Sunrace Sturmey Archer News: S3X Fixed Gear 3 Speed

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

S3X Fixed Gear 3 Speed

So I know there are many of you out there that are very interested in the little bit of info I recently got my paws on.

The first batch of prototype Fixed Gear 3 speeds is finished. The new hub will be called the S3X. The hub will be made using a much stronger aluminum hubshell. Overall gear range will be 160%.

1st Gear -37.5%

2nd Gear - -25%

3rd Gear - Direct Drive

Gear step gear 1 to gear 2: 20%

Gear step gear two to gear 3: 33%

Shifters are still up in the air but we have had many requests for a bar end style shifter. Also we are still planning on the possibility of doing some anodized colors with laser etching instead of screen printed graphics. Please comment on what you would like to see in the way of shifters or color choices.

412 comments:

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Scott Loveless said...: You guys need to seriously hurry up. I'm running out of paper towels to wipe up the drool.; September 3, 2008 7:51 AM
D. Ben Noble said...: This is great news! Thanks for all of the hard work.

As has been mentioned before, many of us who have been watching this blog intently, waiting for this hub to be released, wouldn't be nearly as obsessed if it weren't for Sheldon Brown. The release of this device to the public could potentially be the best kind of homage to the guy responsible for building up so much enthusiasm. How about naming it the S3B or the SB3, or as suggested before "The Sheldon"?; September 3, 2008 7:52 AM
bsk said...: Make a bar-end shifter and I'll put one on my 925. Can't wait...; September 3, 2008 8:39 AM
Anonymous said...: I second naming this "The Sheldon" or SB3; September 3, 2008 8:41 AM
Longleaf Bicycles said...: I would prefer a downtube shifter that could attach with a clamp band.

Others would likely want a barend.

There isn't any reason not to have both--the shifter kit could include (or the pieces could be sold separately).

1--A lever that can be mounted directly to a downtube boss on road conversions.
2--A downtube clamp band for bikes with no dt bosses
3--A pod mount to which the lever could be attached to make a barend shifter.

Everybody's happy.

Anthony King; September 3, 2008 8:51 AM
Orin said...: If you do a bar-end shifter, please make it mountable on a standard downtube shifter boss.; September 3, 2008 8:58 AM
cyclofiend said...: Nice to see it getting close to available. Where did you end up with regards to the engagement delay? Can't wait to see it in the, um, metal!; September 3, 2008 9:06 AM
Scott Loveless said...: Second Anthony's suggestions. Add a clamp for handlebars that won't take a bar end shifter.

It really does need to be named after St. Sheldon, too.; September 3, 2008 9:08 AM
veloChine said...: Agree with longleaf's suggestions on a shifter kit; September 3, 2008 9:10 AM
Taylor said...: Again... somehow marking sheldon in there would be great.
as for shifters... how bout something not so in the way. like down by the BB. I mean what's the fun in fixed gear without barspins?! a concealed option would be nice for those not wanting to shift/have something in the way all the time. Maybe a knob right where the cable starts?
Good luck!; September 3, 2008 9:30 AM
shrewboy said...: Thank you for the update! The updates on the last website I'd seen had not been updated in so long that I worried the project had been dropped. I'm fairly open to bar end vs downtube, although a knee whack into a bar end shifter on a fixed gear could be disastrous. All said, awesome looking product...get it to market!!

Oh, and one more vote for the SB3 name. Let's give Sheldon some credit for keeping this interesting hub style in the public eye!!; September 3, 2008 9:34 AM
Anonymous said...: Aw come on! It's cool that that you're cooling off of the SA fixed hub, but don't rain on our parade!; September 3, 2008 10:58 AM
Anonymous said...: Can't wait for this hub.
I hope it ships in time for me to build a winter '08 commuter.

I want to put it on a track bike w/ Soma Sparrow (flat) bars, and no downtube shifter bosses; So I need a thumb shifter, grip shifter, or a lever with a clamp. I'd prefer the thumbshifter, since it's the easiest to mount, and the easiest to move to another bar. The bar end shifter would be less attractive, since it's only useful on drop bars. Thanks!; September 3, 2008 11:07 AM
Anonymous said...: Fixed-gear riding isn't about the convenience of STI shifting or even bar ends. How about a seat tube mounted shifter? It would be ideally located between the top of the water bottle and the bottom of the frame pump.; September 3, 2008 11:13 AM
threespeed said...: It would be a great and fitting tribute to name it after Sheldon "Epicyclic" Brown.

For a shifter, I want a handlebar-mounted trigger like the old Sturmey AW, for North Road and "priest" style handlebars.

Looking forward to being able to buy one of these!; September 3, 2008 11:34 AM
Anonymous said...: Tyalor wrote: I mean what's the fun in fixed gear without barspins?!

All this time I've been having a lot of fun, what with brakes (yes, two of them), too.

Anyway... I second the clamp-on shifter, with enough clamp length for seat tubes (and thus barspins).

A bar-end pod that also allows the shifter to be mounted for a braze-on would be great.

Thanks for continuing with this project, and I hope your investment pays off!; September 3, 2008 11:38 AM
Emily O'Brien said...: Woohoo, I can't wait to try one!!!!
Whatever kind of shifter you go with, I can't wait to find a place to install it! I'll chime in on naming it after Sheldon, too.

A quick comment to those who want to install their shifters somewhere unconventional: If it has a clamp or the capability for one, or if you're slightly creative, you can install it wherever you durn well want. Run a full housing and you can just stick that shifter in your back pocket, if you're so inclined.

Just a couple of questions: How much backlash does it have? And what is the dropout spacing? Dare I ask about the price tag?; September 3, 2008 11:41 AM
Anonymous said...: Colors: Anodized aluminum, black, and of course, umber.; September 3, 2008 11:42 AM
Steve said...: +1 on the SB3 name. Sheldon deserves to be honored this way.

As for shifters: bar end yes; trigger, yes.; September 3, 2008 12:33 PM
Jim G said...: Make a shifter with a continuous clamping band so it'll fit on frame tubes or handlebars. Also make it with an integral cable-housing stop which would be useful for handlebar mounting, or not used if frame-mounted. Finally, if the shift mechanism or lever itself could be removed from this band-mounting and attached to a standard down-tube braze-on, so much the better!; September 3, 2008 1:24 PM
RacingChicken said...: I would also love a bar-end shifter. Would be perfect for all the bullhorn and drop bar-toting fixed gear folks. Much MUCH better than grip shift.

Color choices should probably go in line with similar bike bling ano colors (chris king, phil, etc) so SA can really play up the product on some show bikes.

I will second, third and fourth the re-naming of the product to "sheldon." Not only is it paying homage to the very man that brought back the market for these things (and boy does he deserve the homage), but you'll probably sell a lot more of them.; September 3, 2008 1:31 PM
cheesy said...: As one who already rides fixed 2 and 3 speed hubs, I'd like to see the old style trigger shifter retained. Damn near stupid proof.; September 3, 2008 2:46 PM
Anonymous said...: Naming the hub in tribute to Sheldon Brown would be a noble gesture.

Color doesn't really matter to me, since all of my hubs are silver.

As for shifters, you aren't going to please everyone unless you offer dozens of different styles. I suggest that you offer three basic styles and have an option for mounting. A lever shifter that could be used on a downtube fitting or a bar-end shifter pod should be one option. A twist grip shifter that will work with 7/8" (22.2mm) bars and 15/16" (23.8mm) bars would be another option. A traditional trigger style lever that, again, could fit both 7/8" and 15/16" bars would round out the shifter package.

Please keep up the good work.

Jason Cloutier
Pawtucket, RI, USA; September 3, 2008 2:56 PM
Anonymous said...: I think a clamp-on downtube shifter will be the most popular, since a lot of people with fixed gear bikes like their handlebars clean; September 3, 2008 3:03 PM
matt h2o said...: What might be good is if it'd be compatible with the other sturmey archer shifters - so you get a bar-end or a pod one in the box, but if you want a different one you can just buy one of the others.; September 3, 2008 3:13 PM
Anonymous said...: I am very excited about this product. I don't view this as taking a fixed-gear hub and mucking it up with the added complication of three speeds, as some will; but rather, taking a three-speed hub and enhancing it by making it fixed-gear rather than freewheeling.

