For the love of English 3 speeds...
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,514
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 4,396 Times
in
2,093 Posts
-Kurt
Old fart
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Appleton WI
Posts: 24,790
Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3590 Post(s)
Liked 3,401 Times
in
1,935 Posts
Back in the day when threaded drivers were more common we came up with a custom jig or holder to removed stuck threaded sprockets without ruining the driver.
It was basically an oak 2x4 with a hole drilled through the center that matched the OD of the driver. Then there was a center bar that engaged the slots of the driver.
It was basically an oak 2x4 with a hole drilled through the center that matched the OD of the driver. Then there was a center bar that engaged the slots of the driver.
Likes For JohnDThompson:
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1,597
Bikes: Too many 3-speeds, Jones Plus LWB
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 359 Post(s)
Liked 265 Times
in
119 Posts
I just found a piece of steel (wrench handle, as it turned out) that would fit between the slots of the driver, clamped it in a vise, put the driver on it, and used a chain whip and cheater bar (the sprocket had probably been on there for at least half a century, with rust to show for it) to unscrew the driver. No harm done to the driver, but no great loss even if there was: the later splined driver for AW hubs is a drop-in replacement for the threaded driver and allows you to change sprockets without having to disassemble the hub.
Bikes are okay, I guess.
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posts: 6,938
Bikes: Waterford Paramount Touring, Giant CFM-2, Raleigh Sports 3-speeds in M23 & L23, Schwinn Cimarron oddball build, Marin Palisades Trail dropbar conversion, Nishiki Cresta GT
Mentioned: 69 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2647 Post(s)
Liked 2,446 Times
in
1,557 Posts
I also have several splined drivers, if anyone wants one.
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Toronto
Posts: 2,572
Bikes: 1971 Hercules, 1978 Raleigh Superbe, 1978 Raleigh Tourist, 1964 Glider 3 Speed, 1967 Raleigh Sprite 5 Speed, 1968 Hercules AMF 3 Speed, 1972 Raleigh Superbe, 1976 Raleigh Superbe, 1957 Flying Pigeon, 1967 Dunelt 3 Speed
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1028 Post(s)
Liked 444 Times
in
288 Posts
A young woman at the bar was keen to show me her new vintage bike.
A nice red Bianchi ($500)
I felt bad telling her that the fork was bent.
Fixable but I feel the seller was obligated to have told her
the truth considering the price.
Newbie
I won 3 English 3 Speeds at an Estate Auction yesterday. Now I have to figure out what I've got besides the Hercules which I'm trying to date. Good thing is, this is my 10th post and I can post photos.
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,514
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 4,396 Times
in
2,093 Posts
I just found a piece of steel (wrench handle, as it turned out) that would fit between the slots of the driver, clamped it in a vise, put the driver on it, and used a chain whip and cheater bar (the sprocket had probably been on there for at least half a century, with rust to show for it) to unscrew the driver. No harm done to the driver, but no great loss even if there was: the later splined driver for AW hubs is a drop-in replacement for the threaded driver and allows you to change sprockets without having to disassemble the hub.
Have used this method multiple times. It works, and the Sturmey driver is more than capable of handling the stress. I'd be more concerned about the wrench
-Kurt
Likes For cudak888:
Learning to Ride Again
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Posts: 13
Bikes: Several English Three Speeds
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Back in the day when threaded drivers were more common we came up with a custom jig or holder to removed stuck threaded sprockets without ruining the driver.
It was basically an oak 2x4 with a hole drilled through the center that matched the OD of the driver. Then there was a center bar that engaged the slots of the driver.
The board was cut in half lengthwise. The two halves would grasp the driver tightly in a vise, and the bar through the middle kept it from spinning.
We would warm the sprocket up with either a propane torch or heat gun and remove the sprocket with a chain whip.
Something like this:
It was basically an oak 2x4 with a hole drilled through the center that matched the OD of the driver. Then there was a center bar that engaged the slots of the driver.
The board was cut in half lengthwise. The two halves would grasp the driver tightly in a vise, and the bar through the middle kept it from spinning.
We would warm the sprocket up with either a propane torch or heat gun and remove the sprocket with a chain whip.
