Shifters for Patterson drive
 

I am thinking of buying a Metropolis Patterson drive for one of my bikes. It is a two speed internal system for the front crank. My husband has one and it is sweet.

Anyway, it doesn't come with a shifter. The maker recommends against friction shifting. I have hunted but I can't seem to find a two speed, or "hi, low" shifter that is indexed for the front. My husband's is a Sunrace and clicks high and low and works great. I can't seem to locate the same shifter or even one like it.

Ideas?

Can you use a 3 speed front shifter, but only use 2 of the "clicks" ?

Seems to Me since It's a cable that engages the Overdrive gear a Ratchet Bar Lever will release to slack the Cable for Low /
and flipping the lever pulling a cable taught till it stops, to engage the overdrive , because of the ratchet lever Pawl will not let it slip back.
You're good to Go. Its not like You even have to find a Middle Gear..

I put together a S-A 3 speed, triple Cluster Cog set, and a Triple crank . I think I was 12, so thats about 1959.
I used 3 friction levers on my 3cubed 27 speed

Have Your Husband get another, Sun Race Taiwan is still Going strong..they own the former S-A and are making them .
better than the British did and expanded the product line substantially.

Did you look at their Web site? The installation instructions suggest using two positions of a three-speed (presumably MTB) trigger shifter, and the review by The Hub says they used "an old Sturmey-Archer trigger shifter. The Bicycle Times article states "Shift actuation is performed by any indexed or friction front shifter, so compatibility is open to just about anything from integrated road shifters to thumb shifters." So it sounds like it is not too picky.

If you go the trigger shifter route I would suggest that you use the second and third gear positions rather than the first and second as suggested in the instructions; this will prevent you trying to force a shift past the internal stop, which is cautioned against. If you need to use a friction shifter just make sure that you adjust it so that it is adjusted to pull enough cable to shift it solidly into gear and no more; then you will not be able to pull the cable against the stop. Install a barrel adjuster for fine adjustment if one is not present.

Edit: They are also pretty adamant as to the need to have the BB faced to exactly 68mm and strictly parallel for best bearing performance (and life I expect).

Thanks everyone! Bob, I would get another Sun Race but can't find one. It works flawlessly on his bike. I guess I will just look for any three speed trigger shifter.

try b&m ma& pa, walk in. ask them to look .