who want a 2 speed kickback hub for a project or as a Bendix or Sachs replacement.

AEBike has the best price at about $55 + shipping.

http://aebike.com/product-list/internally-geared-hubs-t475-qc30/

:)

Too cool.

Sturmey Archer has come out with a lot of good stuff lately, starting with their 8-sp hub (which I consider an excellent hub despite its problems; and I trust they will work the problems out before long), then the fixed 3-sp hub, barend shifters for 3- and 5-sp hubs, and now this. When they come out with a kickback hub without a brake, I will be sorely tempted.

The SA kickback hub without a brake is called the S2 and it should be out soon. That's the one I'm waiting for. The S2C and B2C are overweight.

Hub spacing of 116mm fits what, off the shelf? Cruisers? Folders?

That's an incredible price.

Can someone think of a use for it, though? I can see it working in a flat city, but I live in a hilly suburb.

Hub spacing of 116mm fits what, off the shelf? Cruisers? Folders?

Not sure. . . nothing? The axles are of adequate length I assume and you just add spacers to get your desired spacing, right?

Not sure. . . nothing? The axles are of adequate length I assume and you just add spacers to get your desired spacing, right?

Yes. Sturmey Archer makes washers for that purpose. A 4.8 mm washer on each side and it's set for 126 mm spacing.

I had to add a washer and a locknut to my SA5 to get it centered and spaced correctly. I like to center the hub for a dishless wheel.

Hub spacing of 116mm fits what, off the shelf? Cruisers? Folders?

This is outside the pardigms for lot of folks coming from derailleur/cassette hubs. The S2C's OLD is 116mm. The axle is 162mm long.

Simply space it out with some washers and put it in anything. Doh!

tcs

PS - You'll have to understand chainline (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ch.html#chainline).

Yes...

The hardware store has...


...washers for that purpose..

The hardware store has...

They look a little odd because the outer diameter is too large, but they'll work fine if you don't care how it looks.

You're very good at pointing out the obvious.

I ordered one and plan to build it into a Sun CR-18 590mm/EA3 rim as I have one around. Then, it'll probably go on an old Royal Scot frame set I have hanging in the basement.

Neal

So the advent of this hub will result in an additional bike in your collection, Neal. And I'm sure the same is true for a few of us here. ;)

I already ordered one, but have no plan for it. It was a good price, so I bit. Now I just need to find a bike to put it on.

So the advent of this hub will result in an additional bike in your collection, Neal. And I'm sure the same is true for a few of us here. ;)

Well, it's a frameset already hanging in the basement, and it has its original crankset, so that makes life easier. Then again, I might build the S2C into a 700c wheel and put it on a road bike. Too bad my Vitus 979 frameset has vertical dropouts--it would be an interesting experiment with a 2-speed kickback hub!

Neal

116mm spacing is close enough to 120mm as used on many SS and FG frames so if the frame is steel the hub should install w/o any spacers being required though you can install a couple of .080" washers if you want to. A lot of frames for older SA AW hubs were spaced closer to 110mm so would actually require spreading to install the S2C hub.

I can report that my S-A SC2 arrived earlier this week from AE Bike (total of about a week from ordering to receiving it). It comes complete with two anti-rotation washers, spacers, lock ring, dust cap, axle nuts. I weighed it in comparison to a steel shell FW hub that I was about to build into a wheel, and it weighed much more! I have those exact numbers at home, so more on that later. My new plan is to build it into a Sun CR-18 700c rim once the spokes arrive and put it on my Raleigh Grand Sports, which is already set up w/ upright bars and a single-ring crankset. Updates as the project continues.

Neal

Excited to see it, Neal.

Price is quite good for any modern hub - geared or otherwise. Looking forward to seeing it.

-Kurt

Here are some pics of the unbuilt hub. Total weight is about 1500g (a bit more than advertised). For comparison, total weight of an FW steel-shell hub is about 1074g. The FW doesn't have the weight of the brake arm, of course, but that's still quite a difference.

http://mit.edu/nlerner/Public/Bikes/SC2_1.jpg

http://mit.edu/nlerner/Public/Bikes/SC2_2.jpg

http://mit.edu/nlerner/Public/Bikes/SC2_3.jpg

Neal

Classic SA logo :thumb:

-Kurt

The Bendix yellow band weighs 1670 grams, so the weight of the S2C isn't that bad. I haven't been able to find the weight of the Fichtel & Sachs hub. I still think I'll go for the hub without a brake and use a rim brake. It will save weight and avoid the problem of braking when you want to be shifting if you apply too much pressure.

P.S.: I was just looking over the photos on the A.E. Bike site. Have you noticed that despite the change in ownership and the excellent new offerings, they still haven't improved on the same, horrid, bolt-on adjuster barrel that's been offered since the '60s?

You'd think they would have developed a nicer pinch-bolt system since; something like this, perhaps:

http://www.jaysmarine.com/sturmeyadjuster.jpg

-Kurt

Updates as the project continues.

Neal

I will be receiving my S2C this week and building it into a 700c wheel to swap with my fixed gear wheel on my Surly Steamroller.

I am interested in how your wheel build and first impressions are going.


My biggest concern is how to attach the coaster brake arm so it can be easily removed when swapping the wheel for my fixed-gear wheel.

I will be using a 14t cog for both wheels, so chain length will not be an issue.

Hmmmmm....

I have an old Centurion Accordo frame. I thinking path racer.

This is outside the pardigms for lot of folks coming from derailleur/cassette hubs. The S2C's OLD is 116mm. The axle is 162mm long.

Simply space it out with some washers and put it in anything. Doh!

tcs

PS - You'll have to understand chainline (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_ch.html#chainline).

So with an axle length of 162mm, what would be the maximum OLD with, say, 5mm thick dropouts? Or rather, what is the minimum length the axle needs to protrude beyond the outside of the dropouts? How wide are the lockwashers and nuts?