Something like this:
Of course! Any track cog for a track bike has the same thread. I have a Surly cog on my 1935 SA KB hub (don't tell anyone- shh). Its hidden inside the chaincase anyway. To remove the cog you simply need a chainwhip. I got one from Park tools which was equipped with a smaller chain but it was easy enough to replace the chain with the size I needed. With that the original cog came right off no worries.
I just found a piece of steel (wrench handle, as it turned out) that would fit between the slots of the driver, clamped it in a vise, put the driver on it, and used a chain whip and cheater bar (the sprocket had probably been on there for at least half a century, with rust to show for it) to unscrew the driver. No harm done to the driver, but no great loss even if there was: the later splined driver for AW hubs is a drop-in replacement for the threaded driver and allows you to change sprockets without having to disassemble the hub.
Thumpism, Thanks for the offer.
Newbie
I'm wondering if anyone knows anything about this bike I just got along with 2 others from an estate. It is a Royce Union. It is made in Manchester by what looks like Rigby Brothers. It has a SA hub dated 57 2 so I guess it was made in 1957. I know about later Royce Unions that were made in japan and other places but this is a mystery to me.
Full Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 475
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 200 Post(s)
Liked 136 Times
in
86 Posts
Which (post)war?
gm
gm
Newbie
I just found a piece of steel (wrench handle, as it turned out) that would fit between the slots of the driver, clamped it in a vise, put the driver on it, and used a chain whip and cheater bar (the sprocket had probably been on there for at least half a century, with rust to show for it) to unscrew the driver. No harm done to the driver, but no great loss even if there was: the later splined driver for AW hubs is a drop-in replacement for the threaded driver and allows you to change sprockets without having to disassemble the hub.
It took both heat and some penetrating oil to get it to break loose. I even bent the handle on one of my Mac Tools 1 1/4" wrench using it to hold a driver.
I had another one that I just wanted to salvage the driver and sprocket from, but instead of breaking free it shattered as the sprocket gave way. After I got it apart, the threads on the driver were all galled up, but the sprocket was salvageable and is on one of my older bikes now.
Newbie
If it came from the original owner, he wasn't very easy on it over the years.
I see the bent forks,
the grips are green Schwinn grips,
It looks like back fenders on a green bike,
and the saddle likely belongs on the bike that donated the grips.
Plus, the rear rack is sagging as if it were used as a passenger seat
The stem is also set a bit high, and likely tightened up within the upper threads which often leads to bulging threads.
All in all it appears to have had a rough life.
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,514
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 4,396 Times
in
2,093 Posts
Or where the original saddle, fenders, and grips went.
If it came from the original owner, he wasn't very easy on it over the years.
I see the bent forks,
the grips are green Schwinn grips,
It looks like back fenders on a green bike,
and the saddle likely belongs on the bike that donated the grips.
Plus, the rear rack is sagging as if it were used as a passenger seat
The stem is also set a bit high, and likely tightened up within the upper threads which often leads to bulging threads.
All in all it appears to have had a rough life.
If it came from the original owner, he wasn't very easy on it over the years.
I see the bent forks,
the grips are green Schwinn grips,
It looks like back fenders on a green bike,
and the saddle likely belongs on the bike that donated the grips.
Plus, the rear rack is sagging as if it were used as a passenger seat
The stem is also set a bit high, and likely tightened up within the upper threads which often leads to bulging threads.
All in all it appears to have had a rough life.
"1969 Raleigh Superbe 3 speed bicycle. Made in England. Was a premier bike in that era. Missing the headlamp and tire pump. Still pedals and stops fine. Will need tires. Has Schwinn handle grips instead of the Raleighs. I have owned it over 50 years. Rode it a lot when I was younger."
All things considered, $80 is not the worst deal in the world for someone who has the skills to cold set the fork. Not a screaming good deal either, especially if that bronze green has gone chalky, but not bad.
-Kurt
Newbie
I just took the Royce/Rigby out for a spin. Started out ok then started having slack in driveline. Halfway around the block it went completely loose, pedals just spinning. Any idea what it could be? I have another rear wheel from a '70s bike but I would like to keep the original 1957 hub if possible.