I think Jason Cloutier had the right idea for three shifters - I would personally want either a trigger or a lever, and not a grip-twist.

I would want one in silver. I don't care what you call the model, but if you do release it as the S3X, please choose a font so that it doesn't look like a play on the word "SEX", which was the first thing I noticed when I looked at the photo above.

James Black; September 3, 2008 4:37 PM
Anonymous said...: Awesome.

Just make it a bar end shifter that mounts on downtube bosses and you're going to have 90% of the market right there.

If folks want to get creative they can get a set of Pauls Thumbies and mount it up. I've done it a dozen times now, works great.

To those who want the shifter in some cracked out location. Dudes, get some brakes, get some handlebars, and get over yourself. For you, the perfect solution is to have 3 different wheels, not this hub.; September 3, 2008 5:19 PM
Easy Tiger said...: Who the heck wants a three speed fixie?

It defeats the whole purpose.

Three speed free, yeah, would make a great commuter hub, but this is a badly researched product idea.; September 3, 2008 6:28 PM
seaneee said...: Nice! It great to see this come around again.

Skip the colors, that trend is (thankfully) dying, if not dead, that will just leave you with a bunch of red and pink hubs sitting in a bin.

As for the shifter, options maybe.

A basic shift cable with a standard end rather than a 3sp barrel that could be used with a number of different friciton shifters, DT, thumbies, bar end, etc.

Or perhaps a standard 3sp shifter with conversion kits that allow you to run it with different types of shifters?

The more flexibility this thing has, the more people are likely to run it.; September 3, 2008 6:32 PM
Anonymous said...: 1. color silver, black graphics
2. trigger shifter traditional traditional, traditional
3. sb of course..
4. sooner than later. now would be good.
5. woo hoo.; September 3, 2008 6:39 PM
Anonymous said...: Just make it work with the classic Sturmey trigger.; September 3, 2008 6:46 PM
Anonymous said...: Looking forward to this.

I agree with seaneee about skipping the colors... silver for sure, black maybe.

For the final Sheldon touch make one with a disc mount!; September 3, 2008 6:59 PM
Anonymous said...: Here is a vote for a classic trigger-style shifter. Convenient for urban riding and can also be mounted creatively in more positions than a bar-end shifter (various handlebar positions, seat stay, where ever). Can't see a gripshift being popular with fixed riders.; September 3, 2008 7:05 PM
Anonymous said...: I hope you will make it to accomodate 120mm rear spacing; September 3, 2008 8:41 PM
Anonymous said...: 42mm chainline would be nice too.

In addition what plans are there for cable routing? Will a frame with specific braze-ons be of any benefit?; September 3, 2008 8:55 PM
Anonymous said...: This is extremely interesting.

Please offer it in 120 130 and 135mm spacing.; September 3, 2008 8:58 PM
mwshook said...: I would love to put this on my bike. I vote for bar-end (if this is up for a vote).

I also vote for "The Sheldon."; September 3, 2008 9:07 PM
gerta said...: Please do a trigger shift. SA is popular largely because it hews to tradition and stays classy, unlike the ugly but frankly perfectly functional stuff from the competition. Please please please provide a timeline (even a very rough guesstimate) so those of us dying to build our next bike can decide whether to hold out or go with what we've got. Thanks a million for pushing this hub forward.; September 4, 2008 12:25 AM
gerta said...: P.S. "easy tiger," you're aware there's already a 3-speed freewheel hub from SA? And that there are plenty of fixed riders who are dying for this hub?; September 4, 2008 12:30 AM
Anonymous said...: I too am also excited and am eying which bike will get the S3x treatment. Although I do like the idea of it being named S3B. Sheldon did so much for the cycling community and did draw a fair amount of attention/enthusiasm for all things bike-- including this wonderful blast from the past.

I'd be interested in a bar-end shifter although trigger is closely following and just as good (if not better?).

I would rather see this with no color if it means coming out faster and is cheaper. Personally I'm a fan of polished aluminum and eagerly await more news about this.

Keep up the great work! We're excited and waiting for any/all good news.; September 4, 2008 12:36 AM
Anonymous said...: Is it just me, or do the gear jumps look funky? The total range is ok, but 2nd needs to be higher. The prototype setup gives something like 83/62/52 gear inches. I'd much rather see the drop to 2nd be smaller. Make it a 15% drop instead of 25%, and you'd be spot on.; September 4, 2008 1:24 AM
GCCB said...: hi...may sound estrange...but some fixed gear riders may like to keep their bicycles clean without cables and shifter and get a lower or higher gear only in extreme conditions...would i fit one i would use it without a shifter...just pulling the chain by hand; September 4, 2008 1:57 AM
James Hennessy. said...: Surely it is a fixed wheel hub not a fixed gear.
A real tribute to Sheldon would be to label it correctly!; September 4, 2008 2:57 AM
Anonymous said...: It would be great if this had closer ratios like the old ACS.

Wouldn't it be possible to do 2 versions? One for the ordinary enthusiast with the 25% drop 2nd gear and another for racing/TT with tighter ratios??; September 4, 2008 5:02 AM
Champs said...: Whatever you do, leave enough axle so it will space out to at least 130mm OLD.; September 4, 2008 5:50 AM
spokejunky said...: How about a clamp mounted suicide shifter on the front triangle seat tube? Could be static or variable shift.; September 4, 2008 6:12 AM
Cunamara said...: Hmmm, not to rain on the parade but those gear jumps are too big IMHO (if I've done the math right, there are several ways to do it). The original ASC had the normal gear as high, the middle gear as 90% and the low gear as 75%. The ASC was basically a racing hub aimed at time triallists (some of whom found even those jumps too big). Now, TTers are a market that this hub is not going to reach, so there's no need to cater to them, but I think closer gear spacing would be a good idea.

I will also chime in for the SB3 moniker in homage to Sheldon. That would just be cool.

I also hope that SunRace can do something about the weight- even with the alloy shells, the new S-A hubs weigh a ton. More than the originals, more than the Sachs/SRAM competition.; September 4, 2008 6:31 AM
Ché said...: I think that a disc mount would be wonderful. These would be teriffic things on a fixie tandem!; September 4, 2008 6:36 AM
d-a-n-i-e-L said...: Trigger shifters and downtube shifters please. This will be perfect for my 'single' speed.; September 4, 2008 6:42 AM
skidmark pdx said...: Please make a thumb shifter avaiable so I can put one in my fixed Mountain Bike. I'll be buying at least 3 of these hubs when available.; September 4, 2008 7:44 AM
Anonymous said...: I guess easy tiger is unaware of the history behind the original Sturmey Archer 3-speed fixed and how much of a Holy Grail it has become for some fixed riders.; September 4, 2008 7:49 AM
mr carter said...: so cool!!!

it would be nice if the shifter was a thumb-style shifter that could be mounted on either the right or left hand side of your handlebars.

looks like the perfect polo setup!; September 4, 2008 7:51 AM
Anonymous said...: Awesome. Great news.

My only insistance would be to dedicate it to Sheldon Brown.

As others have said, without him, there would be a lot less interest!

"The Sheldon" is very cool.; September 4, 2008 7:56 AM
Scott Loveless said...: Based on these comments, it's going to be widely known as "the Sheldon" whether or not Sunrace-SA calls it that.; September 4, 2008 9:15 AM
Anonymous said...: This will be my next wheel build purchase. Can't wait to get one! I don't care where the shifter mounts I will be buying.; September 4, 2008 9:22 AM
Jeremy said...: Really excited that this is happening! I'm simple, bar-end or downtube shifters would work great! Although including a clamping band as jim g suggests would allow for all of these crazy mounting positions people are suggesting.; September 4, 2008 9:24 AM
Anonymous said...: Is it a reworked ASC design, or totally new? The ASC used pawls to drive some gears and therefore had a lot of backlash compared to a true fixed-wheel bike.; September 4, 2008 9:33 AM
Anonymous said...: Just one question: When can I get one?; September 4, 2008 10:12 AM
Anonymous said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.; September 3, 2008 10:18 AM
phillipd said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.; September 3, 2008 10:21 AM
johnb said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.; September 4, 2008 6:17 AM
Anonymous said...: This post has been removed by a blog administrator.; September 4, 2008 6:24 AM
Anonymous said...: How about a NIG version of the AM medium-gear hub? That would be much better for commuters and club riders than the AW (which is versatile but not great for maintaining a steady cadence).

