Anyone have any experience of modern Sturmey Archer internal hubs?

get over onto the CTC, London fixed gear forums – more info there

Have a 5 sped one on my pashley, complete with drum brakes.
It's ok but not brilliant, think I have been spoilt a bit by the alfine though

Me. Brilliant, better than the original. Smooth, silent and just enough gears 🙂

Currently on my Pompino with a belt drive.

epicyclo, that sounds interesting got any pics to share?

Can't post them here. I posted the info on this site

Epicyclo

That looks great but I'm still trying to get my head round the gearchain routing and having to chop the frame! I don't know if I could bring myself to do it 😯

Are we talking seriously expensive on a Rohloff scale for the conversion when you include the Sturmey ?

You only have to chop the frame for belt drive – because the belt is one piece and cannot be split. The system I used is still rock solid and has not needed any adjustment since I built it.

The Sturmey-Archer 3 speed hub is quite cheap – about £70 and it will last forever if you look after it. There's a wide range of them, so make sure you order it with the correct OLD. You can even get a model with a drum brake (good for winter use).

The gear chain routing is non standard. I made up a cable stop at the height of the v-brake bosses. I used an old handlebar reflector mount and a Shimano cable adjuster. There's nought wrong with the standard S-A setup, it's just that I prefer to have the minimum of cable outer on gears to keep it free from stickiness.

Just for interest – in about 1939 a record was created on one of the earlier versions of this hub. The ride was something over 200 miles a day for a year – I can't remember the riders name, but it was phenomenal distance – around 50,000 miles in the year. A bit earlier it took the record for Lands End to John O'Groats in under 2 and a half days.

You only have to chop the frame for belt drive

I know, and you made a very neat job of the drop-out cut. Does anyone actually make a 'splitting' dropout? The S3X looks lovely (the thought of 3 speed fixie is very appealling) but obviously a fair bit more than £70!

I've been looking at building a cheap road/commuter bike and the Pomp/SA route looks ideal. I'll have to give the belt drive a miss due to cost but it looks great and seems a much better virtually maintenance free option.

ps. love the moustache bar – which make model is it ?

Thanks for the info chaps. Toddles off to other forums…

Woody – Member
…The S3X looks lovely…
I've been looking at building a cheap road/commuter bike and the Pomp/SA route looks ideal…
ps. love the moustache bar – which make model is it ?

Got a S3X – it's going to go on my Ti Pompino when I get round to building the wheel. It's much heavier than the standard 3 speed though. It may even get a belt sprocket and go on the steel Pompino.
It's hard to beat the Pompino – it handles well and has room for decent width tyres so it goes offroad nicely.
The bar is one of those cheap upright shopping bike bars turned upside down, I think I paid less than £15 for it.

The bar is one of those cheap upright shopping bike bars turned upside down

Ace. I've a pair similar to those in the garage somewhere which I got off Ebay years ago for IIRC £3.00 😆

I'm in two minds whether to look for a Pomp or similar as I've a '94 steel Marin frame in the garage and I think the old-school geometry would suit a fixie build with minimal hassle. New rear hub/wheel + 1/2 link chain should remove the need for a tensioner.

Woody – Member
…I've a '94 steel Marin frame in the garage and I think the old-school geometry would suit a fixie build with minimal hassle…

Has it got a nice stiff chainstay or is your riding done mainly on the flat?

If not it won't be hassle free unless you run it fixed without a rear brake.

I've done a few of this sort of conversion and where they fall down is the first long steep hill. When you start putting some real pressure on the pedals the chainstay flexes and the wheel rim rubs against the brake blocks, and with further pressure the tyre rubs against the chainstay. You can get round the chain rub on the brakes by flicking the brake qr on the lever – you know the one for letting the brakes spread to get your wheel out. You do this on the climb and hopefully remember to reset it for the descent 🙂 There's not much you can do about chainstay rub except walk.

There loads of other compromises too. We used to do the conversions because we couldn't get purpose built frames at a decent price, but that has changed now.

Pompinos are cheap and a much better option and probably cost less to do than a compromise with your existing bike.

Thanks for the pointers.

Riding is varied round here (Durham) and no shortage of hills! I've run this as s/s and the brake rub is minimal as long as they are set for a longer pull than normal ie levers nearly back to the bars. The rear end seems pretty stiff and no problems with tyre rub on anything less than 2.1. I've an old On-One Reetard s/s wheel with a knackered freehub, so I'm going to have a look at that to see if I can 'fix' a wheel (liquid metal?) to try it out before taking the plunge properly. I think I'll keep the rear brake on for the first few outings 🙂

Just in case anyone is interested, I've found a much safer 'fix' on 63xc.com – simple and ingenious 😀