If you are trying to determine the genealogy of your bicycle by it's features, go to our Vintage Bicycle Price Guide
which details bicycle features, wheel sizes, brake types, etc., as well as showing a price estimate for your old bicycle.
If you are trying to determine the make and model of your bicycle, go to our Vintage Bicycle Picture Database
which details bicycle features, wheel sizes, etc., as well as showing a price estimate for your vintage bicycle.
| Anyone know how to repair a sturmey archer front drum hub? |
| Go to www.sheldonbrown.com and click on "old bikes". Scroll down to Dynohubs |
| Hi there. I just acquired a 1946 Hercules gents' bike, rod brakes, black frame, Sturmey Archer 3 speed (retrofitted?). It's in a bad way. The brake components have lost most of their chrome and are now rusty. The rims have 30% rust on the braking area where the chrome has gone. Some chrome still remains. The frame is restorable and I'm not too worried about that. The tyres and tubes are in a complete mess and need replacing. The mudguards are largely rusted and many of their mountings are broken. I have a friend with a welder so these can be repaired. The saddle is not in great condition: all the metal underneath is rusty , and one of the rivets holding the leather (or whatever it is) over the springs has torn through the leather. Only one pedal is present. The other pedal, including sprocket, chain and chainguard, is missing. It's possible that these parts may be located, and it's also possible that they're lost forever! However, as grim as this description sounds, the bike is restorable because virtually none of its moving parts have seized!! This is due to it having been ridden regularly up until a year or so ago, after which time it was left outside to rot. My main concern is the rims: how can I disguise the rust without compromising braking? The bike won't be used regularly. Please email me any advice! Thanks Anthony |
| OK, the SA is from 1962 IIRC, an AW. It was therefore certainly fitted a long while after the bike was bought! I have found the chain and bought a new sprocket and crank arm, with cotterpins. |
| I've put together a web page about the restoration on http://homepages.tesco.net/houseofsteel/hercules.htm . There are also a few pictures of other nice bicycles that I've seen around London and Canterbury. |
| Good luck with the restoration. Checking the site out, seems your approach is on the money. Also was looking at the other bikes. A lot of drooling material there... we don't tend to see anything rolling around like that here. As to the Pashley being in excellent condition, could be it's a relatively new machine as they are still being manufactured to this day. Regards! Larry "Boneman" Bone |
| Cheers, Boneman. You're probably right, if it is a new one it's nice to see rod brakes and everything. What is interesting is the rubber brake lever grips: it could do without those (and without all those plastic light-system parts and so on). I'm going home for the weekend so I'll be able to work on the bike a bit more. Then the following week I'm home for Easter, so it should be rolling within a month or so. |
| Does anyone know of a polish or wax for chrome rims that wouldn't compromise braking? |
| I have an old Bianchi bike and the front brake is broken. The breaks are of the rod type (probably not the right name). There seems to be some disconnect inside the handlebar. Any ideas on how these things work? Thanks! |
| I took apart a shamano 3 speed gear off an old cruiser and now I can't get it back together. A long pin sits inside the bolt that runs thru the rear hub. There is an attachment that screws to the boldt and the when the gear adjuster is moved from gear one to two then it pulls the cable that pushes the lever inside the adjuster which pushes the pin into the hub. But now it doesn't work. I would love some help. much thanks zack |
| You said the long pin sits in the axle. It should screw in. On Sturmy Archer hubs you screw it in until it bottoms (do this gently And DON'T tighten it)then back it off one half turn. Connect the cable and adjust it with the hub in second gear. The pin should just come to the end of the axle. See www.sheldonbrown.com for more info. |