Conversion to three speed

[Wildcat]

This should be a how-to on making your one speed cruiser a three speed. I plan to show how to do this on the cheap also. Instead of buying a new 3 speed hub or wheel and everything needed (a cable and shifter), I've been watching craigslist for a good used bike that has 3 speed with coaster brake. Women's bikes usually get treated gently and aren't used for jumping curbs or anything, and they are well kept, so they make a much more dependable used bike. Usually. I've been looking for a 2 speed also, but no luck, and shipping to Hawaii puts a new wheel out of reach, about $125 and that's just the hub and shifter, not the whole wheel.

A good bike just showed up today on CL, and I go get it tomorrow morning.

I'm going to transfer the 3 speed parts over to my bike and put the one speed wheel on the donor bike to recoup some cost, or my wife will keep it. That should half my cost, total 50 bucks or less if I get more for the donor bike.

Here's what is needed for a switch to 3 speed:
1. The hub should be a coaster brake version, unless you have hand brakes already, or can transfer the brakes over to the conversion bike. Many cruiser frames don't have the brackets for hand brakes, like my Hawthorne. Coaster brakes are the only way to go.
2. The shifter and cable should transfer over fairly easily to your bike.
3. Just change out the wheel. Once you have the cable hooked up and adjusted, you're done!

I'll post up some pics to follow up. It should be a few steps to change over, nothing hard to do.
Here's the donor bike:

 

[Wildcat]

In ran into a couple snags, as usual. The donor bike was the problem. The bike must have been sold new with 7 speeds, the dropouts are not the kind for an IGH hub.

There's no way to adjust it back and forth to tension the chain. So, the chain is too tight, I may put a link in and see what happens, but I should put some spacers too for the single speed hub. I installed it, but it isn't right.

Then I checked the serial number, the donor bike has a recall! It says I can take it in for a new frame! So I won't do any more to it until I check that out.

However, everything went right for my bike. The Inter 3 Nexus hub was just the right width and went right in.

The cogs swapped out between the two, so I kept my 21 tooth cog and had to mount it concaved inward for the chain alignment.

The shifter and cable needed a little modification, but I didn't need to add anything. The cable was long enough to do away with the extra housing that had stops on the donor bike frame. I was able to trim off the excess and run the cable just as it was. Then when I went to adjust it, it was right on the mark! I tested it out and it rides like a new hub.

My helper.

I noticed some differences from the last Shimano 3 speed I worked on. If you don't have a shifter hooked up, the Nexus is in low gear, just the opposite of the old ones. But they shift by pushing a rod, so that was similar. The newer rod is flexible in the middle, the old ones were solid.

So, there it is. Changing over to a three speed shouldn't be too hard to do.

 

[Wildcat]

So, the bike shop says bring it by, then they verify the numbers and Fuji send a new frame! I wonder if they will just replace the whole bike.
These Fuji Saratoga women's frames break in the middle of the downtube. It did come new with 7 speeds and a different crankset, now it has a nice 52 tooth Sugino crank set on it now. And also has Electra flowered tires and a spring seat post. So it'll be my next project for the wife.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

When I was reading the first post, I was gonna mention the bike was recalled. Glad you found out. If the shop contacts Fuji, they'll get you out a new frame.

Incidentally, I used the same bike as a donor a few years back!

If I may as to this, the nexus 3 is spaced at 120mm. Most cruiser frames are at 110mm. So sometime a lil coldset is needed. And aluminum is not recommended to coldset.
I have the same hub on two of my rides. My '57 Schwinn middleweight needed a lil spreadin to fit.

 

[Wildcat]

I'm wondering if it's the same frame they replace it with, it looks like the design is the problem. I'll see if I have any choice in the replacement frame, I'd rather not have to run a derailleur. I'll get a used walmart bike and scavenge off it for the wheel and gears if that's what happens.
On my bike, the new hub fit nice and snugly so I didn't do any adjustment to the old steel frame. I probably needed 5mm for it to be perfect but it looks square on there.

 

[Wildcat]

I noticed the inter 3 hub makes a lot of pawl noise. Each gear has a different sound. It reminds me of all the old SA 3 speeds I rode as a kid.

Do these hubs need lubricating, and is there a way to do it?

 

[Indyjps]

Nice swap. Not sure what kind of chain youre running but, kmc offers half links.
Im gonna have to watch those womens cruisers a little closer in the sale ads.