Original AM hubs are now really hard to find in the longer axle length.; September 4, 2008 10:46 AM
TwoWheels said...: Definitely would want a bar end shifter!

Even better if it uses a standard cable pull and standard cables (no special tip on the shifter end) to be compatible with other shifters on the market!

Also, perhaps you could optionally put the indexing at the hub side, then we could use any old shifter (downtube or barend) that we already have, or turn off the indexing at the hub and use the appropriate shifters with indexing built in.; September 4, 2008 10:48 AM
Anonymous said...: Everyone should remember that Sunrace Sturmey Archer does not own any rights to the name "Sheldon Brown". In addition to legal issues, propriety and good manners would require any use of the late Mr. Brown's name or initials for marketing a commercial product have at a bare minimum the approval of his widow and children.; September 4, 2008 10:49 AM
Anonymous said...: Shifter? A Sunrace Driven brifter, of course.; September 4, 2008 10:53 AM
Anonymous said...: as long as it is compatible with the traditional trigger shifter or has an option I am down for it

I also highly recommend the sheldon brown model the man was a big proponent of this things rebirth

maybe a red and white powder coat job with one of sheldon's lil saying on it; September 4, 2008 10:58 AM
Tom Taylor said...: Again, congrats. I agree, a tribute to Sheldon would be most appropriate. That said, I think the anodized bit is silly and unnecessary- like Phil's the original is still the best, maybe work on the finish, rather than color; polished aluminum would be nice. As for shifters-
1. bar end shifters are for TT bikes, 2.dt shifters are for conversions, which are generally done "on the cheap" (not an ideal market). and
3. a clamp can be ugly
all of these things seem to undermine the minimalism of fixed cycling- ALAS! what does one do with a track frame- no bosses, and bull horns are so tacky!- and what about aerotubes? and bar spins? any thoughts on a design that involved use by an extremity other than the hand? maybe a pneumatic actuator held in the teeth? on the pedal mount? wireless? rear triangle- watch the fingers!!!top tube? I like the top tube- perhaps the greatest tribute to Sheldon would be to sell the shifter with a threw bolt and leave it up to the purchaser to devise an appropriate mount for their configuration. And the text- the typeface if too innocuous, like the name "S3X"- is that a dirt bike, a crossover, a razor?, I would like to see a badge, screwed on, like the brass ones of yore. reading perhaps, in some serif font- "The Sheldon", and beneath .S3X by Sunrace. thank you all for your contributions to the cycling community.; September 4, 2008 11:32 AM
Anonymous said...: As people have previously intimated the S3X name although I am sure very marketable, could be surpassed by naming it after Sheldon "Epicyclic" Brown.

He must surely have generated more interest in this than any amount of paid for advertising could.

To paraphrase for those who understand no explanation is necessary, for those who don't understand no explanation is possible.

I vote for "The Sheldon",; September 4, 2008 1:39 PM
Anonymous said...: Very nice, I will certainly buy one. But if you must call it "S3X" please do not etch this on the shell - I would be embarrassed to have this on my bike and would want to be able to polish the logo off.

It'd also be nice to see an attractive retro metal shifter. Perhaps you could develop these for your other hubs too - I'm sure a lot of your users would like to upgrade from the frankly ugly plastic models.; September 4, 2008 1:48 PM
Rob from Ottawa said...: I'd say keep it pretty simple for the shifter, there are some wacky ideas here. Not that the wacky ideas aren't interesting or useful, but I could see them not being adopted if they're too off the wall. A bar end shifter, downtube shifter or a flat top shifter all sound like the best idea to me. Simple, it works, people like them. It would be great if you could sell one shifter with a few extra bits that could be used in all three ways. Or a grip shifter with a shim so it could work with both road bars and mountain bars.

Great work! I'll probably buy one! (If they aren't all sold out already.)

How durable will these hubs be?; September 4, 2008 2:12 PM
Miss N. Bird said...: hooray! I 132nd naming it after Sheldon Brown. I'd love to see these available as something I could mount on my bars, either as a thumb-shifter or a bar-end shifter, but a downtube shifter would work, as well.; September 4, 2008 2:48 PM
Anonymous said...: Pink/purple anodized-- and a bar end shifter.; September 4, 2008 5:07 PM
Anonymous said...: now, is it possible to have a fixed/free internal hub?; September 4, 2008 5:20 PM
Anonymous said...: I realize my earlier post was deleted, but again... How reliable will these hubs be for people who rely on resistance braking?

I think that's a valid question.; September 4, 2008 5:53 PM
Marcus said...: This is really great news I was afraid this was dead in the water.

I'd go for a trigger with an adjustable clamp with a good size range and the use of standard shifter cable materials to allow flexibility of mounting.

I'm not a fan of color anodizing, keep it silver and shiny.

Do not forget the SB3 engraving with the image of Igor the helmet eagle.; September 4, 2008 6:30 PM
Anonymous said...: FUUUUUUCK YEA. sheldon whoooooo! yo da man.; September 4, 2008 7:22 PM
Anonymous said...: The spacing is too wide! Why do you think you know better than British club racers? Further comments at: http://bikehugger.com/2008/09/fixednot_really_sturmey_archer.htm; September 4, 2008 7:39 PM
Anonymous said...: laser etched, SB3, options for bar end, down tube and trigger shift. it's gonna be expensive might as well make it as widely available as possible. thank you so much for making this hub. r.i.p. sheldon; September 4, 2008 8:39 PM
Anonymous said...: all silver all the time. ballpark price anyone?; September 4, 2008 8:51 PM
Anonymous said...: SB3! actually the helmet eagle alone would still be pretty good homage, and then you could name it whatever you want.; September 4, 2008 10:49 PM
Anonymous said...: In terms of a shifter, I like the idea of a dedicated downtube shifter, but I am leery of downtube clamp-ons. I currently have a bike set up with an old Sachs 3 speed hub and the accompanying torpedo thumb shifter. This works well in terms of running a cable to a stop on the down tube boss. I use drop bars, and with my latest set up, I have had to modify the shifter to make it clamp onto a 31.8 bar- all that said, it works well. If I could be czar of the world, I would make a 2 piece twist shifter (so that it would go around the bends of a drop bar) that would ultimately nestle near the stem facing outward, be compatible with 26.0/ 31.8 bars. I think this would make a clean look and when I am riding fixed, I like to be able to keep my hands on the bars. Good luck and I look forward to seeing the hub!; September 5, 2008 3:51 AM
Anonymous said...: I want one! for the name "the sheldon" is great.; September 5, 2008 5:06 AM
Jon said...: +1 for Sheldon Brown naming
+1 for bring it on!; September 5, 2008 6:57 AM
Anonymous said...: Bar end shifters would be a good idea, but some type of flat bar thumb shifter would be super versitle/awesome. And as for the name, St. Sheldon should be involved for sure.; September 5, 2008 8:45 AM
Jonathon said...: Just seconding everyone who has already called for it to be named "The Sheldon" and/or include plastic eagle image in the logo.

Shifter should be a single common lever, with four different mounts: downtube mount for bikes with shifter boss, downtube clamp for bikes without shifter boss, bar-end, and thumbie clamp.

It would almost certainly help if the shifter were such that the cable could be inserted in either direction. This guarantees compatibility among all four mount styles, and allows the user to place the shifter on either side of the bike without reversing the lever's action.; September 5, 2008 8:59 AM
Anonymous said...: GCCB had a comment I'd like to second.

How about a knob or lever at the axle for gear changes? This might save some folks from themselves in the long run - Imagine some dolt shifting from high to low on a fast downhill with the consequence of Sunrace getting sued and this choice piece of hardware being pulled from the market.

"S3X" is funny for a prototype but it's the sort of crassity that belongs on a Langster.

