banjo_mole 

Well... I acquired this '67 or '69 the other day, and it's in somewhat crummy shape.

This is it post-cleaning and shift cable installation.





The lowest gear just spins and spins and spins and nothing happens, but on occasion a pawl will "catch" and I can ride in low gear for awhile, as long as I don't coast and lose that pawl. Is the hub toast? Or does it just need a whole can of Liquid Wrench sprayed into it??

Anyway, this is the bike. As for what to do with it, I'd like to share my ideas, and hear your ideas and thoughts:


So, it's in kinda scuffy shape. And I don't dig the pinstripes on the fenders. They look "tacky," IMO. But what do I know?

IDEA 1:To make this into my own personal Pashley-esque city beater. This idea involves
a black powdercoat, adding that lovely Raleigh-esque white fender panel in back,
getting a new seatpost,
new stem,
maybe some north roads,
and a dynohub in front,
or maybe even new wheels!
A round-blade fork?
And a CHAINCASE would rock. Where? How? Not the VO Porteur, though.

I'd also, on refinishing, get some new decals made for it. "MONTGOMERY" or "VAN SWERINGEN" decals, as a tribute to either my middle name, or Yehuda Moon & The Kickstand Cyclery, respectively.

That's IDEA 1.

IDEA 2- fix the hub. New brake pads. Ride as-is.

But I think it's kinda ugly.

That's just me.

Any thoughts on the matter from the peanut gallery? I don't think this is a particularly rare bike...

-Nick

banjo_mole 

6 views and not so much as a whisper?? Any thoughts? (And/or sources for chain cases that'll fit?)

mkeller234

I would use it as a guilt free beater. Commute with it in the worst weather and not feel bad if I didn't wipe it dry. Of course the steel rims don't work well for bad weather and I don't know if your commute is short enough to use a 3 speed tank (mine is 2 miles round trip)

banjo_mole 

Ahh... Mine is 10 miles round trip. I dunno. What to do?

Thanks for the post though. If anyone has any other ideas, as well as how to fix the low gear, let me know.

mkeller234

The low gear issue might be a cable tension problem, or maybe the pawls are gunked up. Squirt some fresh oil in the hub and see if that helps. Im assuming it's an AW hub?

Mos6502

Well, your bike has TWO cable fulcrum pulleys, which might make it impossible to properly adjust the hub. It really should work with just the factory one, unless the cable is remarkably long.
If you haven't put oil into the hub do so before trying to ride it, as it will self destruct if you don't. If you haven't adjust the shift cable do that too.

rumrunn6

wow, that's old! I love the rollers for the cables!

gomango

Heh Banjo,
You sir, have stumbled onto one of my favorite bikes to work on. I seem to find one or two of these each riding season. Sometimes they are a little rough, sometimes pristine. I have had mostly two speed Racers, but currently our family shares a green three speed Racer. They are tough and easy to work on. Most of its shifting problems can be fixed by a new supply of lube in the rear hub or a little trial and error with cable tension. I usually just get lucky. Here is a link to my 2nd favorite website, Sheldon Brown's. Read all the way through. Not just the id chart. It should set you straight.

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/sturmey-archer.html

Also, here's a dated pic of our workhorse. Only added items are a Brooks B-72 and some cork grips. We also put on the Wald newspaper delivery rack and it has twin Wald collapsible rear racks. The kids keep this in pretty good tune, and slack chain in the pic was dealt with long ago by my ten year old. This is "the" bike we all grab if we have short neighborhood excursions. One other fun fact. Our 13 year old rode it to his girlfriend's house to pic her up for a movie. We still can't figure out if he put her in the basket, or gave her a ride on the saddle. We are quite sure we don't want to know the complete story.



For what it is worth, get her running well and leave the rest alone. That bike has character.

Also, if you commute, don't forget the lights on the bike! Front and rear please.

pastorbobnlnh 

Banjo, as you can see on Gomango's Racer, someone installed an extra shift cable wheel on the seat tube on your Racer. Try removing it as well as the other great SA advice you've received. Best of luck!

sportridertex

I like it, I'd do a restore, new paint, clean it up, keep it original looking.

Kobe 

Give it the O&A bath, touch it up get some baskets and get yourself a paper route. I like it, but would not put the money into powder coating it. Besides, I just love the Racer name and it would be a crime to cover that up.

rhm

Ja, okay, since you asked.... don't repaint it. It looks exactly the way a 40+ year old beater bike should look. Nothing you can do will ever make this a lightweight, and if you're tempted to change it a lot, consider the possibility that this isn't the bike you wanted anyway. Feel free to remove the rust and replace it with wax and/or touchup paint. Don't like the pinstripes? Suck it up! It's an old Schwinn, it's supposed to look tacky! New seat post, new stem, northroads, chain case, forsooth? Nonsense! It's perfect the way it is.

