We've a Sturmey-Archer 5 speed (2012 model) on one of our bikes and I'm having a dickens of a time adjusting it. I started with getting the indicator line just barely visible. Generally all works well except 3rd which skips, particularly when going from 2nd to 3rd but sometimes also from 4th to 3rd. I loosened the adjuster a bit (indicator line is just barely not visible now) but that didn't change things. I've fiddled with it back and forth and can't seem to find any way to get it to reliably hit all 5 gears.

Thanks,

Which gear was it in when you adjusted the indicator? The hub, model SRF5(W), on my wife's bike needs to be in 2nd gear when adjusting the indicator.

Yep, 2nd.

I had this problem for a while every time I had a flat on my 2010 torker graduate. It is an iterative process and works best if you get everything lined up in second and then go through all the gears and back to second, check the adjustment and go through the gears again until the pin is a bit off. this may take up to 5 or 6 times to get it to shift right while on the bike. After about two years it became much easier to adjust. I have been putting a bit of chain oil on the pin when I lube. Dont know if this has helped or not.

Good luck.

... bring it by & I'll have a look-see..

I have not found the Sturmey Archer adjustment instructions to be very helpful, but the principle is pretty simple. In the highest gear, the cable should be completely relaxed, but tight enough that as soon as you start moving the shifter, the whole cable, including the indicator chain, should start moving.

Thanks all. I was really hoping to avoid the iterative process... iterative process... iterative process... iterative process... iterative process... Oh well. I'll play with it tonight and see what happens.

I had one of these and it did this for months, I was constantly adjusting. Finally I brought it to the shop where I bought the wheel, and they couldn't get it right either. They replaced the hub internals under warranty. Shortly after that, I sold the bike. Fast forward almost a year--I ran into the guy I sold it to, and told me he had to have the hub internals replaced again. From my experience, these SA 5 speed hubs are really unreliable.

I have the same bike and took it to a bike shop. The wheel kept coming loose and this was throwing the shifing off. I don't remember what he told me but I think he said something to the effect the following. (I copied this from the Sturmey Archer instruction manual)

4. Fit the lock-washers (6)domed nuts (12) or hex nuts (8) or flange nuts (13)
on the axle. Screw the nuts finger tight.

5. Fit brake arm into brake arm clip (14) with nut (14A) and bolt (14B). Do not
tighten at this point.

Locate the lock-washer (6)fulcrum lever (7)/(15) and guide nut (16) or hex
nut (8) and guide pulley set (9), Do not tighten nuts at this point. Align the
wheel, tension the chain and ensure the fulcrum lever (7)/(15) is parallel with
the chainstay.

7. Tighten both axle nuts to 28Nm and the brake arm clip (14) nut to 7Nm

All this has to be done before you start working on the adjuster. Now you know why I don't ride that bike anymore!