in reality ..http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/h...psmii4rsyo.jpg

Had a nice time at the Society of Three Speeds meeting at Velo Cult tonight. I've never been to one so not sure what the usual turnout is, but tonight there were about 7 people. I met @jyl there too and spent some time catching up. He hosted a fantastic C & V bike ride last summer.

Anyway there was a trivia game and I won some swag! The answers I got were specifically about Sturmey Archer & their 3 speed hubs! The map to the gorge and Portland were free.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431819 Velocivixen with her Phillips http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431820 Top tube protector from Black Star bags, toe clips, a thermos with an a Sturmey Archer hub diagram and some shaving cream & brush (no, It's not for my mustache!) http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431821 Here's a map with bike routes to the Columbia Gorge and some nice info on Portland.


I also won a free membership into the Society of Three Speeds. I had to plead my case as to why I should get a free membership. The others had to agree that my reason would suffice. I said that I bought my first 3 speed recently and disassembled/reassembled my dynohub. That must be true love right? I got a card, some pins and other swag for being a member. I even had to take a 3 part oath!

All in all it was a fun evening.

Oh, I almost forgot. I got to see some stunning Raleighs. I got to see two bronze green Raleighs - a Superbe, which had the fork lock/key and a rear wheel lock/key! So lovely. Then I spoke to a fellow about his Raleigh Sport that he bought from the original owner, who maybe rode it 20 miles. The chrome rims were pristine. Really fantastic bike.

outstanding . i wish i could find 1 person local to school me on these things now that in own a few ( the hubs are english SA, not the bikes ) ..http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/h...pstlo9vtrm.jpg

and then i see this .. which is it .. perpendicular or parellel.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=431824

Yes they still make fly paper. I can buy it at my locally owned been in business for 90 years hardware store.:thumb: Though I have found that pennies in a ziploc bag full of water do a better job and not nearly as messy.

Aaron:)

velovixen... sorry about the delay, life has been kicking my butt over the last couple of weeks.

Here are a couple of pictures of the setup on my Raleigh Twenty with the AG hub, along with a picture or two of the B&M Classic in comparison to the 70's stock Raleigh headlight.

Aaron :)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7324/...0825d5bc_z.jpghttps://farm9.staticflickr.com/8644/...509d6b4d_z.jpghttps://farm8.staticflickr.com/7352/...d4ecebc8_z.jpghttps://farm8.staticflickr.com/7362/...fb86ccca_z.jpg

Good to see you and glad you had fun! But now you actually need to come on a ride! ;)

Anyways, pics of Velocivixen's Phillips here:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7359/...390b66b5a3.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7320/...91c5b107bb.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7396/...bc23d5758a.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7448/...7b3f2216ba.jpg

@adventurepdx - thank you for the meeting last night and for being such a good host. Had a great time looking at all the well appointed three speeds. Now I have something for my three speed to aspire too. Also, you took nice photos of my Phillips. Thanks!

spotted on Fleabay: NOT ENGLISH MADE 3 speed hub. This is the Austrian made Styria. Parts interchange with the Sturmey AW and JC Higgins.

Vintage Styria 3 Speed 28h Hub 1970' Puch Raleigh BSA Bike Like Sturmey Archer | eBay

Question: How do you all, who have the SA "flick" shifter, position it on your handlebars. The front forward bend on the right side of my Phillips has all the chrome worn through to the steel from, what I believe, is repositioning of the shifter. I'm getting replacement handlebars in a couple of day that has nice chrome and I don't want to have to reposition my shifter a bunch of times. I currently have the shifter about 1" from the brake lever clamp, where I can simply reach my thumb or finger to "flick" it. I found this "instructional" page from SA Heritage which gives specific information regarding where you should mount your shifter.

http://www.sturmey-archerheritage.co.../pic-232.1.jpg

http://www.sturmey-archerheritage.co...-detail&id=517

Where do you mount your shifters?

This depends a bit on if you have a more 'modern' (late 50s and on) unit that perches on top of the bar or the older 'upside down' version, but generaly speaking I mount it so it is readily available to my index finger without moving my hand from the grip.

That usually means that it is fairly close to the brake lever mounting.

I tried mounting them like the picture in the bottom left with the shifter more down below horizontal and it seemed awkward. So now mine are standing up at attention.

I usually lean it away from me a bit if its the right side up version, which it looks like you have. This seems to sit nicer on the bars, which usually have a bit of a curve going on.

i find this is the most comfortable . the up shifts are helped with the spring in the hub and should take care of themselves with a push of the index finger . the down shift is where you will be exerting pressure on the trigger , so where ever your index finger is comfortable pulling down on it .finger lenght will factor in of course http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=432059

^+1

I mount mine the way @michaelz28 mounts his.

Nice picture of you, @Velocivixen! Great story about being inducted into the group. I wish I could have attended.

I prefer this mount... :)

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikep...rtsbrifter.JPG

I, too, have mine mounted like @michaelz28. Ok, then that's how I may decide to keep it.
@Sixty Fiver - nice way to mount on drop bars!

OK, I have another question. Sorry to keep asking so much, but I'm totally new to 3 speed hubs. I've searched online and on this forum and don't quite have a complete understanding. When bike is in the stand and I shift from "Normal" to high I see the toggle chain on the indicator pin move, but it takes about 1/2 pedal revolution for the high gear to actually "catch" if I stop pedaling just for a second while shifting. If I keep pedaling lightly, it seems to "catch" the high gear right away. Is this typical/normal?

