Shift to 3rd gear - feel the cable where it's coming from the hub to the adjusting bolt. Is it stiff/tight? If yes - you should re-install same.

Loosen the cable at the anchor bolt closest to the hub. Now unscrew the thin rod that's screwed into the hub itself. Give it a few drops of oil. Screw it back into the hub all the way. Now back it off by 1/2 turn. Got that? 1/2 turn.

Now re-attach the cable into the nut/screw that holds it in place to the rod & chain. Make sure the shifter is set to 3rd gear. And the cable isn't tight - but not loose either. You can easily move it side-to-side with your finger. But no slop either. Tighten the anchor-bolt so the cable doesn't slip as you adjust the barrel-adjuster that's directly between the place the cable exits the hub and ahead of the anchor-bolt. It's the gnarly looking barrel and the gnarly nut. Visualize. Read & look at the area. You'll get it.

Now shift the SA shifter to second gear. See where the rod & chain are in the little window where the rod & chain exit the interior hub? Do you? Good! Now in the second gear you should see, in the center of that little window, the straight rod and the chain near the middle off the window. Like this: ooo===. 1/2 and 1/2. With the anchor bolt torqued down (don't go nuts here, King Kong), shift it to 1st gear. Did it work? 1st is easier to pedal from a stop (apply brake)? Now try 2nd. Harder than 1st? Shift to 3rd. Harder than 2nd to pedal?

If not - adjust the gnarly barrel-adjuster a turn clockwise. Get all 3 gears? No? Try the counterclockwise 2 turns. Got it yet? You'll get it. Just keep an eye on that little window and the: ooo===.

You'll get it. Once you have the right adjustment so you have 3 distinct gears - screw the gnarly nut onto the barrel-adjuster and tighten it. This should maintain your adjustment fine for a long time.

I love 3-speeds!


By the by - it should NOT be a struggle to shift in either direction. Fix same by above directions.