philski

Hey guys,

I have an older Raleigh Sport with a 3-speed IGH. I love riding it around with the kids and I've commuted on it a handful of times. I am always reluctant to, though, because I've been warned that if you get in between the gears then your BB spins freely (like throwing a chain) and if you are out of the saddle you take a top tube to the family jewels.

I've experienced the slipping phenomena before and I'm careful not to get out of the saddle. I just feel nervous on the bike... anyone else feel this way? Commute on a similar ride? If so, what advantages push you in that direction?

thx,

philip

Fizzaly

Just be careful, i would love to ride my three speed, but i took apart the hub, and well can't seem to get it back together. To begin with you shouldn't be out of the saddle when shifting anyways thats just asking for something to let go.

JPprivate

Yes, I ride on a three speed sometimes (mostly spring - fall). I haven't experienced the shifting issue. That said, I would not ride on a bike that makes me nervous.

Chris_in_Miami

As long as your cable is properly adjusted, you don't need to worry too much about an accidental drop into "neutral." In my experience with AW 3-speeds, the twist-grip shifters are slightly more prone to this than the trigger type, but even then it's not likely to happen if the cable is set up right.

I don't commute on my 3 & 5 speeds, but I do ride them regularly. I find that I need to adjust my technique a slightly on these bikes because of the internal hub, but it becomes second nature eventually.

Just remember how long the Sport and its cousins have been around, people around the world have been commuting on them for many decades.

Monster Pete

I can find the 'neutral gear on my 3-speed, but as long as the cable is set up correctly, it shouldn't be a problem. You have to ease up on pedalling to shift gears anyway, so shouldn't really be out of the saddle. If you are, you can always stop pedalling completely for a moment while you change gear. Interestingly, you can pre-select an upshift if you're pedalling hard, since the cable just goes loose. Easing off for a fraction of a second, or 'spinning out', allows the spring to snap the hub into the higher gear.

I converted mine from an 18-speed derailleur setup to the 3-speed hub, and use it to commute regularly. I set mine up so that 3rd gear is a flat ground gear, with 1st and 2nd used for acceleration, climbing, cycling into wind or general slow riding. The chainring/sprocket ratio is 2:1. This gives you a lower low gear than some older 3-speeds are set up with, so you can climb hills without getting out of the saddle as often. It's worth checking the tooth counts and possibly fitting a larger sprocket.

I like the ability to shift gears while stopped, which is ideal for riding in stop-start traffic. I also like the look of the bike with just a single sprocket and no extra 'junk' hanging off the frame. This makes it possible to fit a full chaincase to better protect the chain from road crud.

Doohickie

Yep. If it's set up right, it won't be a problem. If there is a problem, just know that the neutral is between second and third gears. If you feel it slipping when the selector is set to second, you need to tighten the cable, if it's slipping when the selector is in third, you need to loosen it. If you're not sure (because you haven't experienced it yourself), you can play around with it a little and see what the adjustment does.

I've never had my SA give me a problem out on the road, once I got it set up properly.

IanHelgesen

As long as the cable is properly adjusted, it shouldn't slip during normal riding. There are some reports/rumors of the hub going into neutral under hard, out-of-the-saddle riding in 3rd gear, but a 3-speed is hardly the bike for someone who likes to sprint in the first place. Out-of-the-saddle riding in 1st shouldn't be a problem.

As for advantages, they're comfortable, require virtually no maintenance, and tend to be ignored by theives. Being able to shift while stopped is very convenient, although it makes you to forget to downshift before stopping when riding a derailleured bike. I ride a '75 Raleigh Superbe as my main commuter (taking the road bike or the folder when I want a change of pace).

Also, getting a larger cog (20t to 22t) will be a huge improvment. Raleigh shipped their bikes ridiculously overgeared.

fietsbob

New Hubs are NIG [no inbetween gear] and are said to be interchangeable cores
to put in your existing wheel. so no rebuilding of wheel
though new spokes suit the aluminum shell better than the thin steel flanges
j end of spokes have changed.

have a Brompton with AW3 from 94. little wheels and hub cog, big chainring..

tcs

Happy 75th Anniversary, Sturmey-Archer AW!

"Most riders find the Sturmey-Archer AW to be possibly the most durable and reliable bicycle gear shifting mechanism ever." Sheldon Brown

tcs

A new set of alloy wheels would be hot.

There are many tires available in the 26 x 1 3/8 size. A list of the best would include the Continental City Ride, the Panaracer Col de la Vie, the Schwalbe Marathon HS368 and the Specialized TriSport.