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For the love of English 3 speeds...

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For the love of English 3 speeds...

Old 08-19-19, 04:26 AM
  #21076  
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Originally Posted by BigChief
I've never had one of these quadrant shifters, but if they're like the later triggers, that's an embossed brass face plate on the front. The chrome on the trigger face plates is quite delicate. It's not the usual type of plating. Only the front is plated and there's no plating in the embossed areas. It's like they printed it on somehow. If you look at the edge and can tell if the front is a separate plate, I wouldn't soak it in any acid like vinagar. It may eat away what's left. For sure, don't use any abrasives. If the front is one piece of solid chrome plated steel, you might get away with a vinagar soak. I would just clean off dirt and call it good. Nice find.
Yeah, most of the ones I've seen online have a brass plate. Probably because of others that have cleaned them in the past.
I'll be careful and keep it at a anti-rust gel + ultrasonic cleaner treatment and go from there.
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Old 08-19-19, 04:38 AM
  #21077  
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Originally Posted by JaccoW
Got my hands on a classic SA shifter. Don't really need it right now but it was cheap and in decent shape.
Any ideas how to best get this into even better shape?

I'm thinking some rubbing with aluminum foil and a couple of baths in the ultrasonic cleaner?
Perhaps use some rust treatment to get rid of some of the spots on here?
Don't want to damage the chrome.

Good find!
I wish I had one.
Agree w/ BC.
I would just gently clean with some dish soap and a tooth brush.
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Old 08-19-19, 05:02 AM
  #21078  
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I have taken apart one of the "newer" 4-speed trigger shifters and restored it to working order but I don't think I will have to with this one.
It seems like a waste of the patina at least.

Here is the other one:

Before:


After:
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Old 08-19-19, 07:54 AM
  #21079  
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Originally Posted by JaccoW
I have taken apart one of the "newer" 4-speed trigger shifters and restored it to working order but I don't think I will have to with this one.
It seems like a waste of the patina at least.

Here is the other one:

After:
That looks really nice. Did you repaint?
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Old 08-19-19, 09:34 AM
  #21080  
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Originally Posted by JaccoW
Got my hands on a classic SA shifter. Don't really need it right now but it was cheap and in decent shape.
Any ideas how to best get this into even better shape?

I'm thinking some rubbing with aluminum foil and a couple of baths in the ultrasonic cleaner?
Perhaps use some rust treatment to get rid of some of the spots on here?
Don't want to damage the chrome.

Nice! Saw the ad on Marktplaats and you bidding on it. It has the right amount of patina!
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Old 08-19-19, 12:18 PM
  #21081  
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Originally Posted by Ballenxj
That looks really nice. Did you repaint?
I agree. This looks much better with the colors restored even if there's no help for the missing chrome. On this shifter, the colors were gone but the chrome was still intact. There is no chrome in the embossed areas so just a dull, plain brass was showing. I could only see traces of black in the "3 SA and England areas, so I didn't add red. I covered the areas to be restored with a permanent magic marker, lightly soaked alcohol on a piece of paper ( a heavier paper like stationary is better than shiny paper like printer paper) and wiped off the excess on a flat surface.


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Old 08-19-19, 04:27 PM
  #21082  
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Originally Posted by alexnagui
Nice! Saw the ad on Marktplaats and you bidding on it. It has the right amount of patina!
Ha! Seems like I'm not the only one with an active "Sturmey Archer" search.

Originally Posted by Ballenxj
That looks really nice. Did you repaint?
Originally Posted by BigChief
I agree. This looks much better with the colors restored even if there's no help for the missing chrome. On this shifter, the colors were gone but the chrome was still intact. There is no chrome in the embossed areas so just a dull, plain brass was showing. I could only see traces of black in the "3 SA and England areas, so I didn't add red. I covered the areas to be restored with a permanent magic marker, lightly soaked alcohol on a piece of paper ( a heavier paper like stationary is better than shiny paper like printer paper) and wiped off the excess on a flat surface.
Nice result BigChief. I did something similar but using acrylic paint. Used some paper and alcohol soaked cotton buds to get clean lines. I went for these colors as they seemed to match up with pictures of the same model I found online.
Went through the trouble of disassembling the entire thing but that of course means you either have to replace the pins with new ones or drill the holes out for screws. I think I have a post around here somewhere with a bit more information.

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Old 08-19-19, 05:31 PM
  #21083  
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New Hudson with 3 speed

Anyone from our 3 speed group ever hear of o New Hudson (mine was purchased in Ohio at a Department store in 1954) very English, Brooks Saddle, Black Paint, including Tyre Pump, 26 x 1-3/8 Wheels, White Paint on rear of Mudguard...

price, at the time $49.00.

Eager to hear, Julius in Northwood, Ohio
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Old 08-19-19, 08:30 PM
  #21084  
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Originally Posted by julius rensch
Anyone from our 3 speed group ever hear of o New Hudson (mine was purchased in Ohio at a Department store in 1954) very English, Brooks Saddle, Black Paint, including Tyre Pump, 26 x 1-3/8 Wheels, White Paint on rear of Mudguard...

price, at the time $49.00.

