I've had an old Hercules 3-speed around the place for some months, and finally decided to give it an overhaul. The first job was to remove the chain, so I turned the crank to look for the spring clip which holds the removable link in place. No spring clip, nor yet removable link. I always thought that all these wider 3-speed chains were joined like that, but this one isn't. So how do you break it? Is it a case of pushing out one of the pins, as with a derailleur chain, and will a regular chain tool fit, or is a wider model needed? I contented myself with cleaning and oiling it in situ for now, but it would be good to do a better job some time, and useful information to have anyway. In case it's relevant, the bike was made in 1982, although it looks very old-fashioned. It's the newest 3-speed I've ever worked on, so maybe the split link idea had been superseded by 1982.

I too thought they all had a split link. It may be an endless type chain as you say, in which case you will need a chain rivet extractor. As for chain tool, there are so many different sorts all I can say is "try the one you have on it".

Other news - oil the 3 speed hub, don't grease it, and don't bugger about with it unless you have to. These things can be a bastard.

Hope you don't mind the hijack, but has anyone tried kits that convert regular mtb wheels to tubeless? I pinch-flat all the time -- I tend to point the bike downhill and just go, which means I end up going over rocks I'd better go around. So, I end up running high pressures (>50psi) in the rear, which for my hardtail makes it skit all over the place. Converting to tubeless I think would allow me to run lower pressures.

Here's what I'm talking about:
http://www.notubes.com/tubeless_system.php?cPath=21_58

.......don't bugger about with it unless you have to. These things can be a bastard.

Fear not. I pride myself on knowing my limits, and dismantling a Sturmey Archer hub is well beyond them. I'm hoping that it'll be possible to repack and adjust the actual hub bearings on the rear wheel, though. They usually recommend a bit of play, but I think it has slightly too much. The actual hub works fine, and it has an oil cap, albeit a plastic one. Later models dispensed with the cap, and were packed with grease when manufactured, which had to last you. Heck, I remember when front wheel hubs and bottom brackets had oil caps too, and a good idea they were.

Dan m - I use the Stans NoTubes and can thoroughly recommend them. I had them on the ZTR Olympic rims and I'm also running them on some Mavic rims now. They will allow you to drop the pressures but be aware that any tubeless can "burp" if hit very hard. 50psi is a little high anyway and I'm sure you could drop that to 45psi safely. I can get away with 40 and a little lower on my rims with the Stans so have a try. They are relatively easy to fit but they need some "uumph" get them seal on the rims when first fitting them. Take them to a petrol station and use their air-gun or if you know any engineers let ask to use their compressed air-line ok. Sometimes you can get away with a track-pump but they give inconsistent results ok. I use the little cartridge type pumps which do the job fine. Once you've got them on, keep checking them every day for a while as they can loose a little pressure at first.

dan m

you might try running tires which hold a greater volume of air than your current tires. fwiw, i run wtb 2.35's in front, and 2.15's in rear. i usually start with 35psi, and by the time i get around to refilling them, they are around 20psi. i rarely flat. this will slow you down a bit on the flats and uphill.

Thanks BB -- I'll drop them a line to see which kit is compatible with my rims. My wheelset is 10 years old now, so it may not work. There's some very impressive video demonstrations on their website.

Gordon -- my Gunnar mtb has pretty narrow chainstays. I usually can get a 1.9 in, and 2.1 sometimes fit without the side nubs rubbing. I almost always flat the rear tire with a snakebite if I let the pressure drop too low. There's a fine line between flatting and having it so hard it's bouncing all over the place.

Get some decent latex tubes and forget about burping tyres, or the hassle of fitting them and topping them up with liquid.

I've run latex tubes for years and only ever torn one. They need topping up every ride but they pretty much last forever. Use em on my XC and Dh bikes.

I've had an old Hercules 3-speed around the place for some months, and finally decided to give it an overhaul. The first job was to remove the chain, so I turned the crank to look for the spring clip which holds the removable link in place. No spring clip, nor yet removable link. I always thought that all these wider 3-speed chains were joined like that, but this one isn't. So how do you break it? Is it a case of pushing out one of the pins, as with a derailleur chain, and will a regular chain tool fit, or is a wider model needed? I contented myself with cleaning and oiling it in situ for now, but it would be good to do a better job some time, and useful information to have anyway. In case it's relevant, the bike was made in 1982, although it looks very old-fashioned. It's the newest 3-speed I've ever worked on, so maybe the split link idea had been superseded by 1982.

Paul,
Just out of interest, back in the early 60's my 'assembled from scrounged up bits' bike had a Sturmey Archer 4 speed hub, which, IIR was actually less bulky than a three speed. It looked also to have an alloy, rather than chrome plated steel, case. Also, IIR , the bearings on SA hubs were pretty much standard cone and ball bearing devices, with an adjustable cone and a slim locknut. It was 45 years ago though.........

Mull

Hi Col. I had a couple of SA 4-speeds, one on an early Moulton Deluxe (the third in St. Helens, in about 1963). I think they had alloy cases, in contrast to the rather garish chrome on this 1982 3-speed. I can't remember now what the gear ratios were like, or whether the four speeds represented an improvement over the standard three. Riding this bike the other day (the first hub gear equipped bike since my honeymoon in 1990), it struck me that top gear was quite high, and the ratios are rather widely spaced. However, I believe that the ease of maintenance and long life expectancy more than compensates for the lack of ratios. I had (briefly) a full-suspension mountain bike with 24 gears this last summer, and I really couldn't warm to it at all. I sold it fairly quickly. This old Hercules has wormed its way into my affections in no time. I originally serviced it to sell it, but I've now pulled the advertisement, and I'll probably hang on to it.

I've had an old Hercules 3-speed around the place for some months, and finally decided to give it an overhaul. The first job was to remove the chain, so I turned the crank to look for the spring clip which holds the removable link in place. No spring clip, nor yet removable link. I always thought that all these wider 3-speed chains were joined like that, but this one isn't. So how do you break it? Is it a case of pushing out one of the pins, as with a derailleur chain, and will a regular chain tool fit, or is a wider model needed? I contented myself with cleaning and oiling it in situ for now, but it would be good to do a better job some time, and useful information to have anyway. In case it's relevant, the bike was made in 1982, although it looks very old-fashioned. It's the newest 3-speed I've ever worked on, so maybe the split link idea had been superseded by 1982.

G4ifu
Yes you have to push one of the pins out of the chain and you need a speacial chain splitter tool from Halfords to do it as they are realy tight. Get a new single link just in case it doesent go back together tight
http://shop.ebay.co.uk/items/__chain+splitter_W0QQ_dmdZ2?rvr_id=&crlp=1087425722_228459_228460&UA=WXI6&GUID=41ae63d11190a0eb98538f23fffed9fb&agid=308588582&MT_ID=10&keyword=chain+splitter&ff4=228459_228460

Alan

Cheers Alan.