The range might seem excessive to some but I've tried designing epicyclic gearing and I understand the limitations - it is hard to get the closer ratios and still make planet gears large enough to handle the forces.

The product looks great - don't think it needs lipstick(ano)!; September 5, 2008 11:26 AM
Anonymous said...: Another vote to name it for Sheldon Brown. I agree that the jumps are too great. I actually would consider using it on a TT bike so I would prefer the same jumps as on the original.; September 5, 2008 3:47 PM
Anonymous said...: This sounds perfect! I'm keen for big gear jumps, I live in a hilly city.

Definately go anodized with laser-etch, in black or dark grey. I'd be keen to see the words "3-Speed" on the logo changed to a different typeface, keep it thin and clean like a fixie should be.

Looking forward to getting one!; September 5, 2008 4:22 PM
Symon H. said...: Thank you for the update on the hub. I will be buying one when they become available and then will work out what bike it will fit.:-)

I like the idea of a bar-end shifter, especially if it can also be converted to use as a downtube shifter, or the option of a trigger shifter like the original ASC.; September 6, 2008 2:12 AM
Anonymous said...: is there anyway to use a hex-keyed nut?; September 6, 2008 8:12 AM
stevep33 said...: This is going to be the best thing since sliced bread.

Sign me up.; September 6, 2008 2:15 PM
Anonymous said...: Seriously, if you make this in black, 120mm spacing and multiple options for shifting levers, I'll pay you right now and wait for it patiently.

I don't think only having bar-end shifters would be wise. That may actually make me skip it. I run a few different handlebars depending on mood, and the idea of only being able to run the shifters in the ends would make me very, very sad.

Out of curiosity, how much play do they have?; September 6, 2008 3:31 PM
Anonymous said...: I am terribly excited about this. Color doesn't matter to me at all, but I would love some barend shifters and have sheldon referenced in the naming.; September 6, 2008 10:22 PM
Anonymous said...: I was just talking about how much I would rather use a hub like this with multi-speed fixed gears on my dirt/track mountain fixie, and how it depressed me that the best lead on getting one was Sheldon Brown's relaying that somebody else paid $300 a long time ago to score one that turned up by chance... build it and I will build a wheel for every one (two so far) of my bikes!
Whatever the name, please sell me some of these no later than Interbike, but it's true Sheldon's site got me to try fixing a bike.; September 6, 2008 11:50 PM
Telford said...: Build the shifter in three pieces - sold separately. Shift blade compatible with downtube shifting. A thumbie (aka Pauls) type mount for straight/riser bars and a bar end mount (aka Rivendell) type mount for drops. These later two would accept the bladed downtube shift lever. Now hurry up and get 'em made.

Colors are optional - but check Velocity Deep V rims and do some matching.; September 7, 2008 5:15 AM
Frank said...: naw. don't match velocity colors. match vintage raleigh frame colors.
make sure you have an olive. you guys always forget about olive.; September 7, 2008 10:03 AM
Anonymous said...: Please don't make the mistake Rohloff did and offer only a twist grip shifter. Like Rohloff, your fixed 3sp hub will have a special customer base of knowledgeable cyclists, unlike Sram and Nexus hub gears that are for newbies on comfort bikes. Nothing wrong with that and those folks may benefit from twist grips but no one who buys a fixed hub needs that. Those with ftat bars will do fine with a thumbshifter or trigger. The twist grip is the most limited option in that it can only be mounted in one place and one way (aside from the many crude and sad hacks made for the Rohloff by desperate users with drop bars). And a twist grip only works on one bar diameter, so a twistgrip shifter will only serve to limit your market.

Make a shifter that will work anywhere by offering one that fits on dt bosses so that it will work with bar top pods like Pauls, or your own pod, and will work on barend pods like Rivendell's or your own barend pod. Either that or offer a trigger shifter on a continuous band clamp that can be adapted to all these same spots. But just make it work with versatility for informed cyclists who are not twistgrip newbies.

Thanks for a great hub, just wish the gear range were a little wider. Can't wait though.; September 7, 2008 11:32 AM
martin said...: love the idea and agree with so much of the above.
the name sb3 sounds great , the multi fit bar/down tube/trigger fits everyone some how, but what about a screw on freewheel on the opposite side for when it breaks. sorry to put a downer on it but have had several issues with sa hubs (xkr8 disk). so please make it stronger then you think is needed and it should work for us folk thanks for binging it to reality - and don't forget build it strong.
p.s 135mm spacing please (or 132.5); September 7, 2008 11:35 AM
Anonymous said...: For those saying the gear range needs to be closer, are you doing 10 mile TTs on A-roads in Britain? Because that's the only application where closer gear jumps makes sense in a fixed hub. Fixed riding is about varying your cadence/rpm. If you need a 15% drop to second instead of 25% then you need to work on your spin, or get some derailleurs. The variable gears offered in this fixed hub ought to be for fixed riders who live where riding requires steep climbing that makes fixed riding impossible. This hub is not about making fixed riding easier for folks who cannot spin, but making fixed riding for folks who have long steep hills.; September 7, 2008 11:48 AM
Anonymous said...: Twistgrip is worthless for drop bars even if its clamp fits the bar. Have a look at any crappy twistgrip kluge on a drop bar to see how useless a twistgrip for every application other than mtb/city bike flat bars.; September 7, 2008 12:52 PM
dc said...: Yippee... I had started to doubt... but no more.
Preferences:
1. Silver and shiny
2. Indexed shifter to fit down tube boss with adaptor for trigger type mounting on bars
3. Spacing... why so coy? My preference is still that it can fit in 120mm and can be packed to 130/135.
4. SB3 would be a nice gesture; September 7, 2008 3:30 PM
Anonymous said...: Bar end shifter with downtune boss capability would be very nice!; September 7, 2008 6:28 PM
Uncle Pistol said...: Thanks,we've been waiting patiently.Who care what coloor the name?I'm gonna wear mine out!A traditional trigger shifter would be fine with me.I'm sure you're doing you market research...Please send one to Pistol Pete for endurance testing...Thanks!; September 7, 2008 8:08 PM
urbantig said...: Let's go with some reference to Sheldon Brown... SB3 or similar. I'll take any bar mount I can get, if necessary I'll build the bike around the shifter. But I'd prefer an 'old style' trigger that takes modern shifter cables. And e-mail me when they ship, I'll take two.; September 7, 2008 8:29 PM
Anonymous said...: I'll eschew my normal practice of never buying the first generation of any new technology and snap one (or two) of these up as soon as they come out. 120mm compatible please.; September 7, 2008 10:30 PM
boone said...: I'd like it to be black anodized. I wish I could get a bike with every single component black.; September 7, 2008 11:47 PM
Josep said...: -Colors: Polished aluminum and optional, black anodized (Improved resistance to winter salt corrosion) please with laser etching graphics.
And very importan, laser-etched serial number, to identify stolen items, unfortunately very common in spain.; September 8, 2008 4:57 AM
Anonymous said...: Well. 25% reduction as second gear is awful at a fixie. I hope that the staff try it for themselves. Or do they think that fixed-gear riders will be only using it at uphills?

I use 42:17 at my 26" winterbike, and if had 90% reduction it would use 42:19, which is far more useful than around 42:23 (-25%) which is only useful in deep snow or hills. 42:19 is a perfect gearing when my legs are really tired, and I will use my feets uphills. One is much more senstive to wrong gearing at fixie's due to the lack of freewheel, so this hub will be a failure if it cannot give a decent cadence at it's gearing-ratios. Why haven't
you designed it with the same ratios as ASC-hubs?

Sometimes I turn around the wheel, and the one-two teet bigger makes a BIG difference.

When I am tired it is often better to go up one or to cog back instead of 4-5 tooth, which is TOO light!

This hub has not been designed by experienced fixiegearsriders.; September 8, 2008 9:31 AM
Anonymous said...: You guys are going to need field testers... and this would go so well with the new Brooks B17 Imperial I have been testing.

I have a bike that is waiting for this hub and naming it the SB3 would be genius.; September 8, 2008 10:02 AM
mtic said...: I can hardly wait to get my SB3. Thanks! I'm even willing to take the risk on a first generation product. This is great news.; September 8, 2008 10:08 AM
Chad said...: +1 for incorporating something sheldon related.