The dropped
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 2,144
Bikes: Pake C'Mute Touring/Commuter Build, 1989 Kona Cinder Cone, 1995 Trek 5200, 1973 Raleigh Super Course FG, 1960/61 Montgomery Ward Hawthorne "thrift" 3 speed, by Hercules (sold) : 1966 Schwinn Deluxe Racer (sold)
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1739 Post(s)
Liked 1,014 Times
in
696 Posts
I just took the Royce/Rigby out for a spin. Started out ok then started having slack in driveline. Halfway around the block it went completely loose, pedals just spinning. Any idea what it could be? I have another rear wheel from a '70s bike but I would like to keep the original 1957 hub if possible.
AW hubs have a "neutral" between normal and high, and a misadjusted indicator rod can line the driver up in that spot. I think Sheldon Brown or John Allen published an AW shifting setup procedure, but it's fairly simple to do. The directions assume the cable is not attached to the rod. Depending on which gear the hub is slipping in, the cable tension could be either too high or too low.
1: screw the indicator rod into the hub until snug, then back off as much as necessary to align the chain in the direction of the fulcrum pulley.
2: attach the cable to the chain, with the selector in high.
3: switch the selector to normal.
4: adjust cable tension so that the indicator rod's shoulders (just below the chain rivet) are even with the end of the axle or slightly past it. It's helpful to have the bike in a stand to confirm that you have a solid engagement. Some rods have a ring in them at the right spot, you might need to experiment.
5: change the selector to high, then down to low to confirm that there's enough cable for the selector to lock into low.
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,514
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 4,396 Times
in
2,093 Posts
I just took the Royce/Rigby out for a spin. Started out ok then started having slack in driveline. Halfway around the block it went completely loose, pedals just spinning. Any idea what it could be? I have another rear wheel from a '70s bike but I would like to keep the original 1957 hub if possible.
- Has the cable adjustment been checked? Refer to @Unca_Sam above for adjustment.
- Do you know what lubricant, if any, is inside the hub? Did you put anything in the hub prior to riding, if so, what?
- Is it a Sturmey-Archer SW?
Likes For cudak888:
Phyllo-buster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,847
Bikes: roadsters, club bikes, fixed and classic
Mentioned: 133 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2298 Post(s)
Liked 2,055 Times
in
1,255 Posts
Likes For clubman:
Newbie
Three questions:
- Has the cable adjustment been checked? Refer to @Unca_Sam above for adjustment.
- Do you know what lubricant, if any, is inside the hub? Did you put anything in the hub prior to riding, if so, what?
- Is it a Sturmey-Archer SW?
See Above
Yes Sturmey-Archer hub
I am new to these types of bikes and I don't know all of the names of the parts so the tutorial above is somewhat lost on me. Not sure what rod or fulcrum it is referring to.
www.theheadbadge.com
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Southern Florida
Posts: 28,514
Bikes: https://www.theheadbadge.com
Mentioned: 124 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2422 Post(s)
Liked 4,396 Times
in
2,093 Posts
I have not checked anything, just hopped on and took a short test ride
See Above
Yes Sturmey-Archer hub
I am new to these types of bikes and I don't know all of the names of the parts so the tutorial above is somewhat lost on me. Not sure what rod or fulcrum it is referring to.
See Above
Yes Sturmey-Archer hub
I am new to these types of bikes and I don't know all of the names of the parts so the tutorial above is somewhat lost on me. Not sure what rod or fulcrum it is referring to.
First step is to check that. The SW was a failed model that lasted for a few years, including '57. The AW was produced concurrently. The model you have will determine the best approach to solve the issue.
-Kurt
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Ontario
Posts: 2,648
Mentioned: 16 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 478 Post(s)
Liked 634 Times
in
336 Posts
They're pretty upfront about everything except the front fork:
Given their description, it's probably a genuine oversight and not outright dishonesty - as we see too often on Feebay, Cough'erUp, and Facecrook Marketplace.
All things considered, $80 is not the worst deal in the world for someone who has the skills to cold set the fork. Not a screaming good deal either, especially if that bronze green has gone chalky, but not bad.
-Kurt
Given their description, it's probably a genuine oversight and not outright dishonesty - as we see too often on Feebay, Cough'erUp, and Facecrook Marketplace.
