Sachs duomatic

[Yellow Fang]

I was looking at the Pashley website (it's a pernicious habit I know). I noticed that one of their Guvnor models used a Sachs duomatic combined coaster brake and two-speed hub gear. This was combined with a Schlumpf gear in the bottom bracket. I noticed one of the Moultons they build under license had the same configuration. Only fifty of each were built and they're all sold out. The Sachs duomatic intrigues me. I though Sachs were part of SRAM, but I can't find the hub on their website. Is it still in production? Interestingly it says you brake by back pedaling, and you change gear by pedaling back too. Has anyone used these things?

 

[Yellow Fang]

Hmmm interesting, it appears it hasn't been in production for quite a while, which makes me wonder how Pashley got hold of a hundred. It was used for those German klapprads. Apparently, there was a variant called the Fichtel & Sachs Torpedo Automatic which changed gear automatically depending on what speed you were cycling at. How cool is this? It is claimed it was the only hub to use centrifugal force to shift gear.

http://hubstripping.wordpress.com/torpedo-duomatic-fs/

 

[jack the lad]

I had one on an early Moulton. You backpedal slightly to go from one gear to the next, but if you overdo it the brake comes on. It worked pretty well and looks neater than a derailleur, but I think the 2 speed derailleur gears on my Brompton are probably more efficient (and easier to service).

 

[Yellow Fang]

I like the lack of cabling. I was wondering whether I could fit on the Brommie, although I'm totally happy with the brakes and gears it has now.