Velognome 

Good call on the 48Tx14 rhm, will be perfect for LI.

I thought about that in the begining but i can not get over the feeling when I drop from H (direct) to the N (.75) that I can somehow feel the gear reduction as I spin. I imagine it's all in my head. Once I start spinning away in traffic and city streets, I'm more attentive to what I'm avoiding than my cadence which at that point is a lot of acceleration and decceleration, the effect is negated, if it really exists at all.

Hmmmm.....I kinda would like them closer together, more like the ASC. Guess some like Vanilla others Chocolate?

Face Palm

Yeah, that's why I've hesitated as well, but it's so subtle that I wonder if it will go away once middle gear is brought up a bit and the extra muscle power just smooths it out. Guess trying it is the only way to know for sure...

Velognome 

No, the shifts are seemless, you can get in sync with the float and the transition is so smooth between the gears it feels more like a slide. What I'm talking about is that I've convinced myself that I can sense the bike is not in the 1:1 drive until I get focused on something else. I think it's a mind game, just because I know it's not direct and I'm not feeling that "mystical fixie connection". But small matter like I said, if it really even exists outside my mind.

ThermionicScott 

I've been doing a lot of fixed-gear riding as of late, and I've been able to resist the call of the S3X hub thus far... but man, would a higher gear be nice to have on the downhills! I'll have to ask my buddy Rob what gearing he plans to use with his.

I think if I were to get one of these, I'd use 2nd as my primary in the 58/70/93 scheme Face Palm mentions. 58 for gravel, snow, and uphills, 70 for overall riding, and 93 for downhills. If you "measure from the middle" like the AW, the ratios aren't that different (1.3/1/0.75 for the AW versus 1.3/1/0.83 for the S3X).

- Scott

Vonruden

This may be a better question for the what's it worth section, however since it applies to a Sturmey Archer Wheel, I'll ask. I have a vintage Armstrong 3 Speed with Sturmey Archer on back. I need to thin the herd and was curious if I would do better off selling the Wheels separate or selling to whole bike. It rides great, however too small. pics of the bike and Hub.

rhm

If the hub is an ASC, or any kind of four speed (FC, FM, FG, FW), you will probably do better selling it separately. The same goes if it's an AC, AG, AM, or an S5. But if it's an AW, or an SW, or a TCW, or an S3C, you'll do better selling the bike whole.

I think you have a TCW which is probably the worst of the bunch. Leave it together.

Vonruden

Thanks. I believe it's a TCW III.

rhm

Okay, so... attention Mark, John, Andrew! If you're still following this thread... what crank arm length are you using on your S3X bikes?

I got my hub. I found standard 3-spline SA cogs in my parts bin in every size but 14T but I ordered a real S3X cog in that size so I'm good to go. I found an appropriate rim and (lucky me!) the right size spokes. Wheel is built.

And then I thought: Lambert frame... Lambert crank... 170 mm arms. Bad idea? I'm not partial so such long crank arms anyway, but have so far kept the Lambert crank on there to preserve the look. But now with fixed drive train, those long arms scare me. I have a 160, but it's not as cool looking. I have to do it, don't I? Sigh.

mparker326

I have used a 170 mm crank on every fixed gear bike I've had including the S3X. I bought a 165 Campy NR crankset to use just in case but it is collecting dust. I'd gladly trade it to you if it would go to use.

photogravity

^ Campy on a Lambert? Perish the thought!

JohnDThompson 

I use 165mm arms on my Viscount. And while the Lambert chain ring is distinctive, at 52T it'll make for some pretty tall gearing unless you match it with an appropriately large cog in the back.

N.B. the 170mm arms will probably be ok as long as you take sharp corners slowly. Riding will teach you how much you can get away with with respect to speed/lean.

rhm

Oh, I have a TA 48T on the Lambert crank arm. So that's not the problem.
Good to know, many thanks! I really hate falling on turns. I'm probably going to be a wimp about this and put the 160 on there anyway. I prefer shorter cranks.

ThermionicScott 

How high is the bottom bracket on that Lambert? That would play into how long of a crank I'd be comfortable using. (I can tilt my FG almost to 45 degrees in my kitchen before the lower pedal touches the ground, so I feel pretty safe.)

rhm

Good point, Scott! I will look into that.

Next question, all: what foot retention? I have several options: the bike currently has Lambert pedals with clips and straps; but I can switch to SPD clipless, old Look-style clipless, and plain old platforms; which I can augment with simple straps (home made power grips) out of old tires. I'm thinking the last is the way to go. Does anyone ride fixed with no foot retention at all?

