A Bicycle Hub

[cheesy]

It's somewhat known around here that I have a soft spot for bicycles and bicycle parts. The older, the better.

Well, I was beyond bored last night. I figured if I was going to be bored, I may as well be bored in the garage. After powering up the 61 year old Zenith short wave radio and settling on Radio Japan for a bit, I started rooting through some parts bins.

I came up with enough NOS and good used parts to put together this.

A Bendix manually shifted 2 speed hub. Built between 1952 and 1961, it's a simple hub with a low gear of 0.63:1 and a high gear of 1:1. It can be serviced with only a screwdriver and an adjustable wrench. And, it is bomb proof. If anything, it is overbuilt. Fairly rare, I am lucky enough to have two on bikes plus this one and I may have enough parts to build one more. This particular hub will spend the summer in a display case at the West Chicago Historical Museum for an exhibition on bicycling history.

BTW, I can quit anytime.

[FastDoc]

Very cool Cheesy!

As full as my garage looks, you just made it look empty! Good on you!

That hub is very cool. Nice old world machining.

I loved the old 3 speed Strumy Archer hubs, although I never knew how they worked.

Are they mechanically efficient?

[SpudRider]

Originally Posted by cheesy

...BTW, I can quit anytime.

That's what they all say.

[katoranger]

I can still see the floor.

[cheesy]

Originally Posted by FastDoc

Very cool Cheesy!

As full as my garage looks, you just made it look empty! Good on you!

That hub is very cool. Nice old world machining.

I loved the old 3 speed Strumy Archer hubs, although I never knew how they worked.

Are they mechanically efficient?

Doc-The efficiency of a broken in SA hub gear will exceed the efficiency of a derailleur system. Where it loses out is the gear steps. A derailleur system can have gear steps of less than 10%, where the typical three speed can be 25% or higher. Unless we talk Nuvinci or Rolhoff hubs.

The Nuvinci is variable ratio hub. The ratios are attained through sorcery, but it is very heavy. Not really sorcery, but it works something like a CVT transmission but instead of speed and weights controlling the gear ratios, the ratios are controlled by the operator buy means of a twist grip control.

The Rolhoff is a planetary hub similar to a 3 speed hub, but has 14 speeds. I could buy a good used 'Wing, or two, for the price of a Rolhoff. The gear steps are close and fairly even, it is comparatively light weight, and is built like a Rolex watch. People who own 'em, swear by 'em. I'd rather have the 'Wing.

kato-You couldn't last month.

[Weldangrind]

How is shifting accomplished on a Bendix hub? Cable? I recall a hub from several years ago that simply required a sharp back-pedal to shift, but I might not be remembering that correctly.

Your shop looks quite organized compared to mine.

[cheesy]

Weld-This version is shifted with a cable.

The Bendix red, blue, and yellow band hubs that were introduced in the early 60s were kickback shifters and replaced the manual shifter. Fitchel & Sachs had a dandy kickback hub about the same time. Sram(formerly Fitchel & Sachs) reintroduced their kickback hub last year, as did Sturmey Archer.

[katoranger]

Cheesy, I pulled a bike off the curb a few weeks ago. I need to see if it has any significance. Have not really looked too close, but I think it would be of 1970s vintage. Also got a fairly clean 1980s Free Spirit with a 3 speed. I think that I can clean it up and send it to a new home.

The rest of the bikes are just Walmart varieties. Donar cycles.

[cheesy]

kato-post a pic.

[katoranger]

I will get one today. Need to clean up my pile. My collection has spread into the yard.

[katoranger]

This is probably nothing special. Noticed it has a one piece crank. It is definately an older bike.

[cheesy]

Originally Posted by katoranger

This is probably nothing special. Noticed it has a one piece crank. It is definately an older bike.

Bike Boom era. Has Huffy/Murray/Columbia written all over it, just before they hit rock bottom. Cut it up and make something useful out of it.

[Weldangrind]

Originally Posted by cheesy

Cut it up and make something useful out of it.

Do you think it has Cro-Mo tubing? What is the best way to be sure?

[katoranger]

Sounds like a plan. The parts are it are alittle better quality than todays walmart variety.

I think I will hang on it to for now. Most of the bikes I got will go directly to scrap after I salvage wheels and tires and pedals.

[katoranger]

Another nothing too special bike, but this one rides. Needs a tube in the front tire and I had to add a couple zipties to keep cable in place.

Also a pic of most of the bikes/parts I acquired from the curb. Project inventory.