Raleigh Twenty: Sturmey Archer Hub Gear Cable Adjustment - Indicator or Toggle Chain

People have asked me how to adjust the gear cable on a 3 speed Sturmey Archer hub. Indeed, some folks are a bit perplexed by the dangly chain bit, knurled parts, and the somewhat "mystical" operation of the whole affair. This sequence of photos attempts to explain cable adjustment in easy steps. So, assume you've picked up a Raleigh 20 or other bike with a 3 speed Sturmey Archer hub gear. This one is from 1980 (pictures in a previous blog). I'm also going to assume that the short chain part shown below, called the "indicator", is the right type for the particular hub. Why it's called an indicator will become apparent later.
First step is to loosen the knurled nut at left in the photo above (untwist it a few turns). Then undo the knurled tube connector (far left in the photo above). Once disconnected, carefully take the plastic cap off the axle nut, to leave what's shown below:
Now, the dangly chain part is the indicator. The part on the left still attached to the cable is what I'm calling the knurled tube connector - it's also called a "barrel nut". Grab the indicator by the chain, lift it gently (upwards in the photo) and untwist it carefully from the hub. Hopefully, it will be free to turn. Take it out and clean it up using, degreaser or whatever you like really.

It's worth looking at it carefully - see below. The tip (top right) is shaped into a cone - this is to assist when screwing it back in. Then there is a uniform rod, the chain, the threaded part on which runs the knurled nut and the knurled tube connector (not shown in the photo below):
Grease both threads. Oil the chain links. Put the gear thumb lever in 3rd (top gear) in order to slacken the cable. Then insert the tip back into the hub and tighten it very slowly and gently. When you feel it become just hand tight, then unscrew it by half a turn - no more. Put the plastic cap back on and tighten the knurled tube connector back on to the threaded rod of the indicator. A few turns is fine initially. Now put the thumbshift lever into 2nd gear. It looks like this:
Look through the viewing hole in the axle nut and you can see that part of the uniform rod is showing. Meaning that the rod is jutting out from the end of the axle tube. Now, the aim is to get that uniform rod end LEVEL with the end of the axle tube. Turn the knurled tube connector one way, and see what happens:
In this case, the rod has come out even more - see the yellow arrow above. Now you can see why it's called an indicator, and what the viewing hole in the axle nut is for. So, turn the knurled tube connector the other way...
In the photo above, the rod has gone inside the axle tube. Remember, you want it level with the end of the axle tube. Just to reiterate, the thumb shifter must be in 2nd gear while you do this adjustment - which is in essence cable length/tension. Keep twiddling the knurled tube on the threaded rod until it is level, like this:

Now spin the pedals a few times, change gear up and down and back to 2nd, and re-check that the indicator rod is level with the axle end. Then tighten the knurled nut against the knurled tube connector, to lock down the cable length and replace the plastic cap, thus:

Go ride! It should all be hunky dory now, and shifting should be fine. If not, it probably means that the indicator is not the right one for the hub. You can sort that out by getting the right one from a good supplier, like Oldbiketrader, or if not, then you have to adjust it by careful and gentle testing. If you end up having to go through the testing route, remember that the cable should not be too tight in first gear - you may feel too much tension at the thumbshift lever - and gears should change smoothly, with no free-spinning in second. You should be able to see the uniform rod on the indicator moving in and out as you change gears. That indicator is also known as a TOGGLE CHAIN, and here's a great site for cycle touring and hub gear afficianados:

http://www.togglechaintour.co.uk/

The planetary hub gear was a wonderful invention!

Falcon Revenge Boy's Bike

Photos of my son's Falcon Revenge bike, now for sale on eBay here. Specs below.




Purchased new in 2008 this bike has served my son well. Details:

- 11" steel frame and steel forks
- Shimano Capreo Alloy brake levers (I upgraded the original plasticky ones)
- Original pedals have been replaced by better quality ones
- KAlloy long seat post (adjustable height of course)
- single speed
- Alloy wheels 18"
- Tyres 18 x 1.95" knobbly tread

This bike has been well looked after and has plenty more life left in it. He's just outgrown it. Original paperwork included.

eBay auction here.

How to Shimergo your bike

Campagnolo ERGO levers can work with a SHIMano drivetrain, mechs and cassette. In an earlier post here, I showed some photos of a bike that I had converted to Shimergo. Now I'm going to explain how I did it. Here's a photo of the bike as it was originally. The brake levers are cheap and nasty.

The plan was to replace the brake levers and down tube shifters with Campagnolo Ergo levers (Veloce 10 QS Ergo Levers, from around 2009 vintage). The following links are essential reading:

The CTC's Chris Juden on the subject: http://www.ctc.org.uk/desktopdefault.aspx?tabid=3946
CX Magazine on it: http://cxmagazine.com/shimano-campagnol ... patibility
10spd, 8spd success story: http://bikesarethesolution.wordpress.co ... onversion/

Original set up was as follows:

Cassette: Shimano 9 speed, 12-23
Rear mech: Shimano Tiagra
Front mech: Campag Mirage
D/T Levers: Shimano Dura ace
Chainset: Stronglight Impact Triple 28-38-48

According to the above links, the lever swap should work with a little trick to play on the rear mech, namely, the cable attachment bolt washer to be spun round - or "hubbubed".

