My Bike rides

[plantfit 7,205]

Ridge, but Nottingham is the better place  

 

Rog

[philmayfield 5,503]

Nottingham, compared with the wide open spaces of Lincolnshire! You are of course joking. 

[letsavagoo 833]

On 5/5/2023 at 9:08 PM, plantfit said:

I've heard poor reports about the four speed SA gears, have you had any trouble with yours, gear selection etc

 

Rog

Sorry. For the late reply. Only just spotted this. I’ve ridden thousands of miles on an FW (4 wide) SA hub without a hitch. I changed later to an FM hub (4 medium ratio) and never had any bother with that either. They do need a real tug to move into 1st gear (2,3 and 4 gears are the same as an 3 speed) and the 4 speed trigger can slip out first if it’s not in excellent condition. The hubs themselves are fine. There are reports that the 4 speed hubs can burst apart but I think they were modified. I was a fairly strong cyclist and never had a problem. There is a lot to be said for a 3 speed which seem indestructible. Due to a long term health issue I haven’t ridden for well over 15 years but still have several bikes.

[Beekay 4,398]

Ref. Sturmer Archer gears. Many years ago, in the 70s, when my son Andrew was at Aspley Wood school, I was a school governor along with the Chair, a lady called Iris Archer. She happened to be the granddaughter of the Mr.Archer who invented the gear hub. She told us that Raleigh offered Mr.Archer a halfpenny for each gearbox made or a lump sum. He took the lump sum. Mz Archer said if he took the halfpenny for each, he would have become a millionaire. 

(Think I've mentioned this afore).

[plantfit 7,205]

2 hours ago, philmayfield said:

Nottingham, compared with the wide open spaces of Lincolnshire! You are of course joking. 

Nottingham city compared to Lincoln city , nothing in Lincoln, 

 

Rog

[philmayfield 5,503]

I like ‘uphill’ Lincoln. Nottingham has nothing quite like it.

[Beekay 4,398]

I seem to recall motoring up Lindum hill en route to East Coast. Am I right or imagining it.?

[plantfit 7,205]

Still there Barrie but use the bypass now

 

Rog

[letsavagoo 833]

14 hours ago, Beekay said:

Ref. Sturmer Archer gears. Many years ago, in the 70s, when my son Andrew was at Aspley Wood school, I was a school governor along with the Chair, a lady called Iris Archer. She happened to be the granddaughter of the Mr.Archer who invented the gear hub.

I have a book by Tony Hadland ‘The Sturmey Archer Story’. It is thoroughly researched and an excellent read. The history is very interesting with some ‘dirty dealings’ along the way. Out of print and I’ve just checked, second hand copies can be had and it’s not cheap.

[Oztalgian 2,922]

It is probably heresy among the devoted cyclists on here but the Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub gears on my Trent Tourist were next to useless. Very little difference in the ratios.

[letsavagoo 833]

An AW hub gives a low of -25% and a high of +33%. 2nd is just direct drive.  If you’re used to multi speed large range derailleur gears that the SA hub is a let down. Just remind yourself that they were setting records of sub 3 days for Lands End to John O’Groats in the 1920’s using SA hubs. 

[plantfit 7,205]

A good friend of mine who worked in the R&D department at the Raleigh and had close ties to Sturmey Archer "invented" or researched and drew up plans for a new type of hub gear, he presented it to the then MD of Sturmey Archer who refused any thing to do with it saying "why should they re-tool to make something when theirs had been working and selling since day one" unfortunately for Sturmey's Shimano followed up the idea and the rest is history as they say

 

Rog

[letsavagoo 833]

The principle of hub gears being a 3 speed or one of the more multi gear hubs (Rohloff make a 14 speed) is all the same using epicyclic gears. There is no great secret or break through but the machining and engineering required is complex. Also multi gear hubs mean the drive passes through more internal cog wheels which increases drag and reduces efficiency. They are heavier too and the added complexity is expensive. The advantages of a hub gear is there is always perfect chain line, lower maintenance, protected from dust and dirt and less prone to damage. Derailleur gears are or can be cheaper, lighter and have huge range. I personally did much of my cycling my SA hub bikes but they were 1950’s cycles and so that’s how they were. Nottingham is reasonably flat too but I also had a lovey 18 speed Raleigh tourer with derailleur gears. 

[Oztalgian 2,922]

My brother had a Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub with a twist grip gear change instead of a handlebar lever. He thought it was the bees knees.

[PeverilPeril 3,171]

Be glad when I can get back on my Elephant bike. It has a 3 sp SA with hub brake.

 

[Beekay 4,398]

What's an 'Elephant bike' PP ? Pardon my ignorance, I've led a sheltered life.

[Cliff Ton 10,005]

2 hours ago, Oztalgian said:

My brother had a Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub with a twist grip gear change instead of a handlebar lever. He thought it was the bees knees.

 

I had one of those as well. I thought it was really cool, and used to pretend it was like a throttle on a motorbike.

[Rob.L 1,049]

You need an elephant bike for when you need to ride on trunk roads.

[Jill Sparrow 9,664]

I'll bet he never forgets where he's left it!

[plantfit 7,205]

Both my 1937 Hercules gents bike and my 1934 Humber ladies bike have three speed Sturmey Archer gears but my 1960's Swift Ladies has a three speed Shimano gears

 

Rog

[Beekay 4,398]

so what is an Elephant bike.? 

[philmayfield 5,503]

Google is your friend Barrie.

[Beekay 4,398]

15 minutes ago, philmayfield said:

Google is your friend Barrie.

Your right mate. Probably my only friend, if truth be known.

Edit..Just asked Mr. Google and now I know. To be honest, I've never heard of  Elephant bike afore, hence my reason for asking. Told you I had a sheltered life. And I found out why they got that name !

[Willow wilson 862]

Elephants never forget 

(From a friendly elephant)