Hello Craig,
Good to hear from you - your website account of a "light tour" with a TF is one of the things that I read before taking the plunge, so nice to be in touch.
I appreciate that you can't simply change from fixed to freewheel, but I was envisaging taking the necessary tools on tour to swap cogs/freewheels.
I should perhaps qualify that my idea of touring is a few days with a saddlebag and the address of a hotel. I'm not carrying the luggage that would necessitate a wide range of gears.
The TF I have is in good condition, and given the simplicity of its workings I think it is robust enough for touring. If it broke it might only revert to being a singlespeed fixed.
I toyed with the idea of a Rohloff Speedhub for a while because I want to build a demountable (with S&S couplers) and for transporting and packing I think an enclosed gear system is most elegant. The TF takes this further by reputedly being light, simple and quiet.
Best wishes,
Mark Lawrence Oxford England
However, the
-----Original Message----- From: cmontgomery [mailto:cmontgomery15@cox.net] Sent: 23 June 2009 08:11 To: Barb and Dan Artley; Classic Rendezvous; Mark Lawrence Subject: Re: [CR] Was: Sturmey Archer TF hub, Now: Sturmey Freewheel
Mark, I wouldn't be surprised if Dan and I have the only two TF freewheels left on the planet. Keep looking, but don't trust to hope. I didn't quite understand your original query. You do know that you can't jump between fixed and free with the unit, right? It's one or the other. And no way in hell will any other freewheel work on that hub. The drivers are special too and can't be converted like other SA hubs. Bummer. I've toured in both modes and to tell you the truth, because it is such an old unit, I didn't completely trust it and felt somewhat guilty for possibly driving mine to extinction (though others might argue that that is what it's for). They are wonderful gizmos, simple, durable, and deserved to be revived. The Rohloff hub is also extremely durable, though not simple, and deserves your attention for serious touring which I'm afraid to do with my TF. Also, you might want to wait for the new Sturmey fixed 3 speed (but don't hold your breath). It will be able to be easily converted to freewheel with a simple single cog. Keep the TF for day rides and the 3 Fixed for touring. Then again you may find a TF freewheel tomorrow and ride it happy as a lark for the next 30 years. It's too bad there aren't more around, but something tells me they were so popular that people just wore them out.
Here's an example of a "light tour" I took with mine a couple of years back:
http://www.magnesium.net/
Good luck on your quest,
Craig Montgomery
Tucson, Apacheria