Sixty Fiver

Looks like another three speed is on it's way here... they breed like rabbits.

PalmettoUpstate 

Would like input from some of you "tinkerers extraordinaire" out there who've been at this longer than I have...

I picked up a nice Grant Petersen-era 12-speed Bridgestone Kabuki last year and had planned to put a 3-speed hub on it and pretty much do it up almost exactly like rhm's Lambert [Post 1863] but with upright handlebars more like criscoshoes's Raleigh Gran Sport conversion [Post 1134].

While I still plan to use that basic design, I am really, REALLY considering one of the SA 5-speed hubs as can be viewed here: https://www.sturmey-archer.com/produc...4/id/33/tech/1

Here's what I'd like to find out:

1. Is the overall axle length on these hubs long enough to span the distance between the opening on the chainstays? [And if not, is such a product made these days?]

2. Are the "spoke calculator" websites out there accurate and anyone have recommendation[s] on the best one?

3. Best place to buy quality spokes/nipples/etc. at best prices?

4. There are at least 5 kinds of shifters available from SA for this hub. I'm leaning toward the twist grip. Anyone see a downside to that? [I'm not going to be racing or anything]

Thanks to all for your thoughts...

Salubrious

Twistgrips work the best with IGHs in general although I have a soft spot for the traditional SA shifter for three speeds.

rhm

Yes, I believe it is.

I like this one:
https://wheelbuilder.jmoore.me/

Ebay seller "childhood_dreams". Or send me a private message and I'll give you the guy's email address.

No, if that's what you want, go for it. I like the bar end shifter for drop bars, though. Another option is the one on which you shift up with your thumb and down with your fingers. I kinda liked it but found it fragile.

clasher

I used that 5 speed hub. I think it comes with a 175mm axle so you can space it to your frame before you build the wheel up... they're pretty flexible in that regard. I used the grip shifter the hub came with and it was fine but I also wanted drop bars so I bought that shifter and it's nice enough. I wouldn't stand up on the pedals of the 5 speed hubs they do have a soft key or something inside that does break apparently... I never had problems but someone on the IGH yahoo group mentioned it. If you buy the thumb shifter or bar-end either one will also work as a downtube shifter, so there is that too... they're also all metal unlike the trigger and grip shifters.

PalmettoUpstate 

So I pulled the measurement before I made my post and it appeared to me that 175 mm would do the job, but I wasn't absolutely sure, never having done one of these. I noticed that there were some 185 mm axled hubs out there too...

Thoughts?

Velognome 

The overall lockwasher dimension of the hub, and they vary according to which hub you select, is going to be a factor. You can make up some of the difference with spacers if need be. On the builds that I've done, I cold set the frame to minimize the use of spacers to the best of my ability.

My preference is for bar end shifters too, they are fast, accurate and out of the way. On older builds, I like to use the traditional trigger for 3 & 4 speeds. I think on an upright I would favor a thumb shifter over the twist.

clubman 

fify!

harpon

GOT THAT $27,000 READY?

Has anybody seen this on ebay- only 13 hours left now!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-1939-Ra...ht_3846wt_1255

If you miss it, it may not sell and be relisted again......


Should have that Huffy Sportsman together in a day or two now- should look pretty good - for a heavy frame and one piece crank-
I was gonna put some light stuff on it- but now a couple of other projects have taken a few parts away already-

I'll put up some pics - "before" and "after" when I'm done-

I KNOW YOU CAN'T WAIT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I like that Lambert above and remember when they became Viscount- or was it the other way around? "73 or '74 I think it was.
I wouldn't mind doing something similar- but I think time may be passing me by here- too much stuff already-

Do you there would be any market for 700C 3 speed wheels?

harpon

Oh Dear- Someone said "MATRESS" to Mr. Lambert!
Now I've got to get into the FISHTANK and SING!
"And did those feet, in ancient times,
walk up on England's mountains green....."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGEeLtqtNvU

PalmettoUpstate 

Re: Frame spacing or "Cold Setting"...

I cursorily read thru Sheldon's page on this procedure: https://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html and he refers to cold setting as "widening" the frame but I assume it could also mean the opposite and that you mean narrowing it slightly for this purpose; correct?

As best I can tell, w/o removing the rear wheel, the space I have on the Bridgestone is 125-130 mm. At the page linked above, Sheldon says a standard width on a 6 or 7 speed [cassette] roadbike is 126 mm so I'm assuming that is what I've got, with the 6 speed cassette on the bike. So my follow-up question would be: Are there functional reasons for minimizing spacers and do the "trim kits" included with some of these hubs include wide but precise spacers; IOW something larger in width than standard washers?