I will buy one regardless of the options offered (though will buy 1+ if I like the options).

As others have asked, please have whatever shift mechanism is chosen be mountable on road levers and not just mtb bars. I currently use a shimano alfine hub primarily because the shifter could be modified to fit road bars more easily than a twist shift.; September 8, 2008 10:56 AM
Anonymous said...: This is a great idea!

i would love to have either the bar-end shifter or the kind that twist on the flat bars.

black would be awesome too; September 8, 2008 11:52 AM
Miggy said...: I don't know why anyone would want a geared Fixed-Gear. Fixed are for enjoying their simplicity of not worrying of shifting and using your cadence to change speed not a changing of gears. I have both a geared bike and a fixed with 49t-15t that's ridden on the street and the track. Also single and especially fixed bikes have clean lines (again adding to its simplicity) because of no cables for derailleurs and brakes even though I don't condone riding on the street with no brakes because I have had friends were their chains came off and basically had to bail off their bike but one front brake does not really ruin the lines.
This also makes me laugh...
"Anonymous said...
Like Rohloff, your fixed 3sp hub will have a special customer base of knowledgeable cyclists, unlike Sram and Nexus hub gears that are for newbies on comfort bikes. Nothing wrong with that and those folks may benefit from twist grips but no one who buys a fixed hub needs that."
O there are a lot of newbies on fixed gear or any bike just belonging to a certain type of cycling group does not make you more knowledgeable. An wanting a geared hub for your fix is turning it into a "comfort bike"

Keep fixed as where it came from the Velodrome as a single speed.

Sorry to sound like BSNYC (no disrespect to him I love his blog) but we are all entitled to speak our mind; September 8, 2008 1:16 PM
tps12 said...: Fixed are for enjoying their simplicity of not worrying of shifting and using your cadence to change speed not a changing of gears.
You use cadence to change speed on any bike. In casual speech you might talk about a geared bike having multiple "speeds," but they're really just different gear ratios, and you moderate your actual velocity the same way you do on a fixed gear bike: with the pedals and brakes (if any).

What a certain type of bike is "for" is up to the individual cyclist, and if there is demand for this product then you can't really argue that people are wrong to want what they want.; September 8, 2008 3:02 PM
Anonymous said...: Another vote for the bar end shifter. And another for a Sheldon tribute in the name of the hub.; September 8, 2008 3:03 PM
Kirk said...: I've been waiting for someone to come out with something like this for some time since I first heard of the original. A standing climb up a sheet of ice is not fun.; September 8, 2008 3:55 PM
mattchew said...: yes! those emails i sent two years ago were not in vain.
incidentally, there should be a "red" version: red anodized with a laser etched image of sheldon & igor (from the page wherein he states that "red" is his favorite color). somebody get in touch with harris to work out the copyright deal.; September 8, 2008 4:13 PM
Miggy said...: "tps12 said...You use cadence to change speed on any bike...and you moderate your actual velocity the same way you do on a fixed gear bike: with the pedals and brakes (if any)."
Yes but Fixed is solely on cadence (top speed is limited by what ratio of gears you choose to outfit your bike) and say an 8 speed is on both cadence and your gear combos.

Say you are on the smallest gear of a typical triple crank with 8 speed rear which is typically 32t-25t you cant say you can reach the same speed as the largest gear of 52t-11t at 70rpm's it does rely heavily on the gear combo you are in.
In a fixed you only have one choice and you have a limit of how fast you can go by the gear ratio you have, any ratio you can go slow but faster speeds is only achieved by higher ratios.

Yes to each his own if someone wants this on their bike let them have it, I was just merely voicing my opinion.; September 8, 2008 4:46 PM
keithwwalker said...: The only way to top this, is to reintroduce the FG Dynohub, preferably with a drum brake!; September 8, 2008 7:12 PM
Anonymous said...: Shifter? Electronic!

Or, downtube.; September 8, 2008 9:50 PM
Philip Williamson said...: This is very cool.
My only concern is the lash. And the price. But mostly how much 'airspace' there is before engagement.

I'm with the person who coined the term "crassity" in regard to S3X. Call it the SB3, give 10% to an MS foundation and call it good. I still can't believe he's gone.

Miggy - I can see your point, but for me, fixed is about riding fixed. I like the feel of a fixed drivetrain more than I care about a constant gear ratio.

The gear spread is a little funky. I'm all for a wide range, but I'd like the bigger drop to the lowest gear, like 40", 70" 80" instead of 50" 60" 80".
However, Tom Shaddox (Golden Age of Gear Bashing pt. 42) points out that a s3x running 36x15 with a 2009 Schlumpf Speed-drive would be a perfect set of six fixed gears:
113", 85", 71", 65", 49" and 40".

Holy crap.; September 8, 2008 11:46 PM
Glen said...: I'd prefer a downtube shifter. Too much clutter with barends. Very happy to see the hub.; September 9, 2008 5:08 AM
boundgear said...: Who cares about colors. Make a stainless steel one so I can use it for 30 winters without thinking about it. That pink/green/blue/etc matchy matchy tarck beik thing is so boring.

In fact, the width issue would be more important to me than colors. 120 135 etc.

Bar ends or downtube. Respectfully, the trigger is kinda a throwback piece of technology and looks needlessly bulky compared. More things to get my ascot caught in whilst riding to meet my mate. Plus the trigger looks bad and are unergonomic on drops.

I'd be happy if you named it after capt'Bike. SB3 has a nice ring to it and doesn't have the porn spam connotation that S3X does.

And seriously, who cares about color, get the thang on the market first. You can make colors later.

Last, a narrow band model would work for me too. 25% is too much of a drop.; September 9, 2008 5:38 AM
Anonymous said...: 1) As most have agreed, DEFINITELY has to be named after Sheldon Brown in some way.
2) Spacing should be for 126/130/135 accomplished by sufficiently long axle and removable spacers.
3) Gear ratios are spot on, as mentioned by other posters, to allow use in hilly terrain. Closer ratios kinda defeats the purpose and limits the application.
4) Multiple shifter options would be great, but if there could only be one should be for mounting on one of the main tubes rather than the bars for a cleaner look (I mean how frequently are you going to be shifting anyway?).; September 9, 2008 10:14 AM
Brob said...: Please don't call it S3X!!!!

I'm not sure about calling it the SB3 either. I mean he inspired a lot of ppl to ride fixed which is great but its not all what he was about. Also I fear lots of ppl will buy one and put it on some ugly modern street "fixie" which would be doing a dis-service to the man.

Call it what you want at the end of the day but S3X does cheapen the image I once had of SA.; September 9, 2008 5:04 PM
Anonymous said...: Just to get an idea as to whether this hub will ever materialize as obtainium, does any know if Sunrace Driven road components ever gotten into retailer hands?; September 9, 2008 9:40 PM
Anonymous said...: Please get Dennis Bean-Larson to give your protoype S3X a whirl.

He writes nice reviews/blog entries for the Fixed Gear Gallery.

Like this:
http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/framebuilders/schwinn/madison/

Could you schedule a S3X exhibition for locals in the SF Bay area? I think you have a presence in Napa, CA - am I correct?; September 9, 2008 10:06 PM
Anonymous said...: "Who the heck wants a three speed fixie?"

I do. My current physiology has my heart rate increase slowly so I need to spin to accelerate (read: heart transplant). A single speed fixed hub is tough for me to ride. With three gears I'd be able to accelerate at a decent pace from a stop light and enjoy riding fixed.

Shifter... I'm not too picky. I'm sure I'll make one work.; September 10, 2008 9:16 AM
Anonymous said...: For a shifter it would be nice to have a downtube/barend one as well as the option of the classic 3speed clicker.

I kinda wish 2nd gear was direct drive, but I guess you guys did what you had to do to make the quality high.; September 11, 2008 9:50 AM
Anonymous said...: "This is such a dumb product. like a helicopter with an ejection seat."

Helicopters do have an ejection seat. They just jettison the rotor blades first.

