Perfect wheels for your pride and joy As a discerning Raleigh Chopper owner you will want your wheels to be as perfect as it is possible to get them. If your rims and hubs are in good condition there is no reason that your wheels shouldn't be mechanically perfect. My special Raleigh Chopper wheel service […]

This old spark-plug tin has been used to store valve parts for as long as I can remember. I have childhood memories of rummaging through the valve parts tin for a dust-cap or a woods valve with a good bit of rubber so I didn't have to replace the perished rubber on the valve I […]

The Sturmey Archer clutch appeared in 1921 with the introduction of the K series hubs. Earlier Sturmey Archer hub gears did not have a clutch but used a completely different method of engaging the various gears. This article covers all Sturmey Archer clutches from 1921 except N.I.G clutches. Clutches for K Series Hubs K5   […]

Sturmey Archer sprockets can be a real problem on early (pre 1951) hubs. Early 12-spline and threaded sprockets are difficult to obtain and early threaded sprockets are difficult to change. I generally like to keep hubs in their original condition as much as possible, but sometimes a compromise is necessary. Threaded Sturmey Archer sprockets use […]

A rusty dynohub isn't necessarily a dead dynohub. Magnets and armatures can often be freed off and working perfectly again with some WD40 and gentle persuasion. Don't separate them though or they may never work again. Rusted chrome can be rubbed down and painted. Black looks good. This is not for the restoration purist though.

If you are offered a Sturmey Archer Dynohub that turns and you can feel a strong regular pulse, the chances are that it will generate electricity correctly and it will be worth buying if the price is low enough. If the pulse is very weak or non-existent it is unlikely to work.

I have been restoring some older Sturmey Archer Internals. I currently have two historic hub gear internals ready to fit AB or AG hubs. Sturmey Archer Internals Can Be Date Matched Pre 2000 A-series internals are interchangeable. A 1990s internal can fit into 1940s hub shell and will still work perfectly. However, if you are […]

When a bicycle needs repair often a replacement part will be required. A modern bike can be fitted with a modern part which is usually readily available. On an old bicycle it is often possible to get the bike back on the road by fitting a modern part, but in doing so we lose some […]

Some time ago I posted about a mountain bike frame that appeared to be out of track. Yesterday I finally got around to stripping the bike down and checked the tracking of the frame. I rechecked the wheel and confirmed that it was indeed dished correctly. I then checked the frame and found that it […]

A bicycle came in for a service today with a dérailleur problem. It looked quite routine until I found out that neither of the gear controls was working at all. Off came the handlebar grips, off came the brake levers and finally off came the gear controls. I was then able to look inside the […]