Herculean task
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Herculean task
I recently acquired a 1940's era Hercules out of Birmingham. The hub is an AType9, which may indicate that it was built between 1943 and 1951. Any comments on that?
An issue that has revealed itself is that the dovetail brake pads are slightly narrower than the modern versions. Are there replacements available? Can a modern pad be carved down at the dovetail to fit the narrower slot without compromising safety?
An issue that has revealed itself is that the dovetail brake pads are slightly narrower than the modern versions. Are there replacements available? Can a modern pad be carved down at the dovetail to fit the narrower slot without compromising safety?
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Another issue with my Hercules is the shifter. It has a SA shifter but I can’t seem to tune it to where all three gears click. I can’t get combinations of two but the third one is always in between.
Does the AType9 require a Hercules shifter?o
Does the AType9 require a Hercules shifter?o
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We need pics, good ones and lots of them.
You need 5 posts X 2 days for 10 to post them, anti-spam security measure that serves us very well.
Respond separately to any posts here and others that interest you to get there.
You can post them to a gallery and they may get added here.
No expert here but the shifting issue may be in the hub but we'll get to that.
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and yes to carving the pads.
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To determine whether you have a hub or a shifter problem, try putting your bike on a shop stand and pulling on the shift cable while you turn the cranks. You should get third gear (wheel turns faster than rear cog) with the cable slack, and first gear (wheel turns more slowly than the cog) with the cable pulled taut. As you ease the cable slightly from the taut / first gear position, you should be able to engage second gear, in which the cog and wheel rotate at the same speed. This is also the gear you use when adjusting cable length.
When I converted an old 10-speed into a 3-speed, I just used the old Huret friction shift lever -- all the way back for first, slightly above first for second, and then all the way forward for third, with neutral between 2nd and 3rd. Since mine had a coaster brake, that free/neutral position was extremely convenient while waiting for red lights at intersections.
When I converted an old 10-speed into a 3-speed, I just used the old Huret friction shift lever -- all the way back for first, slightly above first for second, and then all the way forward for third, with neutral between 2nd and 3rd. Since mine had a coaster brake, that free/neutral position was extremely convenient while waiting for red lights at intersections.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
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Are the pads similar to the narrow and 48mm long pads used on Raleighs of the time? If so, there are some NOS pads on eBay, though the seller does mention they're rock hard.
I ordered a pair and plan to dunk them in a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and wintergreen oil to see if I can bring them back to life. Already did with one unmarked-brand pad from the 1960's to great success. Admittedly, a used Fibrax pad in the same solution didn't do so well, but the Fibrax pads always appeared to be of a slightly different rubber compound than the rest.
-Kurt
I ordered a pair and plan to dunk them in a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and wintergreen oil to see if I can bring them back to life. Already did with one unmarked-brand pad from the 1960's to great success. Admittedly, a used Fibrax pad in the same solution didn't do so well, but the Fibrax pads always appeared to be of a slightly different rubber compound than the rest.
-Kurt