That said, please leave Sheldon Brown out of this. He wasn't mentioned half as much before he died, and now everyone wants to "immortalize" the guy on a product he had nothing to do with.

Can't it just stay the original ASC?

I'd also vote for a downtube/barend/thumbie-compatible shifter, as long as the hub's still classic SA (ACS) shifter compatible too.

Oh, and it would be awesome to have a splined interface like a Shimano (or BMX) freehub pattern so that one could use a multitude of cogs without trying to find the right one to fit.; September 11, 2008 9:58 PM
Anonymous said...: Above:
Oops. AW, not ACS.; September 11, 2008 10:12 PM
Sunrace Sturmey Archer said...: Please keep comments constructive, all others will be deleted.; September 12, 2008 4:06 PM
Shaun said...: Great to hear the news. I've always liked the "keeps your feet moving" aspect of my fixie (76") more than simplicity, connectedness, or anything else people talk about.

I also think the gearing is fine. I will more than likely use the top gear exclusively for descents, to keep from spinning out. If that's in the 90's, the middle gear is a bit less than what I ride anyway, and I'd have a bailout gear for the uber steep hills.

As for the shifter, a standard Sturmey Archer shifter is fine by me, and would probably get the product to market faster. The deal breaker for me would be the hub having too much backlash (more than ~20 degrees) or costing way too much... not the lack of my favorite shifter (which happens to be trigger).; September 12, 2008 4:38 PM
Anonymous said...: A bar-mounted shifter with a hinged clamp (like those on cyclocross inline levers) for easy installation would be nice. For maximum versatility, it would be nice if the clamp size is 31.8mm and could be shimmed down to other sizes used on road and mountain bike handlebars (26, 25.4, 24, and 22mm).; September 15, 2008 2:52 PM
Nick said...: Do you guys have an estimated time of release? I'm waiting to build my new rear wheel, and i'm hoping this can be a part of it...thanks.; September 15, 2008 11:48 PM
Anonymous said...: It has me thinking all types of JOCELYN LOVELL type attempts on the velodrome.; September 16, 2008 5:09 PM
Anonymous said...: My GIOS Compact Pro is waiting! anything but a gripshift for me.; September 16, 2008 5:14 PM
Anonymous said...: The axle width will never please everybody but am I right in thinking 32 hole 14g drilling will please most??; September 16, 2008 5:40 PM
Brandon D said...: I'd go for any shifter except a twist shifter. As has been mentioned, those don't work well with a lot of bars, and I think they're ugly.
Polished aluminum sounds like the only color I'd need. Function beats form any day.; September 17, 2008 1:27 AM
Shaun said...: The thought just crossed my head... is S3 a subtle hint to S.B.? It would explain why S3X doesn't follow the naming conventions of any other Sturmey Archer hub, and I imagine outright naming it after Sheldon Brown would require difficult to acquire permissions.

Just a thought. I don't think it needs to be named after him, because anyone who buys it already knows about his efforts to bring it back.; September 17, 2008 10:13 AM
Anonymous said...: Shifter? We don' need no stinkin' shifter!

(Make some little lever dohickey to be otherwise confused with a quick release on the wrong side of the bike. Yeah, so I gotta get off the bike to shift. It's a fixed gear, ain't it?); September 17, 2008 6:23 PM
Anonymous said...: I wouldn't mind an ordinary Sturmey Archer trigger shifter but for those who like the clean look of a fixed gear, why not develop something you can operate with your heel?

It is great that the top gear is 1:1 for efficient cruising but I would want an even broader overall reduction if I could get it. No one is going to use these things for tt, I think.

However, WHY DON'T YOU JUST GET WHATEVER YOU HAVE READY ON THE MARKET NOW and tinker around with finding just the right shifter LATER?; September 19, 2008 11:54 AM
Anonymous said...: I'd ideally like a choice between a bar-end shifter and a trigger--said trigger having a big enough clamp to mount in the drop of a road handlebar. What's the OLD (over-locknut) spacing going to be?
I'm another vote in favor of some commemoration of Sheldon Brown in the product name.; September 19, 2008 2:28 PM
David said...: My comment regards the type of sprocket the hub should accept. I feel that it would be worth using the 'knuckle interface' developed by LeVeL to ensure an easy to change sprocket and also in the interests of mechanical elegance. More details of LeVeL components at http://www.levelcomponents.com

LeVeL would presumably be happy to work with other companies to advance their system as evidenced by their working with Industry Nine. I feel that the benefits of the interface would be worth the terms or cost of licensing it.; September 21, 2008 12:46 AM
Anonymous said...: I'll try and be unique in my shifter request. Bring back the Suntour Command Levers. Someone ought to, why not you?; September 21, 2008 4:58 PM
Anonymous said...: My vote:
Bar End or Trigger Shifter, No Colors- just Silver, Name it after Sheldon, No plastic pieces (I'll pay more for that), AND a better font. You guys have a great cycling history. This hub speaks to that. Use it!; September 21, 2008 5:02 PM
Anonymous said...: Trigger shifter,old style.Also,please make sure there will be enough units to go around.I don't want to see them on E-bay for a thousand dollars...Thanks,PistolPete; September 21, 2008 10:22 PM
Fastener Puller said...: Shifter style:
Obviously, the key is to make the shifter versatile enough to be mounted wherever the particular project calls for- I'd be sure to include track and road frames in here. I think being able to mount it on a DT boss would actually be really cool- far from only appealing to low-end conversions, it would broaden the number of horizontal dropout frames that you could make into an ill streetfighter bike.

Hub style:
Clearly the typeface needs some work. It sort of floats out there- perhaps it should be on a different-colored band. In general, I think the hub needs a little more visual break-up. Let's be honest: as such a big swath of aluminum, it looks a little cheap. Hate to bring it up, but the nexus 3 speed looks like it will work better because of more material differentiation. Maybe some surface detail (lines or something) or a second material (like the brass plate someone suggested) would do the trick.

I think it's rad. Hurry up!; September 23, 2008 2:04 PM
Anonymous said...: Quote: My comment regards the type of sprocket the hub should accept. I feel that it would be worth using the 'knuckle interface' developed by LeVeL to ensure an easy to change sprocket and also in the interests of mechanical elegance. More details of LeVeL components at http://www.levelcomponents.com

Or the same effect can be acheived by using the standard six bolt disk brake mounting.; September 25, 2008 12:04 AM
MM said...: one thing—can you shift under power? if not, can't shift under deceleration either =) better be careful to keep those RPMs up =)

i guess also...how is it gonna feel at the cranks when you jump between ratios?; September 25, 2008 10:14 AM
Robert Fry said...: I was very, very excited about the release of a new 3-spd fixed gear hub after all these years. But sorry Sunrace, like some of the other commenters here, I am going to wait for one with ratios closer to the original ASC values of 100%, 90%, 75%. This thing is of no use to me at all, nor can I see it as being a good match to its intended market of experienced fixie enthusiasts.; September 25, 2008 1:20 PM
skidmark said...: I'll be disappointed if an original style trigger shifter is not offered. Maybe disappointed enough to not buy one. The bikes I want to build as 3-speed fixed would have upright handlebars and a bar-end or downtube shifter would not work well or look right. I also think it would be cool to be able to convert old 3-speed "gentleman's roadsters" or "touring" bikes (with upright handlebars, not drops) to fixed using this hub. Anything but a trigger shifter just isn't going to look right.; September 25, 2008 3:52 PM
john said...: I would love to have one of these. I am working on the hope that this will be available in 120mm width. Bring it on!; September 27, 2008 10:36 PM
eit_krog said...: I fear that a wide gear ratio is unsuitable for fixed-gear operation. Something closer to the ASC's gearing would be much more useful, considering where and how fixie riders generally ride -- we don't need or want a stomp gear and a granny gear.

I also agree on S3B naming in Sheldon's honor. If done properly (quietly), no legal issues need be introduced. Perhaps this model number could be reserved for a close-ratio model, if the S3X proceeds as a wide-ratio hub.; September 28, 2008 7:18 AM
Anonymous said...: I fully support naming this hub "THE SHELDON" - it would be a fitting tribute to the King of Hubs.; September 28, 2008 2:37 PM
Reflector Collector said...: Mmmm... gonna want one of these for sure.

