# How to start riding a sturmey barn find or stored bike



## klunker (Nov 5, 2008)

OK I now have about 5 or 6 'old bikes' 60s and 70s with sturmey archer 3 speed hubs.  Some slip and have that ghost pedalling effect, I am speaking about just taking a found bike that has been sitting for many years and I just start riding them.  Having fun.

What is:
a.  The best way to start re-using these bikes?  (rebuild hub I guess would be the answer, but time or money adds up)
b.  A practical way to start re-using these bikes with SA hubs that have been sitting.  Can you 'flush' the hub with thinner oil then drain and put correct weght oil in?  Can you 'drain' a SA hub (3 sp, 62-72 vintages))?

Any advice appreciated
thanks
Klunker


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## kunzog (Nov 5, 2008)

I would start by just adding a FEW drops of automotive oil (10w 30) and riding the bike to diistribute the oil in the hub. If after a few days of riding it does not seem to shift properly then you could add a few more drops of light weight sewing machine oil and riding it again. There shouldn't be a whole lot to "drain" as you are only adding a few drops at a time. You are going to get a lot of opinions about type, weight, brand and amount of oil. Read Sheldon Brown's articles about SA Hubs.
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/


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## Jaydub (Nov 29, 2008)

Has anyone ever  tried Marvel Mystery Oil ...I have a 3 speed to try it out on..Can't hurt it ..


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## oldroads (Jan 5, 2009)

1) don't EVER use a vegetable-based oil.  Only use petroleum-based.  The 10W-30 oid suggested above is correct.
2) to adjust it:
  a) put the shifter in third gear
  b) loosen the adjusting barrel (by the hub)
  c) tighten the adjusting barrel just enough to take the slack out of the cable.  There should be NO tension on the cable in 3rd gear.

That's all there is to it!


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## balloontirecruiser (Jan 5, 2009)

I have also had great luck with 10w 30 oil.


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## saxman (Mar 1, 2009)

balloontirecruiser said:


> I have also had great luck with 10w 30 oil.




I would take the outer nuts off, remove one bearing cone, and CAREFULY (so as not to dislodge the loose balls down into the works) flush the hub with kerosene, then pour SAE10 motor oil through it. Reassemble on the bike, adjust for shifting, and top off with SAE 10 through the oil fill in the center of the hub.


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## how (Jun 25, 2009)

*There might be a better way,,but i have done about 5*

i just squirt wd40 in them,,,,ride them around,,,if they are stuck,,this will loosen them up,,if they are gunked up,,it will loosen the gunk up,,then put a bunch of heavier oil,,sturmey archer called for 20 w but u can use 30,,i use chain saw oil. Just keep it oiled. if u put a lot of oil in it,,it will leak out the excess,,cleaning some of the junk out of it. easier than pulling it apart,,and trying to figure out how to get it back together,,i have a 55 Schwinn corvette 2 57 schwinn jags,,,I did this to all three of them,,and ride them all all the time. they shift great.  
howie


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## Santee (Jan 2, 2011)

Chain saw oil....The more you know......


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## Gooseneck (Feb 12, 2011)

Rebuilding the hub properly is a cinch if you have a video to help. Fortunately, somone bothered to make one (see below). Combining the youtube video with Sheldon Brown's instructions helps a lot. Blasting with WD-40 kinda works to break stuff up and make it start working - but the operation will not be nice and smooth like it should be. You can sort of hear and feel all that gritty broken up junk grinding around in the hub. Absolutely go that route if you're in a hurry to get to your goofing around - but you should rebuild it at some point afterward. 

Doing it right is more rewarding. You can't clean everything up very well without taking it apart. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ea6krXSs-lc


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