Eager to hear, Julius in Northwood, Ohio
Sure, New Hudson was a long time bicycle/motorcycle manufacturer. Things start getting confusing by the 1950s. Lots of brands got bought up by larger companies but the names lived on. For a while.
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Old 08-19-19, 08:40 PM
  #21085  
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This weekend my daughter and I took a dad/daughter trip to NY/Massachusetts/VT. She really doesn't ride, but I brought my 66 and my wife's 74 Sports and we slow rolled about 8 miles on the Ashtuwillticook Trail. May be one of my best rides ever...


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Old 08-19-19, 08:58 PM
  #21086  
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Originally Posted by BigChief
Sure, New Hudson was a long time bicycle/motorcycle manufacturer. Things start getting confusing by the 1950s. Lots of brands got bought up by larger companies but the names lived on. For a while.
Thanks Big Chief...my wife had a new Denault (ck spelling) very much similar to the Mew Hudson...sold by Sears in 1961
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Old 08-19-19, 09:24 PM
  #21087  
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Old 08-19-19, 09:41 PM
  #21088  
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What size tires/rims are on that sweet bike?
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Old 08-19-19, 09:58 PM
  #21089  
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Originally Posted by jackbombay
What size tires/rims are on that sweet bike?
700Cx37, and they barely clear the fork crown. The rims are Sun Rhynolites, and way too wide for the tires. When I had the wheels built, I thought I'd be able to mount larger tires.
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Old 08-19-19, 10:20 PM
  #21090  
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I agree! arex, that is one sweet resto-mod. The only thing I would do different, would be to retain the standard 3 speed style handlebars.
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Old 08-20-19, 07:41 AM
  #21091  
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Originally Posted by arex
700Cx37, and they barely clear the fork crown. The rims are Sun Rhynolites, and way too wide for the tires. When I had the wheels built, I thought I'd be able to mount larger tires.

Ahhh, thats still a lot of tire on a 3 speed, but you don't get to keep the fenders on.

I'm looking at doing a Raleigh with a 650b wheelset so I can keep fenders and have a large selection of tires. The one issue there is that there aren't many 650b rim brake rims available, I have found some, but I need to do some more digging.
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Old 08-21-19, 06:01 AM
  #21092  
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Advertised as a 1951 Raleigh Clubman...


A bit pricey @ $250.00
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Old 08-21-19, 11:50 AM
  #21093  
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Picked up a Koga-Miyata SilverAce today after the unfortunate end of my 1989 Koga-Miyata RoadAce project.

Probably a 1996 model with Koga's Hardtlite FM-1 tubing (chromoly, potentially splined triple butted frame tubes) and a high manga steel fork. Cream of the crop in 3-speed 7-speed city bikes at the time. Fairly light at less than 17 kilos (37 lbs) for a fully featured IGH bike.

As you can tell I'm pleased and I'll be starting a project thread soon.

My plan is to overhaul it and turn it into a nice and durable commuter with SA drum brakes + dynohub and add some racks.



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Old 08-21-19, 12:30 PM
  #21094  
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Originally Posted by gster
Advertised as a 1951 Raleigh Clubman...


A bit pricey @ $250.00


Very, very tempting gster.....but it has a derailer?? A Clubman would have had an AW, FW or FM, perhaps an ASC in my dream world?

This one looks to have had a long, eventful life. The patina is fun.
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Old 08-21-19, 01:14 PM
  #21095  
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I can't say for sure, never had one, but this is a different bike from the one listed in the 1951 catalog. Cool though it is.

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Old 08-21-19, 06:43 PM
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Originally Posted by Ged117
Very, very tempting gster.....but it has a derailer?? A Clubman would have had an AW, FW or FM, perhaps an ASC in my dream world?

This one looks to have had a long, eventful life. The patina is fun.
I'd need a date verification and a better price....
g
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Old 08-22-19, 06:52 AM
  #21097  
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Originally Posted by gster
I'd need a date verification and a better price....
g
I wonder why the seller claims it to be a 51 Clubman. Looks to be taller than a 22" frame, no guide wheel mount brazed to the top tube, no chrome socks, different mudguard stay mounts and appears to have 26" wheels. Can't see the crank or lug shapes. An earlier version or something like a Lenton perhaps?
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Old 08-23-19, 04:54 AM
  #21098  
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Originally Posted by BigChief
I wonder why the seller claims it to be a 51 Clubman. Looks to be taller than a 22" frame, no guide wheel mount brazed to the top tube, no chrome socks, different mudguard stay mounts and appears to have 26" wheels. Can't see the crank or lug shapes. An earlier version or something like a Lenton perhaps?
I don't have your level of knowledge re: dating these older bikes but I agree that
the date seems off.
here's a lug detail

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Old 08-23-19, 06:25 AM
  #21099  
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This doesn't seem fair. Mike, the owner of my LBS, found, abandoned and unlocked, a 1953 Schwinn Superior SA three-speed with a generator rear hub. Fillet brazed, cottered crank, unbent and in excellent condition missing just the original saddle, one grip, a pedal, and the headlight lens. But otherwise the fenders, the chain cover, rims, all in good shape. I'm sure I've seen this chainring before. Could someone remind me about it?
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Old 08-23-19, 07:52 AM
  #21100  
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@groth, the NYC Century is a difficult century because there are so many stops for red lights and other kinds of traffic. There are plenty of hills. They're not amazingly challenging hills, but combined with the stop-and-go, you will find them to present a challenge. I'm not discouraging you from taking your 3-speed, but don't expect it to be an easy ride.

Maybe you'll see me there. I'm participating as a marshal.
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