Would you mind - text, pics, or another thread - showing me how you proceed in "cold setting" the frames on your builds?

redcaymatt

I"d be interested. I live in Highland Park next to New Brunswick. Rahway would be fine. I used to ride Rahway Park in the 80's. I grew up in Elizabeth so any part of Northern N.J. Or N.Y.C. works for me.

woodrupjoe

I've been trying to link to a pretty cool Craigslist ad but this computer refuses to comply. If anyone wants to facilitate, there's a guy in Brooklyn, NY who periodically puts a few NOS Raleigh 3-speeds on Craigs. I don't know where he finds them, but this time it's a pair of his/hers 1959 Sports and they certainly are sweet. Plus he's got a link to a photo page with lots of good pics. A few years ago I seriously considered one of his finds at $600 (for a NOS Sports I think- maybe a Ltd), but the prices are now gasp-inducing. Anyway, the pictures are really beautiful of these two showroom-condition bikes. Sorry I'm having such a hard time trying to link to them.

woodrupjoe

https://s47.photobucket.com/user/supe...45286051349529

OK. Maybe that worked. It's a photobucket page.

https://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/bik/3663631484.html

And there's the ad.

(I'm still such a dunce with computers)

PalmettoUpstate 

You and Salubrious have me really confused now...

PalmettoUpstate 

Thanks for the input; I did find your "spokeman" on ebay.

I'm still on the fence about shifters. One thing that sorta rankles me is that I have 6-8 S-A thumb shifters around that have had the facing plate [with the text on it] defaced or removed and I'd really like to just buy the correct S-A cable and use them. I've even considered taking them all to a Trophy and Awards shop and having them engrave the 1-2-3 on them and then "colorizing" the numerals. I hafta admit that I like a thumb shifter - once you are used to them and have them in proper adjustment it literally is just a flick or quick pull of the index finger and voila!

Velognome 

Using spacers is fine, just saying that before you get into things, know what your D.O.'s are currently spaced at and then look at the Hubs over all locknut demension...it's sounding like your assuming problems that may not exist. An yes, cold setting can go both ways, but generally it's for widening a frame.

clubman 

Sorry for the confusion.. I have never found a Sturmey Archer Twistgrip (circa mid 1960's) that has worked for more than a month. On the other hand, trigger shifters seem to never fail. So I lightly challenged Salubrious's post with fify, or "fixed it for you".

PalmettoUpstate 

Yeah I'd picked up on that; mine was meant tongue-in-cheek...

For parts, I've been buying up as many basket case 3-speeds as I can reasonably obtain in my area, and have accumulated a couple of the SA twist grip shifters and maybe three or four Shimanos. From what you're telling me here, the SA's don't hold up to regular usage; IYO are the Shimanos any better in that respect?

PalmettoUpstate 

OK, pretend I'm an idiot...

Just kidding, I really do appreciate the clarification from you guys that have "been there; done that" LOL...

Taking the specs here: https://www.sturmey-archer.com/produc.../id/33/specs/1 and assuming "over locknut dimension" [130mm] means "OLD"... [I assume I'm correct so far...?] and the space between my dropouts on this bike in question is 126mm... then I guess I will need to spread the frame 4mm in order to fit this particular hub to the bike. To get that 4mm can I just do it mechanically or will I need heat or something? [And, if so, there's the problem of being sure that its "square"...]

But then, it seems to me that 4mm isn't so much that it couldn't just be pulled manually.

clubman 

I just don't ride IGH's that aren't Made in England. Ever.

Matariki

I have been using a SA 5 speed hub for the last 6 months. It has an OLD of 130 mm with a 175 axle. This should be plenty long for you. I stand on the pedals all the time and never had any issues - perhaps I should rethink this. I am using the thumb shifter because I liked the way it looks. The hub came with the grip shifter - it looks like it would work ok, but it just didn't work with the bars/grips I planned on using.

PalmettoUpstate 

I can't be that much of a purist as I have a crass commercial reason for acquiring 3-speed transmissions [in addition to my "purist" interest - LOL].

Amesja

I'm loving my Suntour AW. It's a thing of beauty and matches the modern Taiwanese Sturmey-Archer X-FDD in front.

Velognome 

little known info, FWIW - Camagnolo also produced a 3spd IGH for 1/2 a year in '72. Nice polished alloy shell 36H and close range gears too. I luv, luv, it!

Edit : 32H to 36H my bad..too early to count holes before coffee