There's a lot more writing out there, but the above three really convinced me. Plus I saw a forum posting somewhere in which a cyclocross racer reported a season's worth of racing using 10spd Campy shifters on 9spd Shimano with hubbub. That clinched it for me!


Old faithful Shimano Dura Ace down tube levers (9 speed indexed). I'll end up removing these (gulp!)

These cheepo brake levers are going to go too. I'll be happy about that!

First step is to take the old bar tape and levers off.

New 10 Speed Campy levers on. I needed to buy a Torx T25 tool for the main lever clamp bolt. The Veloce levers feel superb in the hand, almost perfectly shaped hoods.


Cable housing fitted for brake and gears, taped down ready for handlebar tape.

The old down tube levers were replaced with Campagnolo resin cable stops. Although inexpensive, these turned out to be simply brilliant. So easy to adjust, even while riding.


This is the hubbub clamping arrangement. All you do is rotate the clamp hook, run the cable over the hook, and tighten the bolt as shown. Dead easy.



Swanky new bar tape. Now, to my total amazement, both the new levers worked beautifully with NO adjustment needed at all. After a few days riding, I had to adjust some cable tension from the down tube cable stops, but that was it. I believe in Shimergo now!

Campagnolo levers added a touch of modern class to a good ol' Reynolds 531C road bike. Apart from being able to change gear without moving hands from the bars, another benefit was improved braking performance.

Cyclocross on a Hybrid Bike

Wanting to try cyclocross, I adapted my wife's hybrid bike. It is a Ridgeback Velocity that we bought in 2009. Here it is after being turned into a beginner's crosser. In the process, it lost 0.6kg, from 12.6 to 12.0kg. This is what I did to it:

-100g : Removed reflectors, bottle cage, bell
+100g : Replaced plastic cage pedals with metal Shimano MTBs
-300g : Replaced cushion saddle with a racier one, Vitus brand
-300g : Replaced Continental Contact tyres with Maxxis Raze 700x35C
+/-0g: New Clarks brake blocks

TOTAL : -600g

More photos below.

Heavy mud soon collects on the bike and on your shoes! Actually, I had scraped the worst of the mud off before taking these photos. It's a messy, but fantastic fun and a great workout.

Tyres: Raleigh Twenty 20, Shopper, Stowaway, Triumph 20, BSA, etc

Most Raleigh Twenty bikes had ISO 451 diameter wheels. Despite the 20 name, this is closer to 21" than the common 406 BMX size wheels. So, is there a decent selection of modern tyres to fit the Raleigh Twenty wheel (451 diameter)? I've been looking out for them and here is a list (if you know of further ones, please post a comment with details - thanks!):

KENDA

- Kompact (hard packed race)

- K-West (road, commute)

- Small block eight (photo left: hard packed race and trail, well regarded by MTB and cyclocross riders)

MAXXIS

- Drop the Hammer (hard packed race)

- Holy Roller (pavement and hard packed race, staggered block pattern, see photo below)


PANARACER

- Minits Lite (fast road, commute, baldies pictured at the end of this post)

PRIMO

- Comet (fast road, commute)

- Champ (file tread)

RALEIGH

- Record (traditional)

- Shopper (traditional)

SCHWALBE

- HS110 (traditional style)

- HS371 Mow Joe (knobbly, photo below)

- HS377 Road Cruiser (heavy touring, 457, not 451, but would probably work)

- HS399 Durano (high mileage road)





SHYH HWA

- Traditional style 37-451 (SJS Cycles ebay shop)

TIOGA

- Powerblock (bmx racing)

Most of these are either 28-451 or 37-451. You can get full details from the manufacturer's websites. As to retailers, you would have to search around, for example: Chainreactioncycles, SJS cycles, Winstanleys, Dereks Cycles on ebay, West country recumbents and Mailorderbikes, to name just a few.

Rejoice in your rubber!

Chuck

Cheap n Easy Windproof, Warm, Cycling Vest (Gilet to the posh)

We've had a cold spell recently in the UK. I wanted to ride my hybrid bike over the frosty landscape, but the wind was icy - felt like it was blowing right through me. Enter the cheapskate's answer. The photos below explain how to make this garment. It took me five minutes but it works very well.

Cut a body-width length of bubble wrap. The good old standard stuff that folks use for parcels and packaging. Then cut a hole in it for your neck. I cut one side of the hole more curved than the other, to enable it to go on easily and the back to sit on the shoulders properly.

Here it is on a clothes hanger. Wear it on top of your base layer and under the top layer, bubbles on the inside. It really does keep your core warm even in the cold wind. The open sides seem to allow a fair amount of perspiration to evapourate too. Remember, in cold weather, don't hang about in sweaty clothes. Get inside, showered, warm and dry quickly.

Dahon Wheels but better

I ride a Dahon folding bike regularly. However, the factory wheels have been problematic. Every few months I break a spoke. I'm no spring chicken, mind you. Total weight including baggage in the morning is under the 105kg specified max for Dahon bikes, but not that much under!

So, I tried to find a solution. And I think I may have found one. Paul Hewitt Cycles. They have a great reputation for wheel building. I sent them my Dahon wheels and for a reasonable fee, they serviced and re-built them for me. Apart from spokes and bearings they re-used all the parts that I sent them. Yes, a re-cycled cycle wheel.

I've been riding it for about a month and it has been superb. No broken spokes. Also, an improvement I didn't expect - a more planted assured feel to the ride! Highly recommended.