This is getting off topic, but having ridden both these units a lot over the years, the Sachs 7-speed is a very serious and effective unit while the Sturmey 5-speed not a very desirable option in the epicyclic world.
Both the lowest and highest gears on the Sturmey run through two sets of gears and are notably inefficient. First gear is so inefficient that it provides little reduction in pedalling resistance when actually under load. So you tend to use it as an AW, which is never that great anyway.
The Sachs feels much more effecient, the ratios make sense and I suspect it is better made than Sturmey products post 1965 or so. I say suspect because I have never had reason to open one up.
Joe Bender-Zanoni
Great Notch, NJ
> >Does the Sachs 7-spd internal have a wider range, or just more
> gears
> >than the Sturmey AW? What about the other 7-spd internals?
>
> Wider range, 303%
>
> But two cable Sturmey 5 speeds are way cooler. And the 225%
> range is
> plenty for most riding if you put on a large rear cog.