Hi,

The Sachs 3x7 and 3x8 internally geared hubs were almost indestructible, even being used on
tandems...

I gather SRAM has now replaced the original Sachs part with its own dualdrive component which is
meant to have better shifting under power
- suggesting to me that it has undergone a major redesign & may be either stronger or weaker than
the original part. Does anyone know if this new part is as bombproof as the old one? I'm
interested to know whether it may be suitable for use in a tandem with vertical dropouts.

Thanks in advance,

Kit Wolf

On 2 Jul 2003 13:48:51 -0700, kit@brain.ncl.ac.uk (Kit Wolf) wrote:

>I gather SRAM has now replaced the original Sachs part with its own dualdrive component which is
>meant to have better shifting under power
>- suggesting to me that it has undergone a major redesign & may be either stronger or weaker than
> the original part. Does anyone know if this new part is as bombproof as the old one? I'm
> interested to know whether it may be suitable for use in a tandem with vertical dropouts.

Vertical dropouts, at least, should not be an issue given that you're already running a rear
cassette plus derailer.

Jasper

kit@brain.ncl.ac.uk (Kit Wolf) wrote:

> The Sachs 3x7 and 3x8 internally geared hubs were almost indestructible, even being used on
> tandems...
>
> I gather SRAM has now replaced the original Sachs part with its own dualdrive component which is
> meant to have better shifting under power
> - suggesting to me that it has undergone a major redesign & may be either stronger or weaker than
> the original part.

I doubt there has been any change to the gearhub other than perhaps cosmetic revisions. All other
SRAM gearhubs I have seen are internally unchanged from when they were Sachs products.

The improvements in shifting which have been claimed are due to a pulley incorporated into the
external shifting mechanism As far as I know, and not to any changes in the hub gearbox.

Chalo Colina

Quoth Kit Wolf:

>>The Sachs 3x7 and 3x8 internally geared hubs were almost indestructible, even being used on
>>tandems...
>>
>>I gather SRAM has now replaced the original Sachs part with its own dualdrive component which is
>>meant to have better shifting under power
>>- suggesting to me that it has undergone a major redesign & may be either stronger or weaker than
>> the original part.

Chalo Colina theorized:

> I doubt there has been any change to the gearhub other than perhaps cosmetic revisions. All other
> SRAM gearhubs I have seen are internally unchanged from when they were Sachs products.
>
> The improvements in shifting which have been claimed are due to a pulley incorporated into the
> external shifting mechanism As far as I know, and not to any changes in the hub gearbox.

Nope, the hub's pretty much completely redesigned inside. Supposedly considerably more robust, and
the 3 x 7 was no shrinking violet.

Sheldon "I've Seen The Innards" Brown
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| We must sail sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it, | but we must sail, and not drift,
| nor lie at anchor. | --Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton,
Massachusetts Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts
shipped Worldwide http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

Sheldon Brown <CaptBike@sheldonbrown.com> wrote:

> Chalo Colina theorized:
>
> > I doubt there has been any change to the gearhub other than perhaps cosmetic revisions. All
> > other SRAM gearhubs I have seen are internally unchanged from when they were Sachs products.
>
> Nope, the hub's pretty much completely redesigned inside. Supposedly considerably more robust, and
> the 3 x 7 was no shrinking violet.

I stand corrected.

Have you heard of any plans to do a similar treatment to the 7, 5, or 3-speed gearhubs? I've gotten
my hands on new specimens of all three relatively recently, and they were clearly the same ol' stuff
as always.

Chalo Colina

Chalo Colina asked:

> Have you heard of any plans to do a similar treatment to the 7, 5, or 3-speed gearhubs? I've
> gotten my hands on new specimens of all three relatively recently, and they were clearly the same
> ol' stuff as always.

The Sram 7-speed was re-designed maybe 2-3 years ago, completely different ratios, more evenly
spaced gears.

Shimano and Sturmey-Archer are working on 8-speed internals. The Shimano one is expected this fall,
not sure about the Sturmey-archer.

Sheldon "Epicyclic" Brown +-----------------------------------------------------+
| Once more upon the waters! yet once more! | And the waves bound beneath me as a steed | That
| knows his rider. Welcome to their roar! | Swift be their guidance, wheresoe'er it lead! | Though
| the strain'd mast should quiver as a reed, | And the rent canvas fluttering strew the gale, |
| Still must I on; for I am as a weed, | Flung from the rock, on Ocean's foam to sail | Where'er
| the surge may sweep, | the tempest's breath prevail. | --Lord Byron Child Harold's Pilgrimage |
+-----------------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts
Phone 617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 http://harriscyclery.com Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
http://captainbike.com http://sheldonbrown.com

In message <3F04993E.1090001@sheldonbrown.com>, Sheldon Brown <captbike@sheldonbrown.com> writes
>Chalo Colina asked:
>
>> Have you heard of any plans to do a similar treatment to the 7, 5, or 3-speed gearhubs? I've
>> gotten my hands on new specimens of all three relatively recently, and they were clearly the same
>> ol' stuff as always.
>Shimano and Sturmey-Archer are working on 8-speed internals. The Shimano one is expected this fall,
>not sure about the Sturmey-archer.
>
June/July A to B magazine

http://www.atob.org.uk/

reports that the 8 speed Sturmey-Archer will be launched at CYCLE 2003 in London. The CYCLE show
runs from 24th to 28th September.

I don't know what this means about when you will be able to buy one and where. The Sunrace made 3
speed (newish non-AW internals) and 5 speeds are listed at St John Street Cycles in the UK and
Harris in the US so let's hope they will be getting the 8s too?

Martyn