# Bendix manual 2 speed hub



## izee2 (Apr 7, 2012)

Can anyone give some info about this hub. It came off of an Evans Colson matador. It is a Bendix 2 speed manual hub. It has a neat break lever style handlebar shifter.

Were they widly used/rare? Did other makers use them? Are these hubs any good? Would you consider using them on a bike build/restore?







Thanks
 Tom


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## Ozark Flyer (Apr 7, 2012)

Bendix began making them in 52 and continued thru 59 or 60.  When the lever is pulled the hub is geared down to about a .67/1 low gear and when the lever is released again it returns to a normal 1/1 gearing.  I have a couple of them.  One on a 56 Tiger and one on a 53 Panther.  I absolutely love them.  Unlike the later Kickback two speed that shifts every time you apply the coaster brake, the manual stays in the same gear you put it in when you apply the brakes.  I have rebuilt several of them.  They have a simple reliable internal mechanism.  There is a very precise procedure to adjust the shifting but once adjusted they will require little further attention. I have the adjustment instructions and exploded view if you need them.

Hope this helps.


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## jpromo (Apr 7, 2012)

Hey Ozark, I could actually use those adjustment instructions. I haven't been able to get one I rebuilt just right; it's right there but just not quite. It might be easiest to email them; StairwaytoZeppelin55@hotmail.com Thanks a lot!

Mine is on a '55 Schwinn Corvette. I've seen them on that era Schwinn and Columbia bicycles pretty commonly, among others I'm sure.


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## Ozark Flyer (Apr 7, 2012)

jpromo said:


> Hey Ozark, I could actually use those adjustment instructions. I haven't been able to get one I rebuilt just right; it's right there but just not quite. It might be easiest to email them; StairwaytoZeppelin55@hotmail.com Thanks a lot!
> 
> Mine is on a '55 Schwinn Corvette. I've seen them on that era Schwinn and Columbia bicycles pretty commonly, among others I'm sure.




e-mail sent.  It can drive you buggy unless you have the instructions.  Once I found out the proper process to adjust it, it works perfectly every time.


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## jpromo (Apr 8, 2012)

Spot on, thanks! I discovered my cable had slid backward from years of tension on it, so I had to loosen the clamps and slide it forward a half inch or so so that it would be able to fully engage high gear.


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## derek4727 (Apr 10, 2012)

*bendix 2sp instruction*

Hey Ozark, would u mind sending me a copy of the instruction too?
derek4727@gmail.com
thanks


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## Uniblab (Apr 10, 2012)

Unless I'm confusing this with another similar hub, the off roader maniacs love this model as it's very strong and can be shifted without backpedalling.


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## Monark52 (Jul 30, 2017)

I just rebuilt my first manual 2 speed and i realized that the axle can't be equal lengths on both sides or the lever will not move. I adjusted it to where it shifts now but what is the correct length that the axle should stick out on the brake arm side?

Sent from my SM-T550 using Tapatalk


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## ratcycle (Aug 10, 2017)

Hey ozark can u pm those instructions please? Cant get mine to shift at all


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## Beth Siderius (Jul 31, 2018)

Ozark Flyer said:


> Bendix began making them in 52 and continued thru 59 or 60.  When the lever is pulled the hub is geared down to about a .67/1 low gear and when the lever is released again it returns to a normal 1/1 gearing.  I have a couple of them.  One on a 56 Tiger and one on a 53 Panther.  I absolutely love them.  Unlike the later Kickback two speed that shifts every time you apply the coaster brake, the manual stays in the same gear you put it in when you apply the brakes.  I have rebuilt several of them.  They have a simple reliable internal mechanism.  There is a very precise procedure to adjust the shifting but once adjusted they will require little further attention. I have the adjustment instructions and exploded view if you need them.
> 
> Hope this helps.
> 
> View attachment 48152



Hi Ozark,
I see this post has been here a while. I hope you get this message. I just got a bike with this hub and am planning to rebuild it for my son. Would you send me the adjustment directions and blowup too? My email is beth.siderius@gmail.com. We are very excited about the bike! Thank you so much for your help! 
Beth


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## ricobike (Jul 31, 2018)

Here's some documentation on adjusting them.


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## c.r. bike man (Dec 29, 2018)

Ozark Flyer, There is a shifting rod inside the axle. Can you tell me what position that should be in?


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## Maurice (Jul 4, 2022)

Awesome blow-up diagram. Mine (1960 corvette) is all apart on the workbench. This will come in very handy! Fingers crossed I can get it back together and working correctly.


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Jul 4, 2022)

Maurice said:


> Awesome blow-up diagram. Mine (1960 corvette) is all apart on the workbench. This will come in very handy! Fingers crossed I can get it back together and working correctly.



You got this Maurice.


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## Aaron65 (Jul 4, 2022)

I just had one of these apart and had to replace the drive screw and sun gear.  If you have any questions, let me know and maybe I can help.


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## Maurice (Jul 12, 2022)

A little "food for thought",

After reading articles here and elsewhere, plus valuable advice from Cabers, I was still curious about what TYPE of grease I should use in putting this bendix 2 speed back together. Original articles and manuals say "medium auto grease". I did order some new grease from Amazon from some advice on here. But it hasn't shown up yet. I wanna get this back together. 