As for the shifter, "standard" shift lever. Would work with bar end pod, Paul Thumbies, or downtube braze on.

If additional clamps are to be offered, how about a clamp in the same design as the old Suntour band-mounted front derailers? One machined mount could fit a variety of different diameters of available bands to fit just about any mounting location anyone might desire.; September 29, 2008 4:46 PM
Anonymous said...: Tighter ratios. . . gold anodized . . .please no plastic.
Bar ends for shifters and downtube and we are set.; September 29, 2008 6:46 PM
Jon said...: DO we have a time frame on when these will be available?; September 30, 2008 9:20 AM
Roy H. said...: Please don't call it the S3X, I'll be yet another embarrased person trying to polish it off the hub.; October 2, 2008 3:53 PM
JeffS said...: Sorry, but those are horrible ratios. I have been waiting for this, but wouldn't consider buying it unless the ratios were tightened considerably.; October 3, 2008 5:47 AM
Anonymous said...: For a shifter I just want something on the end of the axle to operate (It been said here before)

Here's a photo on the FGG of a converted AW with a little lever on the end:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l54/franzzzzzzz/FrancoisPrevost-5.jpg

The S3X thread is:
http://fixedgeargallery.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18446&start=60&sid=d9a3c84b911d9ba9aabd006f1fa91ec0; October 3, 2008 1:47 PM
surfimp said...: Another vote for calling this the SB3. S3X is just puerile and silly... hopefully you're taking a more serious approach to this product than that.; October 5, 2008 8:07 AM
Stephen said...: What will it weigh compared to a derailleur? i.e. will adding a Sturmey to a fixed gear bike be any weightier than adding a derailleur?

Can you provide closer ratios, for time trialling, for example 10% difference between gears - so I can ride 86", 79", 72", say.

Needless to say I'd like to get one wheel with a Sturmey and move it around between bikes. Will it be possible to get shifters and wires separately from the whole package?

Cheers,

Stephen.; October 5, 2008 5:10 PM
Ian said...: Anyone have any idea if this will be a 36h or 32h hub? I'm building up a new wheelset and will be upgrading to this hub as soon as it's available. I just want to make sure i get a rim that will accommodate the hub.; October 5, 2008 6:27 PM
bigmatt said...: Please make lots of options for hub spacing: 120,130,135mm that should cover all bases. And 32 and 36h configurations as well; October 5, 2008 9:05 PM
urbantig said...: so far I think I've counted about 4,783,423 variations that people have said would be the ideal hub/shifter/ratio/drilling/colour/'name'/spacing/sprocket mount/whatever.

can I just have the hub, with a shifter. I'll take full responsibility for finding a rim to fit, a place to mount the shifter, adjusting the rear triangle to suit, damn the ratios, I don't care about colour (I'm not a fixie hipster), or name.

Those that will buy it, will buy it, the rest will moan about some real or imagined slight that they alone cannot live with.

I await news of the hub's imminent release.; October 5, 2008 9:21 PM
Tyler said...: This whole thing about making downtube shifters is silly.... stock downtube shifters are continuously variable. If you run a stock shifter it will work fine, I'm sure of it. All you need is a cable that has the proper mushroom on the end of it.; October 6, 2008 11:15 AM
Anonymous said...: I think it is time to get real. For this product to be successful it must appeal to a large market. Large as in thousands not the few hundred who remember riding time trials in Britain in the 50s and yearn for the nostalgia of emulating Ray Booty.
Today's market lies in Sheldon's country where 'fixies' are the fad and 'messenger' bikes the steeds. For this product to be successful it must be addressed to their needs and we 'purists' must accept (and adapt) whatever product is economically viable.; October 6, 2008 3:10 PM
Dutch Skater said...: Excellent suggestion to name it after Sheldon. I have been longing and lobbying for gear hubs to get a fixed/free shifter, so this a welcome step for me. But I won't have it without Sheldon's name on it :-); October 7, 2008 12:19 PM
Anonymous said...: first of all also agree to name the hub after sheldon. i would be a fine way pay homage to one of greatest characters cycling has known.

as for the shifter: i vote for a barend made to me compatiable with a Paul's Thumbie. it could then be used with flat bars and bullhorns. also if it could be made to work with downtubes everybody would be happy.; October 9, 2008 9:24 PM
Anonymous said...: Who is this Sheldon dude everyone is in love with?

As for shitfer location what about the stem?

I'd like green ano myself.

Can't wait to get one of these!; October 9, 2008 11:39 PM
Anonymous said...: I have three things.
Color:
I think it needs more than one option for color. Chrome is a must and flat black are my two picks.

Name:FX3 is cool but somewhere it needs to say Sheldon. He is what inspired this for alot of us.

Shifter:I think making one type could be a problem. I think a downtube shifter for us with older bikes and a bar end is the way to go. I would also suggest a mountable one for those riding straight handlebars. They don't need to be in the package but they should be an available accessory.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN. Please be gentle on my wallet.; October 11, 2008 5:29 PM
B said...: I feel the 'bar-end-and-downtube shifter' idea isn't the greatest. Modern track bikes have comparatavely short frames, so sticking a shifter out the back of a set of track drops is going to result in some seriously bashed knees. Additionally, if the bike has track drops, no downtube bosses, and funny-sized tubing, you may not be able to mount a downtube shifter, either.

I think a more classic mechanism is the way to go. Alternatively, an integrated shifter/brake lever shaped roughly like a cyclocross bar-top lever might work well and help reduce clutter.; October 12, 2008 2:55 PM
Stewart Midwinter said...: Lots of comments about the ratio spacing being too wide. But I'll tell you, on my fixie I have NO spacing right now, so anything you provide will be a huge improvement. Get it out the door, sell a ton of them, then improve it.

I've ridden 80s, low 70s, and even 50s for gear-inches, and my most versatile is the low 70s, so if I can find a way to have the middle gear in that area, with one on either side, I'll be a happy boy.

And if you're collecting votes, +1 for calling it the SB3 or even "The Sheldon".

Thanks for your innovation. Now, bring it to market!; October 15, 2008 2:30 PM
Davide T. said...: I'm about to start riding fixed gear, and this hub is the reason i'm not splurging on a phil wood on my wheelset. hurry up and get it out boys, theres a ton of cash to be made. gear spacing being wide is not a bad thing in my opinion, a fixie originally has no gears so constant gear shifting should not be the point of this hub, what it will do is let us climb steeper hills and go back down them without ending face first in the concrete or wearing out our knees in 3 hills.

And i agree with everyone else. "The Sheldon" is only a logical choice.; October 15, 2008 11:57 PM
4SeasonCyclist said...: If for any reason you can't get permission to name it after SB, 'S3X' works for me. One little black line turns the '3' into a 'B' for those of us who'd like to honour Mr Brown.

I'm wanting one for my winter city bike. If Sunrace wants to do a modern TF that would also be amazing.; October 16, 2008 2:02 PM
Mark said...: At least make black and silver options, I'd definitely use this hub. Also, the more minimalist the shifters the better, whatever kinds you make.; October 16, 2008 6:06 PM
Michael Wilson said...: I use both a T and an ASC. (And I have a vast array of other SA hubs.)

Wider range on multispeed fixed is better. I have an 8:1 range in my body already. I do not believe anybody seriously going for time trial speed today would use this.

I want a brakeLever shifter much like a Campagnolo or Shimano. Ideally for the left hand as I am a left hand front brake guy and my fixed gears all have front brakes. That is how my T is set up. An argument could be made for right hand - that way there is a place for riding on the hoods for each hand. If I have to make that myself so be it. I have ZERO use for bar end shifters (other than the TT bike), and since I discovered the brakeLever shifter I have not gone back to down-tube.

I will buy one or two as soon as they are available. Ideally I would get one with a freehub for a cassette on the other side so I can build a bi-chain, but I am not holding my breath.

Hub spacing? Please do not forget the ancient 110 spacing (original Sturmey Archer hub spacing) so we can just put it on our ancient bikes and ride on. Yes I know they are all steel and can be widened and the dropouts filed larger to accomodate a new hub, but that misses the point.

