Bicycle Mechanics - 3-speed hub shifting options

Hi,

I'm all new to bodging things together so wanted some advice.

I have an 80's steel pergeot frame that I want to use as a hack here in london.
I wanted a 3-speed hub transmission and just bought a pair of touring wheels with a shimano nexus 3-speed hub connected to a grip shift. (I havent recieved it yet but i assume it works)

well I want to use drops or possibly 'chop and flop' bars, or maybe sometiong else not sure yet, but basically i think the grip shift will be a pain, so I wanted some advice on alternatives (cheap ones preferably) and how to assemble them.

So far I have thought about an indexed down-tube shifter (the ones i have on there now are non indexed - i guess that means they are no good for this)

or woul;d this work with the Nexus?
http://www.warlands-cycles.co.uk/catalogue_item.php?catID=4901&prodID=29142&PHPSESSID=5541aefcf67b036c6421e3d5fe57ec43

any other options or advice much apreciated

Oli

I'm currently using a S/A thumb shifter (same action as the one you show, different mounting) with a Nexus hub.

So far, it's working fine. And just slightly wonky.

Shimano needs about a 6.6mm pull from rest to 2nd gear, then the same amount to get into high gear. S/A shifter pulls about 11mm of cable from rest to the first detente in the shifter, then 6.something for the shift into high gear. So I have mine set up with really too much slack at rest, indexed so that the shifting mark at the shimano bell housing aligns at the shifter detente for 2nd gear on the S/A shifter, and then either the third detente for top gear or I'll swing it past there just to be sure it's engaged.

Only been working this setup for a couple weeks, minimal rides. Mine's on a mtn bike that I don't use too often. Working well so far, no ideal about longevity.

Back when JFK was still breathing, I used a Downtube friction shifter
with my 3 speed hub.

after a while you know how far to move the lever for the 1st and 2nd gear..

so, Like wise.. Friction, thumbshifter or bar end would work..

Thanks, thats helpful/hopeful.
Still it wouldn't be an entirely clean solution I suppose. Unless you are using an older shifter and newer ones have a different amount of pull?

Does anyone know of another kind of shifter that would offer a more exact match? Or of a way to bodge the shifter a bit to give less pull?

can you get indexed tripple front shifters for a touring bike or similar that might work better?

the advantage of a friction or micro ratchet derailleur lever is it is adaptable,
to what ever is on the other end of the cable. including an old 333 hub.

Just get over the need to have the mech do the thinking for you.

you don't even have the wheel yet, right?:rolleyes: let up on the pre-worrying.

Old Bike shops will have a bunch of dead bikes for parts to experiment with .

I believe you can bodge in a Travel Agent, the inline version, offers
a dual diameter pulley, to change the pull . the cable spirals from one to another.
flip it either way , though intended to go in disc cable brakes, splitting the housing.
needs to be anchored somewhere on the frame.. Newton says..:thumb:

You can mount the Nexus twist shifter (AFAIK the only current factory shifter for Shimano 3-speed hubs) on a "Hubbub" adaptor.

The late Sheldon Brown shifted his Sturmey Archer 3-speed hubs with a DT friction shifter for years and reported no problems. Now, and this is important, you gotta line up 2nd gear accurately. If you don't get 2nd lined up, your hub can have a short and very unhappy life. The Shimano 3-speed bell crank has an indicator on it for 2nd gear alignment. With a friction shifter, you have to know ~somehow~ when the shifter is in the right position to align 2nd gear. Mr. Brown said on his set-up that it was when the shifter pointed at his navel. (!) Of course the other two gears are found on the shifter at cable slack and cable taut.

Besides friction shifters, another approach with a three-speed is to use a many-speeds indexed shifter (DT, bar end or brifter) and set one of the middle index positions to 2nd gear. This acurate shifter index position can be found when riding by counting clicks, visual observation, looking at the shifter's indicator (were applicable) or feel.

At a cycle swap meet I picked up an old Shimano LH (front) bar end shifter that had a single index click position in the middle of its travel. It's perfect for three-speed hub 2nd gear shift position.


any other options or advice much apreciated

Too late for you - sorry! - but if anyone with the same question finds this in the archives...buy a Sturmey three-speed instead. They offer a classic metal trigger (a versatile, rugged and classy bit of kit), a newer trigger, twist grips in long and short versions, a dual paddle (Rapidfire-style), a barcon, a downtube shifter, a thumb shifter - even "stick shifts"! - for their 3-speeds.

The late Sheldon Brown shifted his Sturmey Archer 3-speed hubs with a DT friction shifter for years and reported no problems. Now, and this is important, you gotta line up 2nd gear accurately. If you don't get 2nd lined up, your hub can have a short and very unhappy life. The Shimano 3-speed bell crank has an indicator on it for 2nd gear alignment. With a friction shifter, you have to know ~somehow~ when the shifter is in the right position to align 2nd gear. Mr. Brown said on his set-up that it was when the shifter pointed at his navel. (!) Of course the other two gears are found on the shifter at cable slack and cable taut.

Doesn't the "No Intermediate Gear" system on the modern SA 3-speed almost completely eliminate the problem of lining the gears up?

No. The indexing is still in the shifter (rather than the hub) and the gears still need to be lined up to spread the load, run smooth, stay in the proper gear, etc. The NIG (No Inbetween Gear) eliminates the 'no gear' which used to be found between 2nd & 3rd, which subsequently prevents issues with accidentally slipping into neutral while riding. The Shimano Nexus and SRAM iMotion3 are similar: indexing in the shifter, no neutral, but the gears need to be lined up.

you only need to find second, double check via the adjustment window.
test that on the repair stand..
low the cable is tight, lever stops, high the cable is slack.

there is a road lever Brifter made for some IG hubs,
its not a derailleur bike lever just thrown on,
someone worked out where the detents need to be.
and got them made in TW, like that.