Originally Posted by
markk900
To add to the SW/AW discussion, according to Tony Hadland (who seems to be *the* authority on Sturmey Archer history), his notes on the SW start with "About 1954/55, Sturmey-Archer withdrew the AW three speed...[and] was replaced by the SW...". Withdrew implies not making them anymore, however later Tony notes: "...the decision was made to cease production of the SW and reinstate the tried and trusted AW. In 1958 the AW returned to the range and by 1960 the SW, like a bad dream, had all but vanished." This implies no AWs between 1955 and 1957 (inclusive).
All sounds good except that I have a bike with a 56 AW, and
barnfind also has a 56 AW. So it does appear that while the marketing department wanted to see the SW replace the AW it appears that AWs continued to be available during the "blackout". My opinion is that as the poor reliability of the SW made itself known in 1955 and into 1956, manufacturers demanded supplies of more reliable hubs and the factory either used up spares or started up the AW manufacturing in 1956 while publicly pretending the SW was still going to make it. Its telling that it took until 1960 to stop making the SW even after the AW was reintroduced officially.
I got my quotes from Hadland's book "The Sturmey Archer Story".
I was digging through my box of SA parts this morning and found this 57-2 dated 36h AW shell. It sort of tells me that they never stopped making the AW when the SW was around. I've also got three SW hubs here, one dated 56-9, one 57-3, and one Hercules branded SW marked 58-6.
I've also got a bike upstairs in storage that has a 59-4 40 spoke AW hub.
My guess is that the SW was only an option meant to maybe take over as the number one offering but it failed.
Over the years, I've only seen them on Raleigh and Hercules bikes. I've yet to find one on a Robin Hood, Dunelt, Philips, Royce Union, or other English bike.
The Hercules SW hub I've got was salvaged from a 24" ladies bike that came to me through a police auction many years ago. The bike had been hit by a car, the hub was one of the few things I salvaged from that bike. It was an odd bike, it had full skirt guards on both sides of the rear wheel, a painted to match rear rack, a painted front rack, matching two tone red/white seat, ribbed hand grips just like those on most Raleigh bikes but in white and about 3/4" shorter, alloy GB brakes and levers, level bend cruiser type bars with about a 4" rise, and chrome Raleigh style fenders partially painted in the frame color but with the middle and outer edges left chrome.
The rims were Raleigh Westrick pattern but in stainless steel in 32-40h (on a 24x1 3/8" rim). It had wide made in England white wall tires. I think the tires were also branded Hercules as well.
There are lots of running changes in the SW hub, they started out with a two piece shift indicator and ended up using the same one as an AW. I believe the early versions can be converted to use an AW indicator.
