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For the love of English 3 speeds...

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For the love of English 3 speeds...

Old 08-22-21, 09:24 AM
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Originally Posted by Salubrious
The SW would be easy to identify because of the friction style pawls- very unlike a the S5 of FW in that regard.
The SW is smaller diameter than the AW, S5, or FW and wouldn't fit in those hub shells. SW also has three planet gears rather than four.
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Old 08-22-21, 11:00 AM
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Originally Posted by gster
Tires!
I just picked up a nice pair of tires from a guy down the street

They have a nice "vintage" block tread,

Branded Vee Rubber.
As we know, it's getting hard to find 26 x 1 3/8 tires.
Even Canadian Tire doesn't seem to carry them any more.
As another option, I just bought Schwalbe 26 x 1 3/8 tires from Bike24 out of Germany. Even with shipping, it was cheaper delivered in the US than most domestic sites I could find.
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Old 08-22-21, 05:00 PM
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NINETEEN dollars. Terrible pix but a great price and a B72 saddle.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...16051713602584

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Old 08-22-21, 05:17 PM
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Originally Posted by thumpism
NINETEEN dollars. Terrible pix but a great price and a B72 saddle.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...16051713602584

Hope you bought it.
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Old 08-22-21, 05:21 PM
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Originally Posted by gster
Tires!
I just picked up a nice pair of tires from a guy down the street

They have a nice "vintage" block tread,

Branded Vee Rubber.
As we know, it's getting hard to find 26 x 1 3/8 tires.
Even Canadian Tire doesn't seem to carry them any more.
gster : I have been looking everywhere for a source in Canada for those tires. They have the “right” tread but could not find them through any of the regular sources in Canada. Wheelchair supply places but they tend to have gray and rarely have any in stock. Can you ask your friend where he sourced them?
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Old 08-22-21, 07:39 PM
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Originally Posted by markk900
gster : I have been looking everywhere for a source in Canada for those tires. They have the “right” tread but could not find them through any of the regular sources in Canada. Wheelchair supply places but they tend to have gray and rarely have any in stock. Can you ask your friend where he sourced them?
It was just a guy on Kijiji.
He said he bought them a while back and never used them.
If you're coming to Toronto Pm me and you can have them for what I paid,
$30.00/pair.
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Old 08-23-21, 03:47 AM
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Originally Posted by dirtman
It looks like an S5 gear set but with no left side axle hole or push rod. The left side sun gears, spring, and axle ring are the same, but no slot, no push rod. The key that would meet the push rod is not there.
Another thing is that the axle is stepped where the lock nut is, on all the S5 hubs I've had apart, the axle has one size thread on the left, this has a larger thread that begins where the lock nut sits and a deep key way cut into the threads through both levels of the threading. The lock nut takes a 16mm wrench not a 15mm as on an S5.

Both sun gears are the same as on an S5 as is the spring. I see no way for it to shift the pinion gears and the whole mess just functions as a three speed.
It fits into an AW or S5 shell.
The smaller pinion gear is always engaged with the axle, and the larger gear can't be moved using just the standard AW type indicator.

Maybe some oddball aftermarket mistake? None of these were marked with Sturmey Archer, the packaging was more like what I'd expect from military parts than from SA.
An axle swap and left side pin would make it into an functional S5 If it were just missing the axle hole, I'd drill it through, but there's no slot for the key that engages the pin.
I would have ignored the larger lock nut and threads figuring it was just an early or later version but the lack of a slot as well has me puzzled.


Sorry nothing to ad, but it does look very much like an S5. ...strange. Hopefully someone can help sleuth this mystery into a reasonable explanation
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Old 08-23-21, 08:34 AM
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The Alpha Cycle Company was located in Birmingham 174 Corporation St in 1910 (now a hair-dresser) and in 1932 / 34 on Morville Street Birmingham. The Veterans Cycle Club's Library has 1910, 1930 and 1934 catalogs for Alpha cycles . Morville Street today is very short, maybe 100 yards long and has housing on it now so I imagine the works was knocked down but the hairdresser is in the original building with a roller door and ramped entrance.
Interestingly the 1910 Alpha bikes are very expensive - about twice the price of a Raleigh or Humber of this era. Whereas the 1930s bikes are less than half the 1910 price tag and as such are around the price of the competition.
I'm guessing they moved from the very swank part of Birmingham to Morville St to reduce costs and the price tag drop was also an effort to stay float as the motor-car began to take hold of the transportation market. Like the other 99% of British marques of this era, the ploy was doomed to fail.

Last edited by Johno59; 08-23-21 at 08:47 AM.
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Old 08-23-21, 08:39 AM
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Originally Posted by gster
Hope you bought it.
Too far away and I don't need it, and I have Sportses and Brookses and plenty of other projects.
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Old 08-23-21, 11:24 AM
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Originally Posted by thumpism
Too far away and I don't need it, and I have Sportses and Brookses and plenty of other projects.
I know what you mean.
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Old 08-23-21, 12:36 PM
  #24986  
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Originally Posted by dirtman
I used to see that brand, Vee Rubber, here back in the late 70's and 80's. They were sold by a local auto parts store that also sold bikes. I till have a set on one of my bikes here that never seemed to age much over the years. They were likely just a rebranding of another major brand to allow neighboring dealers to sell essentially the same tire.
Vee Rubber is very much around today. I have a set of Vee Rubber tires for my mountain bike I just bought in the spring.
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Old 08-23-21, 12:37 PM
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Originally Posted by dirtman
It looks like an S5 gear set but with no left side axle hole or push rod. The left side sun gears, spring, and axle ring are the same, but no slot, no push rod. The key that would meet the push rod is not there.
Another thing is that the axle is stepped where the lock nut is, on all the S5 hubs I've had apart, the axle has one size thread on the left, this has a larger thread that begins where the lock nut sits and a deep key way cut into the threads through both levels of the threading. The lock nut takes a 16mm wrench not a 15mm as on an S5.