So I ran down to a local Norcal Schwinn hot spot, El Sobrante Cyclery.  Spoke with Gary. He's in his 70s and his dad opened this shop in 1957. Gary worked there as a kid, and then took it over. Recently sold it, but hangs out part time now. He's a valuable WEALTH of knowledge for me with old Schwinns. Plus it's a feast for the senses when you walk in, there's gotta be 3-4 dozen old Schwinns hanging from the ceiling!

I caught him outside on a cigarette break (that's how old school he is) and asked him about the medium auto grease from the manuals. He took a long drag off his cigarette and said, why would you use that? They used that back in the day, but the bicycle industry has come along way in the last 50 years. And then sold me this grease in the photo. So it's going back together with this grease.

Just wanted to pass along some info that I got today. Do as you wish and good luck!


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## Thee (Jul 12, 2022)

Maurice said:


> A little "food for thought",
> 
> After reading articles here and elsewhere, plus valuable advice from Cabers, I was still curious about what TYPE of grease I should use in putting this bendix 2 speed back together. Original articles and manuals say "medium auto grease". I did order some new grease from Amazon from some advice on here. But it hasn't shown up yet. I wanna get this back together.
> 
> ...



That’s the grease I use while taking long drags, and packing bearings with the old school Palm method 🖐🏻


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## Thee (Jul 12, 2022)

Maurice said:


> A little "food for thought",
> 
> After reading articles here and elsewhere, plus valuable advice from Cabers, I was still curious about what TYPE of grease I should use in putting this bendix 2 speed back together. Original articles and manuals say "medium auto grease". I did order some new grease from Amazon from some advice on here. But it hasn't shown up yet. I wanna get this back together.
> 
> ...



I just acquired some nice S2’s with that same hub I believe, it’s been serviced & gone through, they belonged to a couple cabers before me I hear, maybe more, I’m very anxious to throw them on a rusty relic w/no brakes I haven’t had a chance to fix yet, the hub is Yuge hahaha! I hope I can get it together after I cook dinner and ride it, any shifting technique’s I should be aware of? Thanks for the info on this thread guys!!!!


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## 49autocycledeluxe (Jul 12, 2022)

I have only ridden one bike with that 2 speed and the cable broke during my short ride. ☹️ that's my old one on Maurice's work bench🙂 ...MUCH better than the kickback style I just put on anther bike since every time you hit the brakes it shifts. that will take some getting used to.


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## Thee (Jul 12, 2022)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> I have only ridden one bike with that 2 speed and the cable broke during my short ride. ☹️ that's my old one on Maurice's work bench🙂 ...MUCH better than the kickback style I just put on anther bike since every time you hit the brakes it shifts. that will take some getting used to.



My bad I thought it was a kickback hence the technique question, I thought I read you could brake it without shifting on the site? Cable ones are a no brainer, well unless the cable breaks 😂


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Jul 12, 2022)

Maurice said:


> A little "food for thought",
> 
> After reading articles here and elsewhere, plus valuable advice from Cabers, I was still curious about what TYPE of grease I should use in putting this bendix 2 speed back together. Original articles and manuals say "medium auto grease". I did order some new grease from Amazon from some advice on here. But it hasn't shown up yet. I wanna get this back together.
> 
> ...



That stuff is super sticky careful not to get  it where it isn't supposed to be.


Thee said:


> I just acquired some nice S2’s with that same hub I believe, it’s been serviced & gone through, they belonged to a couple cabers before me I hear, maybe more, I’m very anxious to throw them on a rusty relic w/no brakes I haven’t had a chance to fix yet, the hub is Yuge hahaha! I hope I can get it together after I cook dinner and ride it, any shifting technique’s I should be aware of? Thanks for the info on this thread guys!!!!



You will get the hang of it, I can get mine to shift without fully applying the brakes


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## Goldenrod (Jul 12, 2022)

I got one on a Phantom and it makes it less like pedaling a train.


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## Thee (Jul 12, 2022)

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> That stuff is super sticky careful not to get  it where it isn't supposed to be.
> 
> You will get the hang of it, I can get mine to shift without fully applying the brakes



But can you fully apply the breaks without it shifting? Or does it kick down to the lower gear for ease of restarting?


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## coasterbrakejunkie1969 (Jul 12, 2022)

Thee said:


> But can you fully apply the breaks without it shifting? Or does it kick down to the lower gear for ease of restarting?



No, every time you back pedal it changes gear, so low to high or vice versa. So depending on where you're at you may have to back pedal twice to get into the gear you want. If you forget as you start to pedal it is obvious what gear you are in and easy enough to get into the right one.


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## Thee (Jul 12, 2022)

Seems to me a slight “Back Pedal” would be the way it’s designed especially if trying to upshift, I’ve ridden one before but it’s been eon’s


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## phantom (Jul 12, 2022)

Wait....I lost track here somewhere.....I thought we were talking about the 2 speed manual hub not the kickback. The Bendix manual stays in the gear the lever is in all the time.


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## ian (Jul 12, 2022)

49autocycledeluxe said:


> I have only ridden one bike with that 2 speed and the cable broke during my short ride. ☹️ that's my old one on Maurice's work bench🙂 ...MUCH better than the kickback style I just put on anther bike since every time you hit the brakes it shifts. that will take some getting used


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## Thee (Jul 13, 2022)

phantom said:


> Wait....I lost track here somewhere.....I thought we were talking about the 2 speed manual hub not the kickback. The Bendix manual stays in the gear the lever is in all the time.



I thought “manual” implied kickback, but I guess it does say “bendix automatic” on the kickback 😂 oopsie


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