Sir Lunch-a-lot

About a week ago, a managed to snap the 3 speed cable of my bicycle. I took a broken cable for deralieur based shifters, cut it to size, and by folding the end over, was able to temporarily get it to work. However, the folded over cable soon wiggled it's way out of the screwy thingy (that bit that is on the end of the cable that screws onto the shifting mechanism on the hub). I checked at my LBS, and the guy there was unable to do anything for me as far as getting me a new 3 speed cable. Does anybody have any ideas how I can get this cable to work? I seem to recall seeing a thread here a while back about how to do this, but I can not seem to find it right now.

In the mean time, I am going to try one of those crimpy things that prevent the cable from fraying, to see if it will work to keep the screwy thing on this time. (Boy, I wish I knew the proper terms for these things).

Stacey

What type of three speed hub, Shimano or Sturmey Archer?

Sir Lunch-a-lot

It has no name brand on it. Why? Is the cable hookup system different between the various models? Because I have only ever seen one kind of 3 speed cable hook up, and have used this shifter assembly on nearly every three speed I have ever owned.

Perhaps you may find it useful to know that the shifter I am employing is a 333 stick shift.

For the moment, I have made repairs to the cable, using the old cable in conjunction with the new one by fastening the two cables together with a rope/cable clamp, built for that purpose. I imagine that it will hold for a long while (hopefully years), but I still feel the best solution would be getting a proper cable built.

Here's a thread with pics of my bike (took me long enough to find!) https://www.bikeforums.net/classic-vintage/174795-3speed-6speed.html

jordanb

Yeah the differences are substantial. Between Shimano and S-A the part of the cable that ends in the trigger/indexer is different. Also the mechanism to change gears is difference (S-A uses an indicator chain, Shimano uses a bell-crank that pushes a rod). S-A also has two different types of ways to interface the indexer chain from the cable. The "cheap way" for pre-sized cables has an end cap crimped onto the end and a lug that rests against it that's threaded to screw onto the indicator chain. The other way has a lug that has a screw peice that lets you adjust the cable length.

Anyway. I suspect you have a Shimano system because you'd have a very hard time fitting a derailleur cable into a S-A trigger. Unfortunatly I'm not too good with them because I avoid them because I think they're crap.

diff_lock2

You think SHIMANO internaly gears hubs are crap, or you hate inernaly geared hubs?

Stacey

Looking at the pic, I believe it to be a Shimano hub. As jordab said, the bell crank vs chain mechanisim are the tell-tales

Look here:



Shimano is on top, Sturmey Archer on bottom

If you do have a Shimano hub, I have a cable adapter that will allow you to cut off the pre-made cable end and use the clamp feature built in to it to make the cable connection.

PM me with your address and I'll pop it in the mail to you.

jordanb

I think the old Shimano 3 speed gears are crap compared to S-A hubs because you can't get them open and the shifting isn't nearly as smooth. That stupid toggle lever is nowhere near as good a design as the S-A trigger shifter.

I will say that modern Nexus hubs are a good impressive bit of engineering though.

grolby

They are also known for spectacular spontaneous internal self-destruction! Try saying THAT five times fast! But hey, if it works, it's a 3-speed hub, right? It's all good.

sringlee

From the description of your bike, you appear to have a SRAM dual-drive 3-speed hub with derailleur changer. See Harris Cyclery for parts. The cable is likely special to the hub.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/sram.html

gonogo

I have running 2 Shimano 3 speeds over the last 25 years, must be 15K on each with no problems. One is has nothing on the hub but Shimano 3 speed and 8J, no coaster brake, the other 3CC with coaster.

I just took off a 7 speed derailleur system from my 2 year old bike and installed the 25 year old 8J, my favorite hub. The derailleur system took too much work, it’s so low to the ground it picks up all the dirt even on roads which is the only place I ride. It goes out of adjustment, eats up chains, I will admit I am not one to put a lot of time on maintenance but I didn’t on the 3 speed and very few problems, can’t say that for the derailleur system. I am really not a bike person, I just like that form of exercise.

I am leery of the Shimano Nexus 3 speed, I read it needs special Shimano grease, not good.

Sir Lunch-a-lot

So, if I am correctly interpreting those diagrams, it looks as though I have a Shimano type hub.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but your adapter sounds an awful lot like what I have come up with (See attached pic #1) in which I cut off the old cable end, and fastened it to the new cable with a cable clamp. Is that more or less what your adapter does?

Sir Lunch-a-lot

Bump... I'd still kinda like a response to my last question...