Sturmey Archer S3X Fixed Gear Hub Availability?
12-14-08, 06:37 PM
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Sturmey Archer S3X Fixed Gear Hub Availability?
Sturmey Archer unveiled earlier this year a prototype fixed gear hub. Does any one know when it will be available? It would be great to have it named in honor of Sheldon "Epicyclic" Brown, who did more than any one else to push it. I would buy one - assuming it ever sees the light of day.
12-15-08, 04:40 PM
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Was looking into this hub today for a custom frame I'm getting built. Don't know if you know, or seen the website, but the S3X is coming soon according to this website https://sunrace-sturmeyarcher.blogspot.com/ .
Also quoted from website to save a click or two;
"S3X Fixed Gear 3 Speed Update
Thank you everyone for your comments. The response to the new S3X has been overwhelming and we are really looking forward to finishing up and getting this hub into your hands.
The name will not be changing. I appreciate everyone's thoughts on naming it after Sheldon, it just is not possible.
Some of the most asked questions should be answered with the below pictures. Hub will be 120mm OLD. Two shifters, top mount thumb and bar end. Cog interface is a standard Shimano spline."
So there you have it. Still waiting on price and date available.
Also quoted from website to save a click or two;
"S3X Fixed Gear 3 Speed Update
Thank you everyone for your comments. The response to the new S3X has been overwhelming and we are really looking forward to finishing up and getting this hub into your hands.
The name will not be changing. I appreciate everyone's thoughts on naming it after Sheldon, it just is not possible.
Some of the most asked questions should be answered with the below pictures. Hub will be 120mm OLD. Two shifters, top mount thumb and bar end. Cog interface is a standard Shimano spline."
So there you have it. Still waiting on price and date available.
12-15-08, 09:20 PM
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12-15-08, 09:23 PM
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12-15-08, 11:44 PM
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Pictures of bar end and thumb shifters have been released as well as a diagram of a 120mm OLD hub on https://www.sunrace-sturmeyarcher.blogspot.com/
On the other hand, none of the distributors I've talked to that carry SA stuff have heard of it, and it's not in the 2009 Sturmey Archer catalogue, so, who knows?
I was also hoping for this hub to have a place in a frame I'm having built but I'm keeping my dropout and spacing options as open as possible.
On the other hand, none of the distributors I've talked to that carry SA stuff have heard of it, and it's not in the 2009 Sturmey Archer catalogue, so, who knows?
I was also hoping for this hub to have a place in a frame I'm having built but I'm keeping my dropout and spacing options as open as possible.
12-15-08, 11:50 PM
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I think its cool. Sheldon never did find a solution for a 40 hole ASC hub I won off the Bay to be built into a wheel for my Raleigh Twenty. I just hope they come out with this new hub it will be offered in standard 32 and 36 hole configurations. I may yet install one on my Twenty!
12-16-08, 02:34 AM
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Both of those shifters look excellent. I'm really happy that they didn't go with one of those stupid gripshift things. I'll take two.
12-16-08, 10:04 AM
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Any word what the play will be like on these if any? IE will there be an backwards give before the drive engages in these?
12-16-08, 10:14 AM
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I think its cool. Sheldon never did find a solution for a 40 hole ASC hub I won off the Bay to be built into a wheel for my Raleigh Twenty. I just hope they come out with this new hub it will be offered in standard 32 and 36 hole configurations. I may yet install one on my Twenty!
12-16-08, 12:45 PM
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I think it was over $300 and I think it was made sometime in the 1940s. But definitely odd sizing so it just doesn't fit any rear wheel made today.
12-16-08, 10:45 PM
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12-22-08, 03:04 AM
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Traitor Cycles got to test out the S3X hub and reviewed it a little:
https://www.traitorcycles.com/
Scroll down to the post entitled "First Riding Impressions of the 3 speed Fixed Gear Hub".
Sounds like it will hold up to the riding that I will be giving it.
https://www.traitorcycles.com/
Scroll down to the post entitled "First Riding Impressions of the 3 speed Fixed Gear Hub".
Originally Posted by Traitor Cycles
First Riding Impressions of the 3 speed Fixed Gear Hub
12/16/08 (Posted by Kevin)
Recently got back from a trip to Taiwan where we met up with Alan from Sunrace/Sturmey Archer to see what they have cooking. We are looking at using one of their standard 3 speed internal geared hubs for a Luggernaut complete bike we are working on. In addition to their standard 3 speed hub Alan wanted us to tryout out the new 3 speed fixed gear hub. I have been really curious about this hub as to how it would perform. They had just finished building up a prototype for us to test out so we got to get some riding in.
First impressions where the hub shifted perfect and all gears felt very smooth. You didn't notice much friction or drag at all. The gear range is pretty huge and I immediately thought this would be perfect for bike polo setups to have a gear you can actually pedal to the event and then a super easy gear for the game. Downside is that there is a little pedal backlash when you attempt to skid stop. If you just slow your cadence down normally you don't notice anything but when you try to skid the rear wheel you definitely notice it. It is not really meant to be on a fixed gear with no brakes. You will definitely want to have a front brake with this setup. The engineers did not recommend that we skid stop the bikes but we did it anyway to see how it would feel.
Overall I think fixed gear purist will not be into this setup but I do think there is a market for it for around town bikes and commuters that like the idea of a fixed gear bike but still want some gear range and the use of a front brake. The other major thing to note is the rad shifting options they have for the hub. They are offering their own bar end shifters which are very smooth and I got to check the prototypes out in person. They are also making a version called the Thumbie that is a bar con shifter that mounts to a flat bar.