Velognome 

rhm, I'm running 170mm cranks with a BB Ht of 260mm, that's with 32mm tires. I ran 25mm tires for a long time and have never had issues with pedal strike. Equally important is pedal lenght and shape. My current pedals are a set of vintage rat traps that look like the MKS touring pedals with toe clips and straps.. I switched breifly to the MKS touring while I rebuilt the vintage ones. During the MKS period, I struck pavement a few times. Turns out the MKS are 3mm wider....seems 3mm makes all the difference in the world! IMHO, use the Lambert crank, cuz really, at your advanced age, how aggressive are you gonna get dropping that bad boy into high speed corners?

JohnDThompson 

If you intend to keep using toeclips, track pedals will give you a little more clearance in corners than the Lambert quill pedals.

Some people do ride fixed without foot retention, but it's not a good idea, especially if you don't have a caliper brake installed. Once your foot comes off on a fixed gear bike, it's hard to get it back on until the bike has slowed considerably. If you were counting on using your legs to slow down, that's a real problem.

N.B. there's always the "Ted Shred" method, I suppose:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeaT02eYYdc

mparker326

I ride no foot retention but I have a brake. I ride basic MKS touring platform pedals. Pre-S3x fixed riding, I started with straps and clips. I ride in stop and go city traffic a lot and I need to get going and not fool with trying to get the pedal rotated to get my foot in the strap. Since you can't coast on a fixed, you can imagine that getting your foot in a moving target that is rotated downward will sometimes be difficult. I then switched to just having my right foot strapped in for a while and had a plain platform pedal on the left. After I got more experienced, I went straight platform and never had an issue with my feet getting thrown off the pedals. When I first got the S3X, I had my feet thrown off the pedals several times when shifting from 3rd to 2nd, but I know how to avoid that now.

rhm

Okay, I think it's a done deal! 14t cog is in the mail; until it arrives I'm using a 13t and it seems okay. Installation is done and it looks like all the existing crank and pedals and such will work just fine. I will change the toe clips to straps soon; I just don't like the toe clips that much.

Took it for a spin... and that was fun! I think I'm going to like this. So... maybe a century on Sunday to find out for sure? Heh heh heh. Thanks, gents!

Ted Shred indeed! How long until they call him Dead Ted?

Velognome 

Sounds like you've already got a plan. Careful, it's addictive!

rhm

Update. And a question or two.

Is riding with a fixed gear hub harder on your posterior than riding with a freewheel? Normally when my butt gets sore on a long ride I stand up on the pedals and coast for a while. Yesterday, this not being an option, I started to get very sadldle sore! It did not help that the saddle was a newly recovered Brooks B17 and the leather on it is very hard. Towards the end of the ride I was spending a lot of time in my highest gear, standing up. And pedaling, because I didn't seem to have any choice.

With about 20 miles to go I discovered, quite by accident, the "neutral" position just above 1st gear. I couldn't always find it; but with practice I got better. I suspect I will use this more as I get used to it. Do you guys use the neutral position at all? Any warnings you want to give me about it?

Anyway, I did my century, 100.5 miles or so, and it took a lot more out of me than most centuries. Didn't help that it was a very hot day. Drank lots of water!

ThermionicScott 

Congrats! Was it your first FG century? (I dunno if the folks in SS/FG would count it, since you had multiple gears, but...)

I'm definitely thankful that my FG bike has big tires to smooth out the bumps. Still, it has made me more vigilant about picking less-bumpy lines in the road. I've found that if I brace myself by tensing both legs during a spin, that lifts me up just enough to cushion against major impacts.

rhm

Yes! I've done lots of centuries, but this was the most painful one to date.[/QUOTE]


Aha, so that's a 'yes' to my initial question. Glad to hear it's not just me! I wonder if I can fit 35 mm tires under those fenders....

mparker326

You sound like a glutton for punishment a century on a fixed gear with an unbroken in leather saddle!

I've hit the neutral once or twice by accident, I don't try to hit it on purpose as I am afraid the whole thing will come grinding to a halt. One of the reasons why I don't use foot retention is I like to put my feet up on the fork crown during long descents & let it rip (while breaking occasionally - I'm not that crazy).

ThermionicScott 

Yeah, I'd be hating life if I was using 700x23 tires and had to be "seated" for some of the roads I take to work. I should take some pictures...

I really need to spice things up and do a fixed-gear century -- I think my Facebook friends are getting bored of my "century" posts by this point.

rhm

Heh heh, yeah, I've been thinking about foot pegs on the fork blades as well. Could probably repurpose some handlbar ends. But that won't help my a$$.