All things considered, $80 is not the worst deal in the world for someone who has the skills to cold set the fork. Not a screaming good deal either, especially if that bronze green has gone chalky, but not bad.
-Kurt
The dropped
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 2,144
Bikes: Pake C'Mute Touring/Commuter Build, 1989 Kona Cinder Cone, 1995 Trek 5200, 1973 Raleigh Super Course FG, 1960/61 Montgomery Ward Hawthorne "thrift" 3 speed, by Hercules (sold) : 1966 Schwinn Deluxe Racer (sold)
Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1739 Post(s)
Liked 1,014 Times
in
696 Posts
I have not checked anything, just hopped on and took a short test ride
See Above
Yes Sturmey-Archer hub
I am new to these types of bikes and I don't know all of the names of the parts so the tutorial above is somewhat lost on me. Not sure what rod or fulcrum it is referring to.
See Above
Yes Sturmey-Archer hub
I am new to these types of bikes and I don't know all of the names of the parts so the tutorial above is somewhat lost on me. Not sure what rod or fulcrum it is referring to.
RJ the Bike Guy has a decent video about setting one up as well. Sturmey Archer (and by extension, any SA clones you can find) still has manuals kindly hosted by other magnanimous individuals as well. I know I've been able to find exploded diagrams of the hub parts without too much trouble. I refurbished a couple of AW hubs using RJ the Bike Guy's video as a guide (and managed to put the low gear pawls in reversed the first time). I doubt there's anything wrong inside the hub, as the slipping is typically a misadjusted cable setting allowing the driver to slide into that neutral position.
That said, cracking open and rebuilding an AW hub, however unnecessary it might be, was quite satisfying.
Likes For Unca_Sam:
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: St. Paul, MN
Posts: 1,597
Bikes: Too many 3-speeds, Jones Plus LWB
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 359 Post(s)
Liked 265 Times
in
119 Posts
I have not checked anything, just hopped on and took a short test ride
See Above
Yes Sturmey-Archer hub
I am new to these types of bikes and I don't know all of the names of the parts so the tutorial above is somewhat lost on me. Not sure what rod or fulcrum it is referring to.
See Above
Yes Sturmey-Archer hub
I am new to these types of bikes and I don't know all of the names of the parts so the tutorial above is somewhat lost on me. Not sure what rod or fulcrum it is referring to.
Senior Member
I was going to order some 26 x 1 3/8 rims from Harris but seeing as they are closed does anyone know where to get any?
I really want to change the steel rims out on my raleigh.
I really want to change the steel rims out on my raleigh.
Abuse Magnet
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,870
Bikes: '91 Mtn Tek Vertical, '74 Raleigh Sports, '72 Raleigh Twenty, '84 Univega Gran Turismo, '09 Surly Karate Monkey, '92 Burley Rock-n-Roll, '86 Miyata 310, '76 Raleigh Shopper
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 151 Post(s)
Liked 175 Times
in
89 Posts
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2016
Location: Cambridge UK
Posts: 852
Bikes: 1903 24 spd Sunbeam, 1927 Humber, 3 1930 Raleighs, 2 1940s Sunbeams, 2 1940s Raleighs, Rudge, 1950s Robin Hood, 1958 Claud Butler, 2 1973 Colnago Supers, Eddie Merckx, 2 1980 Holdsworth, EG Bates funny TT bike, another 6 or so 1990s bikes
Mentioned: 15 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 331 Post(s)
Liked 332 Times
in
185 Posts
Cable stretch
If it hasn't been ridden much the cable assembly may be stretching moving about. A 1/16 "" of slack will change gear so give it time to settle. Pull by hand the indicator chain in and out whilst cranking the wheel to see if it correctly changes thru the three gears. If it still rogue shifts squirt some WD40 down the filler plug hole and crank the wheel.This will clean the internals of crud and try again to select the gears whilst cranking.
If successful put a tablespoon of heavy gear oil in and off you..
If no success you will have to strip the hub. Usually the pawl springs are shot/ blocked with crud. Just try clean it thoroughly and go again
If successful put a tablespoon of heavy gear oil in and off you..
If no success you will have to strip the hub. Usually the pawl springs are shot/ blocked with crud. Just try clean it thoroughly and go again