Sturmey Archer single-speed conversion

[Chris S]

I seem to remember reading something on another forum (I can't remenber which) about removing the centre of a 3-speed Sturmey Archer hub so it ran as a direct drive with a freewheel.

Does anybody know how to do this? Disconnecting the toggle chain would just let the hub run in top gear (4/3). I've got an old AW hub that I'd like to experiment with.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Why, oh why?

 

[TheDoctor]

What would be the point? I'd just leave it alone, or leave it in second if you must have a SS.
It's a heavy way of doing it though...

 

[Chris S]

The old AW hub tended to lock solid sometimes. I figured if I took out the internals (apart from the freeewheel and direct drive) then this wouldn't happen.

 

[TheDoctor]

I thought the AW was pretty reliable, whereas the SW was a bit pants.
I had a 1968 AW hub that still worked perfectly. That was about three years back.

 

[Chris S]

Sorry - that should have been "My old AW hub ..."

 

[TheDoctor]

With you. I've not come across the adaption you've mentioned, only one I remember was a quite involved hack to make a 3 speed fixed with a load of backlash...

 

[Night Train]

One of these would help!

 

[tyred]

I don't see what would be the point. AW hubs are reliable and aren't that difficult to fix if they do act up. You may as well use the gears.

The alternative is a rather heavy SS wheel, alloy wheels in 26 x 1 3/8 are now available at a a reasonable price.