# Why different colors in rear hub stripes



## Typhoon64

Can someone please explain the reason for different color rear hub stripes in schwinn bikes?


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## bricycle

I am guessing you are speaking of the two speed Bendix hubs? The yellow was low and standard gear as was I believe the blue. The red was standard an a higher gear. The coaster brake only was red, or plain chrome grove.


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## gtflyte

I thought yellow and red both,low and standard but blue is standard and overdrive.I'm thinking maybe that yellow is drum as red is clutch style coaster brake. 
GT???????????/


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## bricycle

gtflyte said:


> I thought yellow and red both,low and standard but blue is standard and overdrive.I'm thinking maybe that yellow is drum as red is clutch style coaster brake.
> GT???????????/




yup.......


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## schwinnbikebobb

Yep  Red is 60-64  Yellow is 64 up  I think blue in middleweights was only on tandems.


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## Typhoon64

So is one more desirable then the other? Or which one goes faster?


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## gtflyte

*http://www.trfindley.com/pgbndxhbs.html*

Here is a copy from the above link that I used  when I overhauled a 3 Red Band hub.Got it out from the basement,
                                                                  HUB HISTORY 

The first hub was the 1-speed coaster brake hub, made by the Eclipse Machine Co. in Elmira, NY. The company was bought by Bendix, and the hub became the Bendix Red band Hub. It had a single red band around it. I don't know when this was made. 

The 2-speed cable operated hub was made from 1952 to 1961. 

The Automatic hub was made from 1960 to 1969. It was last listed in the 1970 Schwinn Catalog. 

There were 3 types of Automatic Hubs, identified by band color: Red, Yellow, and Blue bands. The Red Band was made 1960-1964. The Yellow and Blue Bands were made 1965-1969. 

The red and yellow band hubs have a low gear: 1 sprocket turn for .67 hub turn to go up hills easier. High gear is 1:1. The hubs would go on bikes with 26" and 24" wheels. They were also used on bikes with 20" wheels and 46-teeth sprockets. The red and yellow hubs have some different parts in them that won't interchange. Check the diagram for the different brake parts of each hub. 

The blue band has 1:1 low gear, and high is overdrive: 1 sprocket turn for 1.5 hub turn. These are used on bikes with 20" wheels and 36-teeth sprockets to go further on flat roads.

http://www.trfindley.com/pgbndxhbs.html
GT


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## Typhoon64

Hey gt thanks a lot! Very informative.


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## Livmojoe

*2-speeds*

As noted on the diagrams/pictures in the above link, all 2-speeds hubs were available in both 24h and 36h.  Blue-band overdrive in 36h laced into 26" wheels is a great combo for going fast.

Word to wise; Since the Yellow and Blue have interchangeable parts, yellow band hubs can easily be passed off as blue band with a little touch up paint of the right color and an "Overdrive" scripted brake arm.  One thing to note in order to authenticate a true blue band Overdrive hub, is that the Overdrive hubs (blue bands) have 20t sprockets, and yellow bands have 18t sprockets.


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## spoker

they ran outof red paint?


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## ventana

*Desirability*

Typhoon64;
When you discuss desirability of the Bendix 2 speed hubs you have to remember a few other aspects of the hubs.  All three hubs are currently obsolete and no new parts are available for any of them other than caged bearings although you could use loose bearings as replacements. Another aspect of desirability is how well each design wears and how well they work.  I have read many opinions about the earlier Red Band two speed hubs having better stopping ability than the later Yellow Band hubs. If all other factors are equal the Red Band 2 speed hubs have slightly more effective stopping power although I believe that edge is provided at the cost of longevity. There was definitely a reason Bendix scrapped the disc brake design and went exclusively to the expanding twin brake shoes on all their hubs.  
Mechanically the primary difference is that the Red Band 2 speed hubs utilize a system of braking discs similar but not identical the New Departure design.  The discs are alternating steel and brass. During the braking sequence the brass discs lock onto the main hub via the large male/female square splines cut into the hub and the disc. In having rebuilt a fair number of Red Band 2 speed hubs that either don't function or have greatly diminished braking power I have noticed that if proper lubrication and maintenance are not done the brass discs tend to stick and the square edges begin to break down and roll over so their mechanical purchase on the hub is lost. The brass splines on the discs finally shear away so instead of the brass discs remaining in fixed contact with the steel discs they turn and braking effectiveness is pretty much nil when that happens. The only fix for this is to find brass discs from a donor hub that are not damaged since replacement parts are no longer available. I suppose you could try cutting your own brass discs from shim stock but I've never tried doing that although it would be possible in theory. It's obvious that the original discs are stamped brass.
The twin brake shoes of the Yellow Band 2 speed hubs (similar to the Red Band single speed hub) will suffer from lack of lubrication and/or proper maintenance so when the brake is applied with greater force the shoes will glaze over and become ineffective as a braking force as well.  However, if the shoes are not too badly worn they can be cleaned and scuffed with a light application of crocus cloth or fine emery paper restoring their braking effectiveness. The shoes usually don't require replacement unless they are badly worn on the outside edge from a bad bearing/race on the brake side of the hub. Beyond that both the hubs shift the same and provide the same degree of pedaling ease and in my opinion all three are simple and very straightforward to work on. 
So Yellow, Red or Blue, take your pick.  They are all about the same in making a bicycle more convenient to ride and like most everything else on a bicycle all three will provide years of reliable service with proper maintenance and care. 

Have Fun;
Ventana


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## greenephantom

Just to pile of a touch more info. The brake side cone of the blue and yellows is the weak point of those hubs, and that part is about as hard to find as replacement brake discs for the red. Never available in 24 hole, only 28 and 36. The most desirable one? The one with the least miles on it. The blue, in my opinion, is geared too high for reasonable usage on an adult bike. Unless you've got the legs and lungs of a 12 year old. And if you're going to rock out an blue band overdrive hub, then you might consider one of the new Strumey 2 speed kickbacks, as these are overdrive hubs and they are all ready to go.
Cheers, Geoff


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## dd611

personal taste


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## Livmojoe

Never available from Strumey


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