Let's see. How can I say this? No, not problems exactly. More like
personality traits. In fact if your three speed bicycle has any
shortcoming it's probably, well it may be, your fault not the fault of
the bicycle. These machines are just about as close to perfection as it
is humanly possible to create.
First there was the safety bicycle. It conditioned and directed human
power into motion very efficiently. Then it became obvious that the
rider was not quite as efficient as the bicycle's human motor should
be. Unable to improve the motor any great amount, the design of the
bicycle was adapted to make up for one of the human power source's
defects. Gears were added because the human power source (rider) was
efficient only over a small range of cadence speeds. Pedal too slow or
too fast and the power drop of the riders legs was significant.
The three gear ranges are quite a bit better than just one gear ratio.
While it might seem that the "more gears the better idea" would be
applicable, the practicality of the transmission diminishes rapidly
above about 14. Above that number of gears there are no more internal
hub gear systems. At present, if you want more than 14 gears you must
resort to a derailleur system. That's all right if you're racing or
playing at racing, but in the real everyday world of transportation it
is better to have near indestructibility high on the list of design
criteria.
If you have a derailleur geared bicycle and you hit most things with
the gear system the gear system will break. On the other hand if you
have a Sturmey Archer AW gear system equipped bicycle and you hit most
things with the gear system, usually the other thing will break, but
usually not the gear system.
But there may be times when you might wish your three speed bicycle
behaved just slightly better. That is what this page is about.
There may be times when the rear wheel goes up against the frame
because you have pedaled too hard. See, it was your fault. Well whether
it was your fault or not there is a solution. It is not to over tighten
the axle nuts. That would just strip the axle nuts and the wheel would
even go up against the frame with even less pedaling force. Note - If
you
over tighten the axle nuts and you used knock off brand axle nuts
instead of genuine Sturmey Archer axle nuts the axle may strip instead
of the axle nuts. That's even worse than the axle nuts stripping
because of the greater cost and greater difficulty replacing the axle
than axle nuts. But in either case don't over tighten the axle nuts.
The solution is to replace the old smooth HMW155 axle washer on the
side that is slipping, (that will always be the drive chain side as far
as I
know), with a new HMW155 washer which has a serrated side. (The old
ones
were smooth side and the new ones are serrated side. Why? It was
because the old frames had dropouts serrated where the non-turn washer
went. Either the washer or the dropout had to be serrated. Today it is
the washer not the dropout.)
There may be a time when you find out that there is a neutral that is
supposed to be between second and third gear. That is a potentially
dangerous discovery if you find out by letting the gear cable get out
of adjustment. See that, once again your fault if it happens. The
solution is to just keep the gear cable in adjustment. Believe it or
not some people complain about the hidden neutral even though keeping
it hidden is as simple as keeping your gear cable properly adjusted.
And keeping it adjusted is as simple as it says on that page in the Hercules bicycle maintenance guide.
Note - the method given here is only going to be correct if you have
the correct indicator spindle in your hub. But then, why wouldn't you?
The solution to being happy with your three speed bicycle is as simple
as proper maintenance. Unlike many of today's most popular bicycle
designs that won't take much. Read the owner's manual. If it doesn't
have one the one that I have on this website will be sufficient if it
is a classic English three speed with the Sturmey Archer model AW hub.
That manual is here.