illdoittomorrow

I really like the idea of commuting on a bike using a hub like this:

https://cgi.ebay.ca/Vintage-Sturmey-A...QQcmdZViewItem

but I don't have any experience with internal-gear hubs. If it needs repairs later on, are parts available? Are FG hubs as reliable as AW's? How long-lived are they? (This one dates from 1960). What shifter do I use, and is it hard to come by? Do FG hubs have any quirks I need to know about?

Those are the big questions for now... if anyone has any information to share, I'd really appreciate it

wroomwroomoops

What I see as missing from the auction is the shifter lever. I don't think you'll find the shifter very easily, but I am a european boy, and Sturmey Archer has a cult-like following in the USA, so you might be in luck, since you're in the neighborhoods.

What is FG and AW?

EDIT: the seller says "everything works as it should", but how does he/she know when he/she doesn't have the necessary shifter? The gear shifting might be shot for all he/she (and you) knows. Likely? Not. Possible? Hells yeah.

alecw35

I had a 4 speed on a moulton.

It used a special gear rod. It goes all the way through the axle. In 2 bits. Mine broke in 2 bits...GRRR

Couldnt get a new one.

dafydd

Unless you're into vintage or are mechanically inclined, I'd recommend strongly against any vintage internal hub other than the sturmey aw. the aw is robust, there's a million of the old ones around, and a lot of the internals are still made. Coaster and 4- and 5- speed models are generally less reliable because of more moving parts, smaller pinion gears, etc. They're not too hard to overhaul, but if you have to buy another hub for spares, what's the point?

dynohubrider

the FG hub differs from the AG in that it's low gear pawls are cylindrical plungers, these are better than the hairsprung pawls which have rusted away to nothing in an FW i finally managed to aqquire through Ebay. Ebay is a good bet to find a four speed shifter but you can make an "Ersatz" shifter out of an old handlebar derailleur (spits) shifter. It must be the non index friction type like for a front mech. you will need an inch diameter washer which bolts onto the top of the shifter using the friction adjuster bolt and a sturmey archer pinch bolt cable clamp that threads onto the toggle. i presume your FG has the indicator rod/toggle chain so heres what you do- thread the cable, set the shifter to the lowest point, screw the toggle into the barrel and take up the slack but not enough to be pulling on the toggle. If the shifter's lever has a dot on it (if it doesn't then centre punch one) then centre punch or file a notch into the washer on top of the shifter to mark its position, you now have a mark for 4th gear. move the shifter all the way to 1st and make another mark, that's 1st gear. now move the shifter back and watch the indicator rod in the left hand end of the hub axle, when the indicator rod's end is exactly level with the end of the axle you are in 2nd gear, punch or notch the washer to show this position. then move the shifter back and watch for the groove in the indicator rod, when this lines up with the axle's end this is 3rd, mark this position on the washer. you're done, a four speed shifter on the cheap! be precise with gear changes as the four speed has a no gear position between 1-2 and 3-4 and a very strong spring to pull against to shift to 1st! good luck. matt.