 

[Wildcat]

They sent in my number for a new frame. They haven't made that style in years so I'm wondering what frame they will send. It will have to have new forks too, I think, to match the color. Wouldn't most bike companies give a new bike for a bad frame?

I think I'll put some light oil down the axle where the shift rod goes in to lube the hub. I did that on an old Shimano 3CC hub and it worked great. That hub never gave out.

 

[rickpaulos]

Wouldn't most bike companies give a new bike for a bad frame?

Depends on many factors like if they even have a similar bike or frame in stock anymore. Bike specs get changed nearly every year. Countless whole bikes have been stripped down by USA distributors to just send a replacement frame. The warranty covers the frame, not parts from another manufacturer. Some companies (like Schwinn of Chicago days) used to hold back a number of production frames just to cover warranties. If they discover they have a bad design or batch, then what? Keep shipping out bad frames from that warehouse? Other companies really believe they will never have a claim so why bother. It's much cheaper to NOT manage a warehouse full of frames that may never go anywhere. Now days they are more likely to give you credit towards the purchase of any bike of your choosing by that manufacturer. No shipping costs, no labor fees, etc. It also depends on the retail chain. A company with authorized dealers (Trek, etc) would have local qualified service to swap out frames. A mass market or mail order seller, nope. A seller of junk (walmart) would rather just give you a refund and trashbin the item.

Do you really want an exact replacement of a poor design?

IMO, that design could qualify for a federally mandated recall if enough people got hurt and reported it. (yeah, I just finished reading a 30 page cpsc recall review on yet another bad mtb shock fork design.)

Yes, igh hubs need lubing. On the old Shimano & SA hubs, a good way is to remove the pushrod / indiciator rod and shoot oil thru the hollow axle. Bike on it's side to have gravity help. That gets the oil directly in to the center of the gears when it needs to be. Don't ever use grease.

 

[Wildcat]

This bike had 12 of the frames break causing injuries. They have a newer version that looks like it with some differences, and other women's bikes, like Specialized, have that same design on the downtube, so maybe it was just those few years, 2008-2011 that had problems. I'd much rather have a whole new bike. It was $370 new, so a credit toward a new one would have to be substantial.

 

[SILVERKINGPC]

Aluminum. It's not the year it was made or some "defect" . It is the grade of aluminum, what factory or person welded it, how many stress cycles it has been through, and the fact that it is aluminum. Aluminum is a cheap way to build a frame to lighten the overall weight. Unfortunately, the loads are not light, and it is aluminum, a short-life material. Unless you are just poking around on a flat bike trail at 5mph, I would not recommend an aluminum frame.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

Fuji will just send the shop a frame. Be aware that, a) the frame may not have the same headset interface, BB interface, or specs. B) it will be a 100% bare frame. Also, since you are not the original owner of the bike, fuji may decline the claim all together. Source-- I worked for them. I try not to mention it on forums. Thats how I knew off the bat the bike was recalled, and thats how I obtained a few that I was able to get all the parts minus frame from... ASE (Fuji's parent co.) is pretty good about handling things, and the guy that handles warranties is a cool dude. I know early on, they sent full bikes to replace, but I think in recent years, a frame is all you may get.

Anyhow... I happened to pick up a Nexus three speed wheelset yesterday at a swap. I could tell some one had gotten in there as the hub way sloppy. The price was right, so I took the gamble for $25. (brand new schwalbe white walls and sealed bearing front hub sealed the deal anyhow).

I ovear hauled it this evening, and they're pretty user friendly. On par with a standard coaster hub.

I found this video really helpful --

Also, there is a hole for grease behind the brake arm.

For what its worth too, the old shimano three speed shifters work with the modern nexus hubs. Except the reading on the shifter is backwards...IE, 3 is 1, and 1 is three.
Example -- http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/59-schwinn-strandie-3-speed.102275/

 

[Wildcat]

I didn't mention the bike was just bought. They just took the serial number, my name and phone number. So I don't think I'll have a problem.

Since my hub seems like new, I'll just add some light oil in the axle and see if I can add some lube behind the brake arm. Thanks.

I once used a nexus system on an old style Shimano hub, when I couldn't find an old shifter and bracket. It worked fine, but like yours, the numbers were backward.

I just watched the video, that comes apart so easy I'll do that to add lube and oil and check for rust. Thanks again.

 

[Dizzle Problems]

For sure! This is also nice--
http://bike.shimano.com/media/techd...SG/EV-SG-3C41-2330B_v1_m56577569830704663.pdf

 

[Wildcat]

New frame came in. I started a new thread on "Goldie".