Patrick- The older (pre Sunrace) ones were the "slippy" ones. The "No Neutral" ones from Sunrace shouldn't theoretically slip. -Shawn
No one actually looks at email signatures anymore, but here goes nothing: http://urbanadventureleague.wordpress.com/ http://societyofthreespeeds.wordpress.com/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanadventureleaguepdx/ http://bikesspottedpdx.tumblr.com/ http://www.instagram.com/urbanadventureleaguepdx/ http://urbanadventureleague.storenvy.com/ Un-electronic mail goes here: P O Box 14185, Portland OR 97293-0185 On Thu, Nov 9, 2017 at 9:18 PM, Patrick Moore <bertin...@gmail.com> wrote: > Shawn -- very interesting, informative; it makes me want a 3 speed off > road bike! > > The only thing that gives me pause is: don't stand in 2nd gear. Heck much > of my climbing is standing. Is this a universal rule for all IGHs or just > for pre-Sunrace AWs? And surely some of those rough stuffers and time > trialists stood when climbing? > > I had the Geoff Apps site bookmarked: https://clelandcycles.wordpress.com/ > evolution/ > > Surely he stood sometimes, too? > > On Thu, Nov 9, 2017 at 9:27 PM, Shawn Granton <urbanadventureleague@gmail. > com> wrote: > >> A bit late to this, sorry. But the Deacon asked me off-list about Three >> Speed Mountain Bike Resources, and as a (semi-competent) go-to for things >> three speeds, I figure I should say *something.* >> >> Alas, there is no "go-to" list for three speed mountain biking, but to >> cover some of the points brought up in this thread: >> >> >> - *Why just three for an IGH (internally geared hub) vs 5, 11, 14, >> infinity? *Well, I think Deacon Patrick nailed it on the head when >> talking about *simplicity*. Yes, you will not get the range of >> something bigger (whether IGH or derailleur) but you think *less* >> about shifting. Not as "pure" as a single speed, but not as "corrupt" as a >> 3x11 setup. Also, *three speed hubs are cheap*, relatively speaking >> (not counting the cost of building a wheel if need be.) Heck, you can go >> to >> your local bike co-op and probably find a bin of old AW hubs and get a >> functional one for next-to-nothing. You aren't going to find that with a >> bigger IGH. And even if you do, there are other costs: I "scored" an >> Alfine >> 11 hub for nothing a couple years back, back when they were still like >> $600 >> MSRP. But it didn't come with a shifter, and that's like $150* alone.* >> Heck, you could get the AW hub plus shifter and other bits for that much. >> - *The difference between older (pre Sunrace) Sturmey Archer AW three >> speed hubs vs new (Sunrace). *Yes, the old AW hub had that annoying >> "neutral" that could happen, but that was usually either because a) the >> cable/indicator chain was incorrectly adjusted b) standing up when >> pedalling (frame flexes and pulls cable out of adjustment) or c) a >> combination of the two. And even the "mediocre" AW hubs of the later >> Sturmey Archer years are still *good. *There are plenty of bikes >> still running old AW hubs. The one on my Superbe is from 1954 and runs >> great. But I also don't pedal while standing up! ;-) >> - *Torque. *The problem with most IGHs are their tolerance of torque. >> For most old hubs, it's not recommended to go under a 2:1 ratio. Some >> people have gone under and not had any problems. A few destroyed their >> hubs. I think a lot has to do with "rider input", like weight and riding >> style. A lighter rider will probably have less issues with destroying a >> hub >> if they go under the 2:1 ratio >> - *Gearing.* An old AW is simple, and limiting. The low you're going >> to safely get is going to be upper-30's (gear-inches). That's not the >> low-low of mid-teens you can get from some modern drivetrains, but it is >> not bad. Portland isn't exactly flat, and I climb the hills with my >> Raleigh >> Superbe. The other day I went up Mount Tabor with grades as high as 7%, >> and >> managed. I did a tour a few years back in the Driftless Region of SW >> Wisconsin with Pondero and GravelDoc on a loaded three speed and managed >> some 8% grinds. No, it's not as optimal as the 15 gear-inch bike climb, >> and >> no, I wouldn't do a sustained 20 mile climb with a 7% grade, but it worked >> for what I did. >> - *Those Old Spokes Home 3 Speed MTBs: *They look SWEET! I want one >> now. Deacon, maybe just order one of theirs for experimentation? ;-) And I >> highly doubt they would sell bikes like that if they needed constant >> servicing. They've proven reliable for them, and they put them through the >> paces, including winter. >> - *About winter:* Yes, AW hubs work in extreme conditions. My friend >> Keith has ridden AW equipped bikes through the dead of Edmonton winter for >> years. He does use a lighter weight oil for those months (which is one of >> the advantages to the older oil-filled AW hubs of the pre-Sunrace >> takeover.) >> >> So, should one experiment? Yes! >> >> Now, I don't think a three speed is going to fulfill all the needs for a >> "modern" mountain bike, especially if one is going to do lots of steep >> climbing. But people have been bashing about on three speeds for rough >> stuff for eons, like the UK based Rough Stuff Fellowship. They've been >> going at it since the 50's. Back then I'm sure most of the member's bikes >> had three speed hubs, yet they went all sorts of crazy places in the >> English countryside, up rough and rude paths. Of course, there was some >> pushing involved, and they didn't expect to do 8% grades at a high cadence. >> But they still *did it.* >> >> And anyone who has read this far and is still interested: Seek out the >> work of Geoff Apps, considered the father of UK mountain biking, working at >> the same time as the Repack folks. His custom machines usually used drum >> brakes and hub gears, and he pedalled through all sorts of terrain and >> conditions. >> >> Finally, why can't that Paul Melvin only take a cog up to 20 teeth? ;-) >> >> yours, >> Shawn >> >> No one actually looks at email signatures anymore, but here goes nothing: >> http://urbanadventureleague.wordpress.com/ >> http://societyofthreespeeds.wordpress.com/ >> http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanadventureleaguepdx/ >> http://bikesspottedpdx.tumblr.com/ >> http://www.instagram.com/urbanadventureleaguepdx/ >> http://urbanadventureleague.storenvy.com/ >> Un-electronic mail goes here: P O Box 14185, Portland OR 97293-0185 >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. >> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> > > > > -- > Resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, and letters that get interviews. > By-the-hour resume and LinkedIn coaching. > Other professional writing services. > http://www.resumespecialties.com/ > www.linkedin.com/in/patrickmooreresumespec/ > Patrick Moore > Alburquerque, New Mexico, EUA > ************************************************************************** > ************** > *Auditis an me ludit amabilis insania?* > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the > Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To unsubscribe from this topic, visit https://groups.google.com/d/ > topic/rbw-owners-bunch/HEi1sUY7Bcs/unsubscribe. > To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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