Sprockets? You could do worse than to resurrect the old T/ASC 12-spline design. But any of the current splined designs is OK, with a preference towards the standard 3-spline or Shimano cassette.

I have cash waiting to buy.

Michael Wilson; October 17, 2008 10:55 AM
tbird2582 said...: +1 Naming it the Sheldon Brown
I wouldn't even know about this hub if not for him.; October 22, 2008 5:57 PM
Texas Tom said...: I am one of many that linked over to SunRace from Sheldon's site asking for the remake of this hub.

Given Sheldon's advocacy, I like the idea of SB3 or similar.

All I need is silver and black in color and DT (boss or clamp) shifter. Bar end is OK as well.

Thanks for the pending re-release!; October 22, 2008 10:23 PM
DiF8 said...: Name it the SB3 aka "The Sheldon".

Give it a classic looking metal SA 3spd trigger. ...or at least make it work with one.

As long as polished and black are available make as many colors as you want.

I already have two vintage clubman style bikes and a fixie grocery getter lined up for this hub.; October 23, 2008 8:31 AM
yogakills said...: Hi, very much looking forward to the new hub.

Shifter ideas. If I were S-A I would try to offer a choice of shifters. Personally I like the idea of the bar-end type, neat looking on drop bars. However the fashion for Fixies, particularly in "street riding" in the US, tends towards short flat bars on which a bar end would be impractical. Indeed, a lot of fixies i have seen have been custom builds/hashups and form part of a personal statement of the rider. I think that if S-A wants as wide as possible market, customisation needs to be the aim.

As for the name "S3X" I is obviously supposed to be a play on sex. I can promise S-A that the first thing I do before building this hub into a wheel will be to sand this irritating bit of 2nd grade marketing off the housing.; October 24, 2008 4:34 AM
Anonymous said...: Please don't make a twist grip! The old school little trigger shifters are good, so would be a bar end shifter, just not a twist grip...; October 24, 2008 2:40 PM
Anonymous said...: Please cough up with some more information.

How's the shifter development coming?

What's the OLD?

You will dump the jokey model name will you not?

What is the sprocket situation? will there be choices on the number of teeth? Can't you just package it with something like a trio of 15, 17, 19?

Will you sell it as a component or is it only going to be available as part of a bike? (I've heard the rumor and I don't like the answer!); October 24, 2008 4:28 PM
Sunrace Sturmey Archer said...: Again, please keep the comments constructive.; October 25, 2008 1:10 PM
Anonymous said...: inform us if your serious and remove post.; October 25, 2008 5:43 PM
Anonymous said...: In the absence of further official information, may I draw attention to the picture of (a? the?) shifter at the top of the fgg thread already linked to above? Looks quite prototypey, but I'd be happy with this - a bar mount cheaper than a pair of Paul thumbies would be welcome too...

Now that this project is approaching the market, can we have a TF next please?; October 26, 2008 10:29 AM
lloyd said...: love the idea and in the past have always put down the money, and will do again if you can prove it won't break. for good insurance a freewheel thread on the left would help if your knees felt a litte weak or should the hub break you can flip the hub and still get home. sorry to put a downer on this but brand new hub broke (xkr8 speed disk)on my way to work in just 4 miles,- yes four miles this is my third issue with the same hub, -
would you like it back and trade it for you're 3 speed fixie (with a freewheel thread to make it a flip-flop hub i need the insurance); October 26, 2008 12:55 PM
FlyFixie said...: it would be nice if you could use this with an old school style sturmey archer thumb shifter thingy (sorry that's a technical term); October 28, 2008 1:45 PM
Anonymous said...: Is there any chance for versions with more speeds in the future? I live in a rather hilly area and anything below 5 speeds simply leaves me unable to make it up the hill to get home.; October 29, 2008 12:00 PM
Pierre-Luc Auclair said...: Hi guys,

That is one cool hub. Not sure about the gear spacing but I'd have to try it to know it.

Don't wanna rain on your parade, but you guys seriously need to invest in your image. The website is more than dating and feels like it's made pre-2000.

I also think the whole branding of S-A is outdated. It feels way too industrial. You guys should think about having your logo updated (not changed!). There's this one guy that is famous for his hand-lettering, and I think your logo fits very much with that. Plus it screams vintage but at the same time it's very fresh. His name is Ale Paul, you can reach him through his website here: http://www.sudtipos.com/ (I am in no way affiliated to him, just a tip.); October 30, 2008 9:21 AM
Anonymous said...: I hope that the axle will allow spacers to be used so the hub can be used with old and new frames. And it would be really nice if there were a way to use an old 3 or 4 speed trigger shifter with this, so I could simply add one more wheel to choose from with my fixed,SS,AW,FM bike.
After bugging Sun Race for this, I'm obliged to buy one when they appear.; October 31, 2008 4:51 PM
Anonymous said...: SEX hub, er I mean S3X hub, very marketable name. PLEASE MAKE THIS A FIXED-FREE FLIP-FLOP WITH THE OPTION TO ATTACH A SINGLE SPEED FREEWHEEL. This will help sales.; October 31, 2008 10:45 PM
martin said...: the more i read the more i want one now (just ask and i'll pay up front and wait) colours if silver polish the same as the other front hubs on the market (it just looks nice) or black i like black.
size i prefer 132.5 but 120mm with long axle and shims to make fit (problem solved on the cheap, with out it being cheap )
would love a free wheel thread on the opposite side (just in case - i get weak kneesium or just plain lazy) for cyclocross. flip/flop design
shifters i think you have more than enough views given to you.
make it bust/idiot/winter proof i dont care about weight as long as it lives forever with very very little maintenance. you know like them from thirty/forty years ago and still going.
as for the name i'm sorry i don't care, if its go i'll buy it.; November 1, 2008 3:29 PM
Anonymous said...: since there are a lot of different opinions on colors and labels what if they just offer skins:

"I want blue carbon with a Hello Kitty that has Sheldon's head on her."; November 2, 2008 10:36 AM
Anonymous said...: Another vote for paying homage to Sheldon Brown; November 2, 2008 9:52 PM
PseudoNate said...: Great news! Will definitely be keeping this in mind for a couple bikes I'd like to build up.

My comments:
- S3X is an unfortunate moniker. I can just imagine the comments: "Sex hubs are for wankers blah blah..."

- Some sort of tribute to Sheldon Brown would be much appreciated by a great many of us fixed gear riders. And perhaps a $5 donation to MS research would be good PR for you, and a good thing in general.

- I've never met a grip-shift that I didn't hate. Something flexible (can be used barend, bartop, downtube, etc) seems the best bet. Very important, though: make it EASY TO CONNECT AND DISCONNECT. The minute you go to something less flexible, you're shutting off some market segment. We fixie riders like too wide a range of bar setups.

I'd personally go downtube.

- Corollary to that, have the shifters readily available aftermarket so we could, for example, have two bikes built up with different bars and geometries etc, and just swap the wheel back & forth.

- Screen printed better than etched, especially if you choose to stay with the 'S3X' moniker, since I'd definitely have to polish it off.

- Colors are unnecessary. Form>function.

- RE ratios: I'd prefer the top two gears to be somewhat closer together, and then perhaps have a 'granny' gear for monster hills / trailer towing / etc. Best to have the most useful all-around gear be direct-drive; that would seem to imply an approx. 75" gear in third. (Not knowing the mechanics of internal-gear hubs, might it be possible to have the middle gear be direct drive?)

Hope this is useful. Can't wait to get my hands on a couple of these!; November 5, 2008 4:07 PM
Anonymous said...: The gearing seems perfect for getting up/down long hills. Silver color or black is fine. Trigger shifter or downtube shifter are good because they allow easy handlebar swaps. Grip shifters would be very limiting. I can't wait to try one.; November 10, 2008 11:14 PM
Anonymous said...: The old ASC used a different shifter to all the other 3-speeds - hopefully this can use a standard one.

A trigger shifter can be used on the end of the bars too - this is how I operate the old AM hub on my commuting bike:

http://www.peeble.com/redbike2.jpg

It's just like using a "proper" bar-con lever.; November 11, 2008 12:42 PM