Is the Nexus 3 speed hub strong enough?

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Douglas65

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I have been tossing around a few ideas and am wondering if anybody has experience with the Nexus 3 speed hub (like on this beauty: http://www.feltracing.com/08/product.asp?catid=1504,1519&pid=8545). Specifically, is it strong enough to handle the torque from a Honda 50 4-stroke going through the 3 speed drive part of the hub?

I may eventually just try it and if it fails, move up to a SRAM P5 Cargo (5-speed) hub, built for heavy duty use.

BTW, when i go through with this, the top bar on the bike will hold gas and look like an old bike turned motorcycle like they all at first were. http://www.motoredbikes.com/showthread.php?t=5510&highlight=three+speed
 
Wouldn't it work if you babied it? I mean at speed,drop the engine rpm to idle,shift,turn throttle back up?
I wished they would make a 2 speed hub. That's all a motoredbike needs. A climbing gear and a cruising gear.
 
I don't think it would stand a chance in He..L..L.

A hub that MIGHT work would be the Rohloff 14 speeds, but they're kinda spendy. I'd hate to spend the cash on one of them just to grenade it in 10 min.
 
OK, that changes my plans. Any ideas on the SRAM P5 Cargo (5-speed) hub? Has anyone experimented with this one or is it one of those rare animals that no one has actually seen before?

Seems everyone has the same problems with motorizing bikes: you can get good engines, and gearing it down low enough seems relatively easy (simple gearboxes, jackshafts with large/small sprockets), but adjusting engine speed with bike speed (gearing) and secondly, transfering power to the rear wheel effectivily both seem to be real sticking pounts.

I know it can be done. Rokon used a 3 speed transmission http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1968...120188928900QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVWQQtcZphoto that I believe works much like a Harley transmission -that is, added in between the engine and the rear wheel. I believe we cold really use something like that if it were available. Thing is, there is probably some Chinese company that makes exactly what we need that no one has even heard about before. And I agree with Large, even 2 speeds would work (but 3 is better).
 
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That Nu Vinci hub looks beautiful and beefy! As long as it works as Staton hopes, that would be great. The only draw back would be the cost (?almost $500 with re-spoking, etc.?). The P5 might be half that (I am checking) and still usable.

I am also thinking about a 2 speed jack-shaft or even a CVT, but they are huge and probably would not fit in the frame easily.
 
FWIW - If there is enough interest on the NuVinci I could get them for us at about $275
Delivered to you in the lower 48.....Problem is that a jackshaft will still be required...and a
$25 adaptor piece will have to be added to the hub so that the rider can pedal it as well.

I have a SRAM 3 speed I was going to try to make work but have been busy lately....

Later today I may try tinkering with a few things on the bike tho.

Andrew
 
I've been thinking up a way to build a small two speed tranny with a stick. Up is low and down is high or something.
Something really simple utilizing the happy time clutch...maybe like two simple gears like in a manual tranny in a car encased in a metal box with gear oil....there's gotta be a way.
Now couldn't a homemade cvt set up be made like this:
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/b99f4c8a-5110-45f9-afd2-984800d611a6.htm
 
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