The rear hub problems will probably go away when properly lubed and properly adjusted. If adjustment doesn't solve the problem, add oil and ride. It may take the oil a while to do it's job.

What's the gearing now, 46-18? If so, I'd change the rear cog to a 22T or so, that'll take a couple pounds off the bike right there (well, it'll feel like it). That will entail moving the wheel forward a little, and moving the fulcrum a little; or you can add a couple links to the chain. The extra pulley wheel is bizarre but shouldn't be a problem; you can take it off or leave it alone, probably doesn't matter. To get the right cable tension you may have to move the fulcrum a little.

noglider 

If oil and adjustment don't fix the hub, we can walk you through the overhaul. It's not that hard, and it's extremely rewarding to do. I love Sturmey Archer hubs!

I wonder what someone was thinking when he put that second pulley on. Anyone have any ideas?

This will be an excellent beater bike, one of the most reliable you will ever ride.

What is the terrain on your commute like? If it's not hilly, I think this bike should be fine, especially if you can get comfortable on it. Play with the saddle and handlebar adjustments. And this will sound crazy, but consider getting some pedals that are plain on one side and SPD on the other. That's what I have on my commuter bike, and I love them.

banjo_mole 

Hmm... That second pulley *did* look very wierd, indeed. I know my cable is in proper adjustment. I don't know why I spin without a gear, I believe my pawls are gummed up. I'll try it again.

Does anyone have a link to little 3-speed accessories?

I would like to replace the rusty seatpost and rusty pulley wheel. (It's also missing the oil cap on the AW hub.)

And still... I would kind of like to have a chaincase on it. Maybe not a repaint, but a chaincase. Any sources?

Otherwise, I could indeed keep it original.

Any reccomendations for a good lube to spray into the hub?

And define "self-destruct," in the context, "IF you ride it dry, it will self-destruct."

When I first got it I took it for a little spin, then I oiled it. Still no low gear. Just more oil, then?

rhm

Yellow Jersey, in Madison, has chain cases for Eastman roadsters. Whether they'll fit your racer, I hesitate to speculate.

Harris Cyclery has a good supply of Sturmey Archer parts, including the oil cap and sprockets. But if you call Yellow Jersey, ask them; they may have them too.

I don't know what it will take to get your hub working right;I'd recommend a lot of oiling it, riding it, and changing gears a lot while coasting. If an easy fix doesn't fix it, you can always escalate.

Typically the SA hub has grease on the ball bearings around the cones, which forms a bit of a seal to keep the oil on the inside in. If your oil has started to gum up, you may want to put some solvent in there to loosen it up; but you run the risk of dissolving the grease as well, and then you're going to have to replace the grease. But don't worry, you can replace the grease without doing a whole overhaul. And then, as Tom said, the complete overhaul isn't such a big deal either.

cman

Sounds like the hub adjustment advise is taken care of.

You can replace the seatpost and stem but it will have to be Schwinn again. Seatpost is 13/16" and the stem is 21.1mm

Amani576

I'd fix that oil cap first.
I'd be surprised if you have any oil in it if the cap is gone. Heck, if you can't find a replacement cap, perhaps a small piece of cork will seal it up.
As far as links to fixing it...
https://raleighgrifter.aceboard.com/2...her-refurb.htm
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/sturmey-archer/aw.html
Both of those will show disassembly and reassembly.
-Gene-

noglider 

Use a 10 to 30 weight oil in the hub.

Are you saying 2nd and 3rd gears work OK and only 1st slips?

ecsjr

Love the "Racer". Mine slips in 2nd gear, but i keep working on the cable tension.

Good Cruising bike, not so sure about a daily comuter. If mine didn't have sentimental value, I'd do the English remake you were thinking of - in honor of the SA hub.

brianinc-ville

Another source for lots of little Sturmey Archer parts:

https://smartbikeparts.com/search.php?man=Sturmey-Archer

If you overhaul the hub, let me know how it goes -- I'm contemplating my first attempt, too.

mkeller234

I know a guy that tried to fit an old full chaincase on his Raleigh Suberbe that came with a hockey stick chain guard. He described it as a nightmare and last I heard the chain case was laying in his basement, YMMV. Keep in mind that the seat post is a goofy skinny size, I would check ebay for old Schwinn seat posts.

pastorbobnlnh 

The chrome on Schwinn pieces can usually be polished to nearly new. Have you tried bronze wool?

cs1

What about making it a SS?

noglider 

What for?!

gomango

Believe me, you'll want all three gears with this baby. It weighs a ton! Especially with a case of beer in the racks.