So here's how I shift. When shifting to an easier gear I completely stop pedaling just for a second while shifting, then continue pedaling. The shift lever moves the cable super easily that way and the new gear engages immediately. When I'm shifting from low to Normal it doesn't matter whether I pedal lightly or stop all together, the gear seems to "catch" immediately. It's only when I'm shifting from Normal to high that one of two things happen: If I keep pedaling lightly the high gear seems to engage quickly (usually); however, If I stop pedaling for a split second while shifting I don't hear or feel the gear catch at all until about a 1/2 revolution.

I know that the "resting" position of the SA hub is in "high" gear. It seems that shifting to high should be immediate and easy no matter what I'm doing when I shift because the clutch spring is pushing the clutch down. I guess I don't understand why shifting from N to high only is sluggish when not pedaling for a second. Anyway I bought a new clutch spring thinking maybe the old one is past it's prime. I have already replaced the axle key (flats were rounded), and the shift cable/housing have been replaced. SA manual says for sluggish shifting I should also consider a new indicator pin/toggle chain because the links on the chain can get "worn". Also suggests a bent axle can cause sluggish shifting.

OK, thanks.

its kind of like an older car without a syncro / mesh transmition . make sure your in a gear before you let out the clutch ( or start peddling ) . no racer for sure . the more its ridden , the more you will understand the gearing . i would be sure your in low approaching a hill , not try to downshift in the middle of it . try one of these ( my 69 3 speed sting ray ) for sure shifting http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=432166

I like mine as close to the brake lever as possible and parallel to the ground, i.e. flat.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=432167

well after some debate on my kick stand ( non original ) i pulled the trigger on this one ..Esge Pletscher Aluminum Kickstand Raleigh Sport 26" Free Shipping USA | eBay...http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=432168

Velocivixen: https://threespeedmania.wordpress.co...ion/pic-517-3/

Haha - those are the same images, albeit different source, I posted as links in post #6132 . Thanks though.


@gster - I like that position. Maybe I will try that (on my current crappy bars). Figure out what position I like then transfer to new bars.


@michaelz28 - very nice. Can't wait to see it mounted.

Regarding the the behavior of the high gear - I just want to know that this is normal. If not normal, then perhaps internal parts are worn & could use replacement.

If this is a 60 year old hub with low miles, as is usually the case, I would not make any hasty judgments about it. What it needs, more than anything, is exercise. The sluggish shifting may fix itself.

Sturmey Archer couldn't figure out where the trigger belonged, so there's no easy answer. Put it where it makes the most sense while you're riding. I like to shift with my finger, but you may prefer to use your thumb. However you like it, that's the right way.

The comparison of using a Sturmey Archer 3 speed and driving a manual transmission is very apt, with a car you use a clutch and when riding a three speed you need to soft pedal or coast to unload the pawls so they can move inside the hub.

Under pedalling load these pawls are pressed against the hub shell and will resist being moved unless power is reduced, upshifting under moderate load is usually pretty smooth but downshifting under load requires a little clutch work but this only takes a split second once you get used to it.

When you are accelerating the pawls are engaged and the moment you go to shift the hub shell will over run the pawls just a little and then you should be able to shift up with no issues, when you are downshifting under load you need to back off the pedals or coast to allow the hub to shift as the hub shell will want to decelerate against the pawls and the first gear is not that well synchronized.

This all takes into consideration a hub that has all it's respective bits working properly and one that has been lubed and run out... like @rhm said is that all these hubs need is a little exercise and smooth themselves out.

Thanks for all the info on shifting. I'm not complaining about it. It shifts well, but just shifts differently when I coast & shift normal to high vs all other combos. Easy enough to shift though overall. No gear slipping or weird sounds. I'm not going to start rebuilding it or anything. I'm very happy to have a SA and plan to take good care of it.:thumb:

Wish I was close enough to make the Society meetings... I think I must be member number 2 or 3 and have served as adventurepdx's personal mechanic and enabler as we have been good friends for many years and have also lived under the same roof with a bunch of bicycles in the basement when Portland was my second home. Many of those were British 3 speeds as my spouse and his better half also rode one of their own. A lot of my riding in Portland was done on my wife's Raleigh 20, there really wasn't any place that bike would not take me.

I always like hanging out at Velocult, Sky and I share a love of vintage bicycles and good beer and one day I will probably have some home grown mountain bikes to donate to the collection and display.

It has been icy cold and snowy here but tomorrow night I have to go and mind the co-op and figure my Raleigh 20, which is sporting some winter tyres, will be the way to travel as it is such a capable winter ride.

We have an unofficial Three Speed group here and most of my close friends and fellow mechanics ride Raleigh 20's as well as other vintage 3 speeds and we get together regularly.

I should be scheduling my annual 3 speed workshop here... we have a lot of folks who ride them and want to be able to service them as well as volunteer mechanics who needs that skill set when these lovely old bicycles roll in.

The shifting behavio(u)r you describe sounds normal to me.

@Sixty Fiver - cool to hear about your history here in Stumptown. First Society of Three Speeds ride is scheduled for March 21st & hope to attend. I would absolutely love to help teach a three speed class. Even though I'm new to 3-speeds I can still show people how to do basic stuff. It's so enjoyable to teach someone something that's helpful & have them say, "Wow. Thanks. I never knew..."
@noglider - by the sound of it I'm good to go then. :thumb:

Sheesh. I should stop doing this. I found what looks like something unusual, a Rivi Sport 3-speed. Its a French brand, but I am posting here as it has a British hub, but a Brampton, not an SA.http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=432284http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=432285http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=432286The crank is fluted and designed to look high end. The lugwork is really nice and lined. Anyone ever run into one of these?