Sturmey Archer hub gears (possible new bike opportunity)

[Bike Writer]

I don't have any experience with the Sturmey Archer, but I do have an SRAM DualDrive on my Dahon that has three settings. On top of that I've got a 9-ring rear cassette, so 27 possible gear settings.

A couple advantages to the internal hub gear, in addition to what has already been mentioned:

1. You can shift while a stand-still. Great for city riding, as I often find myself stopped at the bottom of a hill.

2. I don't have to worry about cross-chaining with my rear cassette (biggest front + littlest back or vice-versa). Not a concern on the Pashleys, I still thought it was worth mentioning.


When you do a test-ride, I also recommend that you ask the salesperson or mechanic to show you the ins-and-outs of how the hub gear works, especially if you are one who likes to do her own basic maintenance and repairs. The SRAM DualDrive has a "clickbox" which connects the hub to the gearshift cables, and it needs to come off if I want to remove the rear wheel to change an inner tube. It's a bit fiddly to get the clickbox back on, and that's the only time the internal hub gear annoys me. The rest of the time I don't give it a second thought and it works like a dream. I don't know if the Sturmey Archer connects the same way, but I would imagine that any reputable dealer should be able to answer your questions about how it works and what you need to know.

Good luck, those Pashleys are beautiful!

So what you are saying is that you can get a bike with a rear internal hub and multiple chainrings up front? I didn't know that. Hmmmm.

[NbyNW]

So what you are saying is that you can get a bike with a rear internal hub and multiple chainrings up front? I didn't know that. Hmmmm.

Not quite. The multiple chainrings are still mounted on the rear wheel. There is a single chainring up front.

Here is the spec sheet for the current year equivalent of my bike. If you click on the picture of the bike, it will enlarge. You'll see the single ring up front, multiple in back.

Look for a tiny, horizontal black rectangle right where the skewer is sitting in the dropouts, and there is a little barrel adjuster to the right of it. That's the clickbox I mentioned. It's about the size of a matchbox. Basically this is what you get with the SRAM DualDrive instead of a front derailleur. Oh, I just thought of another thing about it, it interferes with panniers on these small-wheeled bikes, but it's only on one side. Again, probably not a factor on a Pashley.

Like I said, I don't know if Sturmey Archer hubs use a clickbox or some other mechanism to get your cables to talk to your hub, but however they do, I know if I were to buy one, I'd ask the salesperson to provide me with at least a rudimentary understanding of how they operate.

Oh, wait. Here's a video that shows you how to adjust a Sturmey Archer hub. This is pretty much the Sturmey Archer equivalent of what I was talking about with the fiddly SRAM clickbox.

[Bike Writer]

NbyNW,

Ah, I see. One picture is worth a thousands words. Thanks for the clarification. The one and only time I recall looking up close at a bike that used an internal hub it did not have gears in the back and only one up front, however that bike was an 8 speed bike.

http://fisherbikes.com/bike/model/si...ity-8-stepthru

I saw it while on vacation last year just outside of Holland Michigan at a bike shop. It was a beautiful looking bike with a lot of really neat practicle features. Pretty cruiser.

[NbyNW]

This thread is making me really want a cruiser! Would be so fun for toodling around the neighborhood.

(I have not been feeling worthy of my fast bikes this summer)

[laura*]

... I do have an SRAM DualDrive on my Dahon that has three settings. ...

1. You can shift while a stand-still. Great for city riding, as I often find myself stopped at the bottom of a hill.

Actually, with the DualDrive, it may be good to shift the hub only when stopped. Or certainly while not pedaling. Google DualDrive failures in trikes for more info.

Not quite. The multiple chainrings are still mounted on the rear wheel. There is a single chainring up front.

You could actually also have multiple chainrings in front. With 3 chainrings, a 9 speed cassette, and the three DualDrive settings, that would be 3*9*3 = 81 gears!

[hebe]

wow, thank you! Lots to read there.

Sadly, I don't think I'll be getting a Pashley. They only come with 3 or 5 gears, and I don't want to limit my riding to flat only. But I'm not ruling one out for my 50th or for when the mortgage is paid off, just not now.

I'm feeling a lot more positive today. I woke up thinking about a great dream when I was looking at Vitas or Giant Escapes and then realised that it wasn't a dream. There is significant progress being made in my town to improve cycling infrastructure, and I think a lighter bike that can run errands but also hold its own on lanes will suit me.