Internal hub gears are a great alternative to derailleur gears. They require little maintenance and are much more resistant to damage as the mechanism is placed inside the hub. This article describes how to adjust sturmey archer 3 speed and shimano internal hub gears for optimum performance.
– When the gears are not engaging. If, after clicking the shifter, the gears feel like they’re jumping or pedalling doesn’t move the bike forward it means that the cable moved the internal gear mechanism to the blind spot in between the gears.
– When the wheel has been moved in the dropouts. If the wheel was moved to adjust the chain tension or it was refitted in the dropouts differently then this could change the gear cable tension affecting the gears.
– When a gear cable has been replaced. When fitting new gear cable the tension needs to be set.
The 2 most common hub gears are Shimano and Sturmey Archer.
How does sturmey archer 3 speed hub gear works?
With no tension on the cable, the bike is set in its highest gear. As you move the gear lever , the cable tightens and pulls the little chain with a rod.
This is screwed into an axle key that moves the internal mechanism into a set position giving the lower gears.
How to adjust sturmey archer 3 speed hub gear?
- Move the shifter to the second gear.
- Look at the rear axle on the drive side. The wheel nut will have a circular hole making the end of the axle clearly visible.
If the rod comes out beyond the end of the axle then the cable is too tight.
- Hold the cable anchorage adjuster in your right hand and with the other hand slightly undo the knurled locking nut on the indicator chain.
- Now grasp the indicator chain in your left hand and with the right hand turn the anchorage adjuster anticlockwise until the end of the rod is in line with the end of the axle.
- Now tighten the knurled locking ring against the cable anchorage adjuster. It needs to be hand tight.
If the rod is not visible then the cable is too loose.
- Hold the cable anchorage adjuster in your right hand and with the other hand undo the knurled locking nut on the indicator chain all the way.
- Now grasp the indicator chain in your left hand and with the right hand turn the anchorage adjuster clockwise until the end of the rod is visible and in line with the end of the axle.
- Now tighten the knurled locking ring against the cable anchorage adjuster.
How do Shimano hub gears work?
Shimano hub gears. With no tension on the cable, the bike is set on the lowest gear. As you move the gear lever , the cable tightens and a rod (3 speed) or a cassette joint unit (5 speed and above) pushes the internal mechanism to a set position, giving higher gears.
How to adjust Shimano 3 speed hub gears?
Tools required.
10 millimetre open spanner
- Set the shifter to the second gear.
- Look at the bell crank indicator. There are 2 white lines: the outer line and the inner line. There’s also a yellow indicator.
- If the indicator is not central and closer to the outer line then the cable is too loose.
- Use a 10 millimetre spanner to undo the lock ring.
- Turn the barrel adjuster anticlockwise until the yellow indicator sits centrally between 2 white lines.
- Tighten the lock ring.
- If the indicator is not central and closer to the inner line then the cable is too tight.
- Use a 10 millimetre spanner to undo the lock ring.
- Turn the barrel adjuster clockwise until the yellow indicator sits centrally between 2 white lines.
- Tighten the lock ring.
How to adjust Shimano 5, 7, 8 and 11 speed hub gears.
- Shift the gears up and down to make sure that the cable moves freely.
- For the 5 speed gear hub set the lever to 3rd gear.
- If you have a 7 and 8 speed hub gear set the lever to 4th gear.
- For 11 speed hub gear set the lever to the 6th gear.
- Have a look at the cassette joint unit. You should see two yellow indicators.
- If the top line is to the right of the bottom indicator then the cable is too loose.
- Unscrew the barrel adjuster on the lever until the yellow indicators are in line.
- If the top line is to the left of the bottom indicator then the cable is too tight.
- Screw in the barrel adjuster on the lever until the yellow indicators are in line.