12/16/08 (Posted by Kevin)
Recently got back from a trip to Taiwan where we met up with Alan from Sunrace/Sturmey Archer to see what they have cooking. We are looking at using one of their standard 3 speed internal geared hubs for a Luggernaut complete bike we are working on. In addition to their standard 3 speed hub Alan wanted us to tryout out the new 3 speed fixed gear hub. I have been really curious about this hub as to how it would perform. They had just finished building up a prototype for us to test out so we got to get some riding in.
First impressions where the hub shifted perfect and all gears felt very smooth. You didn't notice much friction or drag at all. The gear range is pretty huge and I immediately thought this would be perfect for bike polo setups to have a gear you can actually pedal to the event and then a super easy gear for the game. Downside is that there is a little pedal backlash when you attempt to skid stop. If you just slow your cadence down normally you don't notice anything but when you try to skid the rear wheel you definitely notice it. It is not really meant to be on a fixed gear with no brakes. You will definitely want to have a front brake with this setup. The engineers did not recommend that we skid stop the bikes but we did it anyway to see how it would feel.
Overall I think fixed gear purist will not be into this setup but I do think there is a market for it for around town bikes and commuters that like the idea of a fixed gear bike but still want some gear range and the use of a front brake. The other major thing to note is the rad shifting options they have for the hub. They are offering their own bar end shifters which are very smooth and I got to check the prototypes out in person. They are also making a version called the Thumbie that is a bar con shifter that mounts to a flat bar.
12-22-08, 08:46 AM
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Traitor Cycles got to test out the S3X hub and reviewed it a little:
https://www.traitorcycles.com/
Scroll down to the post entitled "First Riding Impressions of the 3 speed Fixed Gear Hub".
Sounds like it will hold up to the riding that I will be giving it.
https://www.traitorcycles.com/
Scroll down to the post entitled "First Riding Impressions of the 3 speed Fixed Gear Hub".
Sounds like it will hold up to the riding that I will be giving it.
01-14-09, 12:30 PM
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Availability now March, will come in colors:
https://www.sunrace-sturmeyarcher.blogspot.com/
post 01/12/09
tcs
https://www.sunrace-sturmeyarcher.blogspot.com/
post 01/12/09
tcs
01-14-09, 01:09 PM
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I'll certainly pick one of these up whenever they become available [March?].
Sheldon was the reason I started riding FG in the first place and if he thought these were going to be great then I can't argue with that.
Sheldon was the reason I started riding FG in the first place and if he thought these were going to be great then I can't argue with that.
01-14-09, 01:17 PM
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I can understand how there might be issues with naming it after Sheldon, but I still can't believe they are calling it S3X. Apparently no one at SA in the naming dept. has access to the internet
01-14-09, 01:23 PM
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For a 406mm rim? I don't think any one made one in that size. Good luck finding a 40 hole rim today. I hope Sturmey Archer, if they come out with a fixed gear hub, build it in standard configuration this time around!!! 
01-15-09, 03:08 PM
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Hmm. After looking at the pix on the SA blog, it would be extremely easy to paint a vertical line at the left edge of the "3" to make a pretty clean looking "SBX" labeled hub...
01-15-09, 03:22 PM
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Hooray! It seems like this is really happening. Looks like a go ahead for the 130mm OLD version as well which is good news for me.
I've been following the development of this hub pretty closely for some time and it's interesting how much Sunrace/Sturmey sought feedback from riders through their blog and generally followed our advice (in terms of shifter options and hub width availability, for example). It makes sense for a product with such narrow appeal as this one, we get what we want and the company doesn't loose money through trial and error. Something as simple as only offering Grip Shift style shifting would have seriously reduced the appeal of the hub for a lot of folks, I bet.
Reminds me of the way the Bikesdirect people solicit ideas and feedback on these forums. A much more human approach than traditional marketing strategies, I think.
I've been following the development of this hub pretty closely for some time and it's interesting how much Sunrace/Sturmey sought feedback from riders through their blog and generally followed our advice (in terms of shifter options and hub width availability, for example). It makes sense for a product with such narrow appeal as this one, we get what we want and the company doesn't loose money through trial and error. Something as simple as only offering Grip Shift style shifting would have seriously reduced the appeal of the hub for a lot of folks, I bet.
Reminds me of the way the Bikesdirect people solicit ideas and feedback on these forums. A much more human approach than traditional marketing strategies, I think.
01-15-09, 03:58 PM
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Too bad they blew the name though. It's pretty stupid. I think all the comments on it that I saw on the SA blog were negative.
01-15-09, 08:37 PM
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You must have not been looking very hard. For every negative comment there was at least two of praise, and five of constructive criticism. The name on the other hand...But I'm willing to overlook that.
01-15-09, 08:58 PM
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It looks like it will be coming soon in FOUR COOL COLORS - Silver, Red, Gold and Black! Here's a preview:
\
The S3X is SWEEEEEEEEEET!
\The S3X is SWEEEEEEEEEET!
01-15-09, 10:43 PM
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To those who have experience with this kind of splined interface:
It appears as though the splined 'fixed hub' section is wider than a typical single speed cog. Is this to allow for fine-tuning of the chainline with spacers on either side of the cog?
It appears as though the splined 'fixed hub' section is wider than a typical single speed cog. Is this to allow for fine-tuning of the chainline with spacers on either side of the cog?