Cycling UK Forum

I have to agree with Carlton Green. Simplicity works for me too.
Why have more gears than you ever use. The Supercommuter thread is a good example.
If SA actually resolved the issues in their hubs I'd buy a 5 speed off them.

I think you're better off with an aw3 and 2 cogs & derailleur making a 6 speed setup than risking it with a sa 5 speed.
Or getting hold of a really old 5 speed like Brucie's 80000m setup.

Very interesting.
Makes you wonder why they kept re-inventing something that originally worked well.

Well having read all this I'll stick with my old rim brakes.
My rally car has regularly had glowing discs with no brake fade so perhaps my previous post about discs is incorrect.....for cycles at least.

No one ever asks whether it's ok to drive or motorcycle a few 100 or 1000 miles with a vehicle equipped with disc brakes......
The technology is proven & reliable.
The question is whether you really need discs over rim brakes.
Your choice

In my youth I cycled round Scotland on a 10 speed touring bike with gears 40-100" so the SA 3 speed + 2 cogs would've been fine. Only used big gears downhill.

Ebay have plenty of 6 speed screw on freewheels 14-34 for £15ish

As Brucey has pointed out numerous times the issue with the SA 5 speeds hubs is mainly due to poorly designed gear shifters.
It's a pity they (SA) can't properly resolve this.

My Shimano dynohub runs 2 3w halogen lights in series, that's 12v 6w & has done on my daily commute for ages

Those Triban 100's seem ideal.... Pity they're not half price.
I wanted to fit 700x28 tyres not 23, with mudguards.

Thanks Spinners. Will mudguards not fit with the 25 tyres fitted?
I need mudguards for my commute

I rode my mid 80's 531c forked bike a few days ago....magic ride but don't want to use it for my commute.
Anyone riden these bikes?
Will the mid priced steel fork bike ride nice?

Might buy one of these, fit mudguards & rack. Anyone think carbon forks are ok for a commute across a muddy smooth field, hard packed gravel and potholed single track roads?
Or should I go for the middle bike with steel fork?
I weigh 70kg plus my work stuff etc

Those Topeak aero bags look much better than my current plastic bag bungee strapped to the bike

Just a thought, my commuter bike uses a 5 speed freewheel with shimano sis click thumb shifters. These have worked faultlessly for donkeys years.
Is the pull length between gears the same as the SA 5 speed hub? (Note I doubt it)