how to make a 5-speed chain drive
- Thread starter ducati_and_dunkin
- Start date
cloakedvillain
Well-Known Member
There are the shift kits. Since this your first build I would caution you to avoid to avoid those since both designs have inherent problems with chain tension.
When it comes to the china dolls, the easiest option is to throw power at the problem of hills. Archimedes once said: give me a lever long enough and I can move the whole world. But the problem we have is that the levers available are either expensive, fussy or can only handle so much power. All three in the case of bike components. Above 3 hp or so the bike components begin to fail catastrophically. Above 2 hp the bike components have drastically shorter service lives, think 1000-2000 miles compared to the 5-7k a good groupset could go.
Mr Cannonball used a then easy to get fixed gear hub very successfully. Nowadays these hubs are discontinued which means jokers are asking twice msrp for a well used one.
motorbicycling.com
I am planning on documenting a conversion of the Sturmy Archer AW into a 2 speed fixed gear with hand tools, but that's on the back burner. While the old AW is obviously discontinued working ones are everywhere and cheap, unlike the s3x, (yes sturmy archer called the 3 speed fixed gear hub that.)
Back to the point if hills are a problem: just gear it lower and take it slower. I hate that the options for retro fitting a multispeed transmission are miserable but that's just the way it is. It will cost more in time and money making a multispeed transmission for a china doll than it would to start with an engine that already has a gearbox or a cvt. There are common after market cvts for industrial engines but those are heavy and bulky.(the engines and the cvts)
When it comes to the china dolls, the easiest option is to throw power at the problem of hills. Archimedes once said: give me a lever long enough and I can move the whole world. But the problem we have is that the levers available are either expensive, fussy or can only handle so much power. All three in the case of bike components. Above 3 hp or so the bike components begin to fail catastrophically. Above 2 hp the bike components have drastically shorter service lives, think 1000-2000 miles compared to the 5-7k a good groupset could go.
Mr Cannonball used a then easy to get fixed gear hub very successfully. Nowadays these hubs are discontinued which means jokers are asking twice msrp for a well used one.
Cannonballs Abbynormal 3Speed.
Got the "concentric" trans roughed out. Was an easy few hours work( broke out the metal cutting band saw is why). It has worked out so far exactly as I have envisioned. Fits well and the chain lines are reasonable. Was worried about the chain to the rear wheel being offset more than I wanted but...
motorbicycling.com
I am planning on documenting a conversion of the Sturmy Archer AW into a 2 speed fixed gear with hand tools, but that's on the back burner. While the old AW is obviously discontinued working ones are everywhere and cheap, unlike the s3x, (yes sturmy archer called the 3 speed fixed gear hub that.)
Back to the point if hills are a problem: just gear it lower and take it slower. I hate that the options for retro fitting a multispeed transmission are miserable but that's just the way it is. It will cost more in time and money making a multispeed transmission for a china doll than it would to start with an engine that already has a gearbox or a cvt. There are common after market cvts for industrial engines but those are heavy and bulky.(the engines and the cvts)
GW's Motorized
Well-Known Member
I think sturmy makes a 5spd hub too. You can use it as a jackshaft or just a transmission
ducati_and_dunkin
Member
now that I think about it that may be betterThere are the shift kits. Since this your first build I would caution you to avoid to avoid those since both designs have inherent problems with chain tension.
When it comes to the china dolls, the easiest option is to throw power at the problem of hills. Archimedes once said: give me a lever long enough and I can move the whole world. But the problem we have is that the levers available are either expensive, fussy or can only handle so much power. All three in the case of bike components. Above 3 hp or so the bike components begin to fail catastrophically. Above 2 hp the bike components have drastically shorter service lives, think 1000-2000 miles compared to the 5-7k a good groupset could go.
Mr Cannonball used a then easy to get fixed gear hub very successfully. Nowadays these hubs are discontinued which means jokers are asking twice msrp for a well used one.
Cannonballs Abbynormal 3Speed.
Got the "concentric" trans roughed out. Was an easy few hours work( broke out the metal cutting band saw is why). It has worked out so far exactly as I have envisioned. Fits well and the chain lines are reasonable. Was worried about the chain to the rear wheel being offset more than I wanted but...
I am planning on documenting a conversion of the Sturmy Archer AW into a 2 speed fixed gear with hand tools, but that's on the back burner. While the old AW is obviously discontinued working ones are everywhere and cheap, unlike the s3x, (yes sturmy archer called the 3 speed fixed gear hub that.)
Back to the point if hills are a problem: just gear it lower and take it slower. I hate that the options for retro fitting a multispeed transmission are miserable but that's just the way it is. It will cost more in time and money making a multispeed transmission for a china doll than it would to start with an engine that already has a gearbox or a cvt. There are common after market cvts for industrial engines but those are heavy and bulky.(the engines and the cvts)
