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A little help needed. I am thinking of fitting a SA 3sp hub to my single speed road bike. Thing is it obviously needs to be an old one as bar the rims the rest of the bike is 40+ years old and a modern one would look daft.
Anything to look out for when buying a secondhand one? They seem cheap enough. They only seem to come in 28 or 36 hole hubs tho - which would you go for? Is 28 spokes enough for a road bike? Would it look daft with 32 on the front? Can you get decent modern narrow 36 hole rims? At a quick glance they seem rare?
36 hole Open Pros are readily available, also the Halo Retro rim.
No idea about old SA hubs though.
SJS cycles were selling new old stock ones not long ago, pretty cheap as well. Could be worth a look?
I've serviced a few of these (AW's and an AM) and they're pretty bulletproof, though apparently the older ones are better as they used proper harmful hardening processes, like Cyanide and all that jolly stuff.
The steel shells are ok, I don't think you get anything better weight-wise with the Aluminium shells.
Make sure you get the oil filler bung and use a proper oil, needs to be quite light.
I'd also recommend using brass washers for the spoke heads when building as the flanges are quite narrow.
I'm sure Epicyclo will be along soon!
I built a 170mm one into a fat bike wheel for my Puffin, it weighed a ton!! The constant clicking did my head in as well.
Never had a mechanical issue with it though.
I'd go for the modern hub for a 40 year old bike. S-A had alloy hubs long before that, so it doesn't look out of place.
Here's a modern 3 speed S-A (36h) on my 60 year old bike. The hub doesn't stand out as an anachronism.
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I don't know how reliable the modern Taiwanese made S-As are, but that's because I have never had a problem with mine which must be a teenager by now. Any problems I have encountered (on other people's bikes) have always been cable or cable adjustment related.
I'd say they are just as reliable as the originals but with a more positive gearchange, ie no false neutrals.
Plenty decent 36 hole rims around, I rarely build with less.
A problem with buying 2nd hand is that old S-A 3 speeds generally were for 40 hole rims because 32F/40R was the standard. I reckon a 28 spoked wheel would look out of place on the rear, but with modern rims, there's no real disadvantage doing that.
BTW old style 28 hole S-A hubs were usually used on small wheel bikes like Moultons or 20" shoppers. Also S-A do make 32 hole hubs, but I have not yet found a supplier in this country, everyone seems to have just 36h.
Tj i'll give you a 36 hole sa if you want it.
Cut it out of a rusted rim but it worked fine.
Not sure that this will help at all, but have one on my 1970 MK1 Chopper, defo built to last as my mechanic mate stripped it down for a clean up and he said it was in great condition considering its age, all put back together and once I'd set up the toggle chain it works great.
Nice one Josh. I'll pm you
I got my SA hub today - a 60s 3 speed. There is no play in the axle but it feels a bit "grindy" like a dry bearing - is this how they feel always? Its a long time since I had one. I put some oil in it as apparently its had been stripped to be checked and is in VCG so I thought it might just be dry>
anyone any thoughts?
Maybe the cone has been overtightened? One end is locked using a squarish tab washer, the nds (I think) is adjustable like a shimano cup and cone. I would dismantle it and have a look at its guts. Mine started a bit rough (rusty races), firstly a bit of a clean up with some very fine wet and dry, reassembled with original balls and cycled on through the winter, then restrip and new balls. I don't know if it runs any better, but seems to work fine.
Google no intermediate gear (NIG) if you value your knackers!
just dry I think - some oil and grease on the bearings and it feels much better
I remember the NIG thing from years ago keep the adjuster adjusted properly!
Ta
Flipping heck I remember that, and I remember the pain of ball sack stem interface. Think it was just know back then as the slip gear. Of course as kids we had no idea about keeping the adjuster adjusted...
Don't forget pics TJ. 🙂
Got a lovely brass faced lever for it from the 40s as well 🙂
I appear to be turning into you epicyclo with my odd collection of bikes. I don't know who should be more scared 😉
Did you decide on a rim?
Left it up to the shop. Took the bike in so they could see the rims on it and get me one to match or similar to the front. They know more about whats available than I do
Make sure it's adjusted properly, they are different to regular hubs and can be damaged. I can't remember the detail on how.
Biketrax used to keep spares and Grieg there knows how to service them (possibly unique in Edinburgh).
Related question - I'm thinking of updating my commuter slightly with a new 3 speed hub and a dynamo front and I'm wondering if the gearing and the cable pull is the same on all the SA 3 speeds? I want to retain the very period gripshift and quite like the ratios I currently have.
Another option is simply clean up the hub and re-rim it (going for alloys over the chromed steel to lose some weight) and service the hub. I'm loath to take it apart in case it doesn't all go back in. Can someone reassure me it's relatively easy?
I do know how to adjust them - in second grear the top of the shifter chain rod should be in line with the end of the axle IIRC
speeder I think all the pull ratios are the same - certainly when looking for parts for my build all the levers available old and new were all for 3 sp hubs
Usually the hubs don't need anything bar a few drops of oil now and then.
tjagain
I appear to be turning into you epicyclo with my odd collection of bikes. I don’t know who should be more scared
When you have 2 attics and sheds full of old projects, and you start thinking of N+1 sheds, that's when you should worry.
And we won't talk about my bike library. 🙂
The cull has started...
Phew! I have limited space and live in a top floor flat.
@ speeder.
They are fairly straightforward to strip down, although, as tj says, if it is running ok, just oil it. Has it got the oil port? If not it may be the more modern variety that is grease lubed and probably would benefit from cleaning out. You can still oil these though, dropper it in through the hole in the axle.
Here's a link to a description of the strip down, not tricky if you can be methodical. You probably won't have to take apart the pawls/springs etc.
If you are anywhere near South Wiltshire I'm happy to do it for you.
I do know how to adjust them
I mean adjust the bearings not the gear shifter.
They can feel like they are adjusted ok, but aren't. Like I say I forget the detail, I imagine it's easily found on Google.
Ta
Lesshaste thanks for the info. It does have an oil port into which I occasionally drop a bit of 3in1. No idea if it’s the right sort of lube but it doesn’t seem to have any I’ll effects. I did decode the serial number and iirc it’s 1960s vintage and still going strong whilst doing up to 60miles a week on the commute.
When I get back from holiday I’ll take a look inside and see what sort of nick it’s in. I’m sure I could transplant the guts out of a similar lower mileage version if it turns out to be worse than I expect.
Oh and I’m only in Glos so Wiltsisnt far and I may take you up on the offer but I’d rather learn myself if honest,up to the point I’m left with a bag of unserviceable components (see my SRAM shifter repair) 😊