Originally Posted by
noglider
You may have taken warnings about the old AW too seriously. Yes there is a danger of hitting neutral between 2nd and 3rd, but it's not that likely, and it's not sure to cause injury.
And doesn't the new 3-speed hub go by a different model name now?
I know the AW way too well and know what it'll put up with. I've had a clutch slip between gears under load out of the saddle once, but that was it. Granted, I also don't push the envelope.
I am, however, flippant with the shifter, and often don't hit the shift points just right. It's fear of hitting that dead spot - usually between third and second - that makes me want to use the newer hub.
Sturmey still lists the AW, but with the classic steel shell. If I had to guess, that hub in the '80 Sports right now may be equivalent to the current S-RF3. It's worth noting that unlike any of the current stuff - including the current AW - my hub uses the same exact cones and washer locks as an AW from back in the day.
-Kurt