Both sun gears are the same as on an S5 as is the spring. I see no way for it to shift the pinion gears and the whole mess just functions as a three speed.
It fits into an AW or S5 shell.
The smaller pinion gear is always engaged with the axle, and the larger gear can't be moved using just the standard AW type indicator.

Maybe some oddball aftermarket mistake? None of these were marked with Sturmey Archer, the packaging was more like what I'd expect from military parts than from SA.
An axle swap and left side pin would make it into an functional S5 If it were just missing the axle hole, I'd drill it through, but there's no slot for the key that engages the pin.
I would have ignored the larger lock nut and threads figuring it was just an early or later version but the lack of a slot as well has me puzzled.

This would certainly explain why they were never used...
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Old 08-23-21, 01:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Johno59
The Alpha Cycle Company was located in Birmingham 174 Corporation St in 1910 (now a hair-dresser) and in 1932 / 34 on Morville Street Birmingham. The Veterans Cycle Club's Library has 1910, 1930 and 1934 catalogs for Alpha cycles . Morville Street today is very short, maybe 100 yards long and has housing on it now so I imagine the works was knocked down but the hairdresser is in the original building with a roller door and ramped entrance.
Interestingly the 1910 Alpha bikes are very expensive - about twice the price of a Raleigh or Humber of this era. Whereas the 1930s bikes are less than half the 1910 price tag and as such are around the price of the competition.
I'm guessing they moved from the very swank part of Birmingham to Morville St to reduce costs and the price tag drop was also an effort to stay float as the motor-car began to take hold of the transportation market. Like the other 99% of British marques of this era, the ploy was doomed to fail.
Thanks for the history on Alpha! Can you share where you found the information? My searches thus far have proven fruitless.
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Old 08-23-21, 03:43 PM
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Still Out There

This 50's Rudge was offered recently for $30.00 in the Toronto area.
I hope it went to a good home
The forks do look bent a bit.
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Old 08-23-21, 04:29 PM
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Posted by Clang in the Are You Looking thread. It's for sale for forty bucks!


Last edited by thumpism; 08-23-21 at 07:19 PM.
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Old 08-23-21, 05:36 PM
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Originally Posted by thumpism
Posted by Clang in the Are You Looking thread. It's for sale for forth bucks!

That's either four or forty
four bucks sounds good.
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Old 08-25-21, 02:29 PM
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This is my 70-71 triumph and I know I didn't stay real true to it but it's working great right now. The gear is 40-21 so a bit low but I can easily make most hills in town and 12+ mph is easy too. Gonna ride this a lot.

Almost done

Wald quick release.


Real dynamo tail light.

Headlight and head badge.

Bars, stem and levers.
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Old 08-25-21, 06:23 PM
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^^^ That’s one of the tall frames. Looks like you made it just the way you need it! Happy riding into the fall.
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Old 08-25-21, 06:34 PM
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Originally Posted by 3speedslow
^^^ That’s one of the tall frames. Looks like you made it just the way you need it! Happy riding into the fall.
it's only a 23", which is my size, but it's very rare that I find one.
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Old 08-26-21, 07:36 AM
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SA 4 speed hub with a 3 speed shifter?

Hi
Is it possible to use a SA 4 speed hub with a 3 speed shifter? That until I find a 4.
Thanks
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Old 08-26-21, 10:23 AM
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Originally Posted by ConnoisseurEqua
Hi
Is it possible to use a SA 4 speed hub with a 3 speed shifter? That until I find a 4.
Thanks
Yes. Extra low will not be available.
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Old 08-29-21, 05:39 AM
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I just noticed.
We've filled 1000 pages!
Congratulations to all of us!

Last edited by gster; 08-29-21 at 07:47 AM.
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Old 08-29-21, 09:42 PM
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This is the 3rd time that I've attempted to post in this 3spd thread and it vanishes rather than getting published. (I sometimes hate computers!) Third time's a charm--maybe it was crashing when I attempted multiple photos. This Indian Scout is a recent purchase and if any one is interested, I'd be happy to post more photos and details about my (new to me) 1954 Indian Scout.

Last edited by dimini; 08-29-21 at 09:46 PM. Reason: adding text
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Old 08-30-21, 03:19 AM
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Originally Posted by dimini

This is the 3rd time that I've attempted to post in this 3spd thread and it vanishes rather than getting published. (I sometimes hate computers!) Third time's a charm--maybe it was crashing when I attempted multiple photos. This Indian Scout is a recent purchase and if any one is interested, I'd be happy to post more photos and details about my (new to me) 1954 Indian Scout.
I remember seeing a few of those around over the years, mostly as a kid. There was an old guy, a retired school teacher in my neighborhood then who had one that looked brand new back in the 70's. It had a huge package tray in the front and a rear rack with a wooden pet carrier that he had made for it so he could take his cat for a ride. He also had a dog that would ride in a milk crate he strapped to the front rack.
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Old 08-30-21, 03:42 AM
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Originally Posted by dimini

This is the 3rd time that I've attempted to post in this 3spd thread and it vanishes rather than getting published. (I sometimes hate computers!) Third time's a charm--maybe it was crashing when I attempted multiple photos. This Indian Scout is a recent purchase and if any one is interested, I'd be happy to post more photos and details about my (new to me) 1954 Indian Scout.
I'm pretty sure that they were made by Hercules for Indian in the US.
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