I've never ridden a hub-geared bike up with the low cable routing, but if it does contribute, in any way, to some sort of automatic shifting, it would be downright dangerous on one of these 3-speed fixed bikes, running without brakes. You know you can't make this kind of hub without a small dead zone between gears, and I'd certainly hate to encounter it by accident (so to speak).
That said, the geometry of frame deformations isn't pointing me to a reason why pedaling loads would produce much change in effective cable length...but I do have some worry about heel strikes.
Anybody ridden an S3X hub yet? Reports, please. How's the backlash? How's the sound? How's the dead zone? How's the finish? Pricing?
Cheers,
Scott Minneman San Francisco, CA USA
-----Original Message----- From: classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org [mailto:classicrendezvous-bounces@bikelist.org] On Behalf Of joeb-z@comcast.net Sent: Friday, September 25, 2009 1:43 PM To: cmontgomery Cc: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Subject: Re: [CR] More "retro" at Interbike Show. Now Sturmey pulley location
This small movement of the cable with the BB pulley is a very real reason to prefer the upper routing in my experience. The adjustment is touchy enough and the consequences harsh on rider and machine.
Joe Bender-Zanoni
Whitneyville, CT
> Hi,
>
> Thursday, September 24, 2009, 10:04:29 AM, oroboyz@aol.com wrote:
>
> >
http://www.bikerumor.com/
>
> > Sorta gets me that folks think these features are "new"
> > ?But neat that more people are sharing the vision we have
> > celebrated for quite-a-while-now....
> Dmitry Yaitskov:
> But a nice bike... I tried such cable routing on my Hetchins with SA
> FM gear - and it worked fine BUT I kept hitting the cable with my
> right heel, and had to re-route along the top tube (also not optimal
> because to avoid rubbing the curly stays the pulley needs to be rather
> low on the seat tube).
> Toronto, Canada.
I don't know the origins of the tradition, but the many photos I've seen of club machines have the cable routing along the top tube also. I originally mounted down, but found when really cranking up a hill (yes, in the saddle) that bottom bracket movement could change the tension on the cable and wham (yes, still in the saddle thank goodness) you're outta gear (and outta luck if you're outta the saddle). At least that's my theory.
Craig Montgomery
Tucson