Sturmey Archer 3 speed gear hubs on Walmart Cruiser!?
 

Wow very surprised to see Sturmey Archer 3 speed gear hubs on a cheaper bike from Walmart.

My wife wanted this beach cruiser from Walmart and wanted nothing to do with an older vintage beach cruiser so I relented and we bought this Beach Cruiser over the weekend.

I have to admit it is super cute and it does ride nice and the 3 speed hub shifts so sweet and smooth. It was the only adult bike at Walmart and their racks have been empty for months and months since Covid. So I was very surprised to even see it on the floor.

I would have never considered getting another bike from Walmart knowing how poorly made some of them are. So I was a little more than surprised to see the Sturmey Archer 3 speed gear hub on the bike.

I have to admit it is very comfortable to ride but I really wanted to find an old vintage beach cruiser to fix up for her but she wanted this one.
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...8051f79da.jpeg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b54411215.jpeg
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Bottle opener, drink holder, white wall tires, Jimmy Buffet, and Sturmey Archer. :D

Does that bike have a rear drum brake built into that S/A hub?

I think it's a disc brake in the back, it's not one of the coaster brakes where you backpedal to stop it.

And I did not even notice the bottle opener until you mentioned it!! Ha!! That’s pretty awesome!!

Sure seems to exceed Walmart quality "standards". May I ask the price?

It was $198 and exactly that is why I was shocked to see the SA hub on the bike.. I was like wow? really? My wife won't really be getting heavy use out of it so I'm not as concerned about the frame quality not holding up, and the other things I can learn how to fix and replace as needed. But it's pretty cool looking and will be nice for riding around the RV park during camping season.

I agree that it'll be perfect for your wife. The frame appears to have good welds, and probably is strong enough to last 50 years as long as you store it properly. I've got an inexpensive Chinese frame that I built with "e" mid-power. Ir's been thrashed off road for five years without mishap.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6069927346.jpg

This is a fantastic find. Are you sure it's a disc brake in the back? Looks like a drum, or possibly a band brake.

Looks like the standard Sturmey Archer hub with embedded coaster brake to me. You backpedal to brake. These hubs have been around for decades.

That is an incorrect assumption. The bike is a 3 speed Sturmey-Archer, and it has dual hand brake levers. There's a front caliper brake, and the rear is either a drum or band brake. Go look at the pictures. You can see the brake cable running to the left side of the hub. It's DEFINITELY not a coaster brake. ;)

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a174383af8.jpg

Wow what a cute and functional bike. It'll last a long time. 1 pc cranks do require a good annual lube. Backwards thread to remove. I might even have look at it right away. Cheap bikes = cheap lube.
It's a DRUM brake for sure. You'll need it because of the painted rim brake on the front.
Somebody definitely screwed up with the price. Should be $490 at the very least.
Last week I looked at the website, where the same frame with SS was $380.

It's a Disc brake in the back :thumb:

Wow great to know we got a decent deal on the price. The bike rides pretty awesome to be totally honest and I love the Disc brake in the back!!!

You are definitely correct!! there is no coaster brake on this. I've ridden this around the subdivision a few times now and this bike rides really smooth.

Can you please take a picture of the brake for us. I've never seen a disc brake that looks like it. I have 2 bikes that have disc brakes. This is nothing like what I have.

Sure!! I'll take some pics when I get home from work today, I'm assuming it's a disc brake since it doesn't have the rim brakes, I know for sure it's not a coaster brake because when you backpedal it's just like a regular 10 speed and the cranks keep going and don't stop.

I don't know all the jargon yet, so I just assumed it would be a disc brake, Definitely not a coaster brake though and not a rim brake

It's either a drum or band brake. A disc is totally different.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...261fa4cde8.jpg

PS: quote me once, as multiple quotes are unnecessary.

i have the instruction booklet here with me at work and I just looked at the Sturmey Archer info and it is a Drum Brake!! The model of hub on the bike is the RX-RD3
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...00d73d2bc.jpeg

Yes I stand corrected. I did not realize the brake lever on the handlebar in the angle the pic was taken.

No big deal. It's a learning experience. You definitely got a great bike, at a great price, for the wife. ENJOY!!! :beer:

The hub alone sells for $120 or so.

I believe this bicycle is an interesting testament to the supply chain struggles going on in the bicycle industry. From the Walmart online ordering site this bike is a Kent 3 speed womens beach cruiser with steel frame and fork. It is equipped with a Shimano 3 speed hub with what they call a Linear brake. This particular bike does not have the Shimano hub. Rivendell bicycles out of the bay area has posted on their website that they are having shortages of their new bicycles from Taiwan because of shortages of bicycle component groups. I'm thinking the Sturmey Archer was substituted for the Shimano 3 speed due to parts shortages. Both of the 3 speeds mentioned are good running long lasting hubs so good luck with your new beach cruiser.