Still Pedaling

Looking around at some web sites this morning and I came across the site for Sturmey Archer. Man did that bring back memories to my childhood. One thing I do remember is that the three speed hub was like a tank. Never in all the years growing up did I have a problem. I'll never forget my old three speed Raleigh that I had for years. I must have road that thing everywhere, and like I mentioned, never a problem. Are any of you guys using a three speed Sturmey Archer hub on your folding bike? I'm sure it would be somewhat expensive to swap out.

jerrysimon

Many new folders and other full sized bikes still use three speed Sturmey Archer hubs and other flavours but obviously no longer made in England since they have long since sold out and are being made new over seas.

https://www.sturmey-archer.com/products/hubs/cid/3.html






Many of the original three speed units are still in active service, being bomb proof as you say.

These sites are good for a trip down memory lane

https://www.bicyclehub.co.uk/index.ph...=43&Itemid=106

https://hubstripping.wordpress.com/



Jerry

wilfried

Yup, I do, comes standard on a Brompton. I've had the indicator chain go out of adjustment, causing gear slippage, but it's an easy fix. Other than that, no problems.

I've read that SA's quality had really slipped by the end in Nottingham, and that their new Asian owners are doing better. Is there truth to that?

Still Pedaling

I wonder what the quality issue was all about before they started making them in Asia. At least they are still being made and the quality has picked back up again.

Cheers
Wayne

Still Pedaling

Thanks for the links. Will read into them more thoroughly. I liked the part where they mentioned that the older ones made during the war would work as good as new when cleaned up. Man that says alot about the quality of the hubs. Like I mentioned, I rode my bike everywhere with no problems, and as kids years ago, we were always on our bikes if we weren't playing ball.

Cheers
Wayne

BassNotBass

I have a few bikes with old AW3 hubs that are bomb proof despite being almost 60 years old. Over the years I've had bikes with the later S3C (coaster brake) and they weren't as reliable... not bad but not up to AW snuff.

There are several members here who run old SA hubs on their folders.

wahoonc

I have 30+ bikes around 20 of those are running some version of Sturmey-Archer 3 speed hubs. I have AG, AW, S3C, TCW, FG, and FW. The F series hubs are 4 speeds, I have one that has been converted to a 5 speed. The bikes range from 349 wheeled Dahons all the way up to 635 Raleigh Roadster. My most used hub is on a 1971 Raleigh Sports Standard it is an AW and has some where well over 35,000 miles on it with minimal maintenance, it is still ticking along today. I also have several Nexus hubs, but have found the venerable AW much easier to work on as well as to source parts for.

As far as quality of the old hubs versus the new Taiwan built ones... new ones are very nice and are built to very good tolerances. The last of the hubs to come out of Nottingham were getting pretty sloppy but they were being built on equipment that was pushing 75 years old and should have been replaced 30 years earlier. I have had basically no issues with any of my AW hubs, I wish I could say the same with my Shimano Nexus/Alfine hubs.

Aaron

Still Pedaling

Wow, that's quite a collection you have. To have over 35,000 miles on one is amazing. It just tells you how strong and reliable they are.

fietsbob

Brompton, 2 of them 1 with AW3 from 94, Bought,... fixed things then sold,.. after I got a newer BSR ,
in the newer Mk 4 M3L bike.

Hilly location, so I added a 2 speed Crank, planetary as well , so chain still doesn't shift off cog or chainring.. .

in its low range, I have 3 more gears, out of another run through of the same hub (now, 6 speed, drive train) ...

It works well .

Dahon.Steve

I've ridden the Sturmey Archer AW3, Sram Spectro 3 and Shimano 3 speed. I happen to think the Sturmey was great and it's even better now that Sun Race resolved the neutural transmission problem of old. The Sram Spectro 3 had a coaster brake and resulted in too much speed being scrubbed off. The Shimano Nexus 3 speed is just as good as the Sturmey Archer of old. Maybe Sram fixed the problem today but I'm sad to see they dropped the 5 and 7 speed hubs.

BassNotBass

Hahaha... only time will tell.

wahoonc

Sturmey Archer had already solved the NIG issue, they just didn't put it into production. It was in production in 1984 for Columbia.

Aaron

social suicide

I have several bikes with the AW hub including a 1954 Schwinn Corvette. I'm riding the SA XRF-8W on my R20 with no problems after 1900 miles. Noisy, heavy, cheap. Got going 33mph on a long 3% down today trying to outrun a thunderstorm. It works good when its wet too.

BassNotBass

That's good to know since I'm still leery of those +3 hubs.

noglider 

I have two or three bikes with AW hubs on them. The design is almost 100 years old and hasn't needed much improvement in all those years. It really is one of the best inventions for a bike, ever. The gears are far apart, though, which is why I don't ride it much.

I have a 1973 Raleigh Twenty with the original AW hub. I also built a new front wheel for it with a new Sturmey Archer drum brake hub. It is excellent. It was my solution to the fact that the original brakes on the bike were inexcusably bad. This hub brake is more than adequate, and it will never care about rain or snow.

smallwheeler

this is good to know. i've been contemplating building a 3 speed wheel set with drum brakes front and rear. could you post a pic or two? por favor?

noglider 

Pictures are in this thread, where I describe what I've done so far with it. I plan to put dynamo lights on it, too. I wish I had the combo front hub which is a drum brake plus dynamo.

smallwheeler

nice work, bro!

jdswitters

Love my SA X-FDD

4 seasons bomb proof for lights and stopping.

smallwheeler

mhm..