F&S Torpedo Duomatic and Automatic hubs

[Miq]

The F&S Automatic shifts by itself (automatically) once a high enough speed is reached. They offered a couple of options for the Auto since they could be used in different sized wheels.

Duomatic is a kickback.

 

[volksboy57]

I love the duomatic. I put it on my stingrays and anything else I am able to. I must have 5 of them. Every bendix I have tried to use was broken, and the duomatic is much lighter. The only problem I have is the axle nuts are a fine thread, and really difficult to find a replacement.

 

[Schwinn Sales West]

I love the duomatic. I put it on my stingrays and anything else I am able to. I must have 5 of them. Every bendix I have tried to use was broken, and the duomatic is much lighter. The only problem I have is the axle nuts are a fine thread, and really difficult to find a replacement.

My guess on the axle nuts would be they are the same as used on a Komet coaster brake. Yes, they were a unique size to the brand.

It's worth a try to see if it works.

John

 

[HerrOtto]

So, I am incorrect, there wasn't a Freewheel Duomatic, only one with a coaster brake?

 

[cyclingday]

There was an internal/planetary gear system that also used a freewheel/derailleur system.
Its purpose was to eliminate the front derailleur/ multiple chainrings.
It was called, Orbit if I remember right.
I’m pretty sure it was a cable activated system and not a kick back type, but I could be wrong about that?
I’ve got a catalog that shows all the options available as of about 1990.
They also had a sweet cast magnesium motorwheel about the same time that was really cool.
I’d love to find and try out one of those sometime.
I’ll get some photos when I get a chance.

 

[rustjunkie]

These are my favorite hubs, been using them since I had one on my Murray Montery II that I bought new at Gemco in Chula Vista.
Used it to delivery newspapers until it was stolen.

Don't know if this site has been shared before but it's a goodun:

F&S / Torpedo DUOMATIC

Links: Pictures and Explosion Drawings (German): Andree Schote is the reference concerning Fichtel & Sachs Torpedo Duomatic gear hubs. Spareparts and used hubs (German): Jens Hansen is another …

hubstripping.wordpress.com

F&S / Torpedo AUTOMATIC

Fichtel & Sachs Torpedo AUTOMATIC (A 2110) General: When the AUTOMATIC hub was developed the DUOMATIC hub was already on the market. This was the Wirtschaftswunder (booming economic) years in G…

hubstripping.wordpress.com

 

[rustjunkie]

Here's the only Duomatic I've seen in black, found it a while back on the ebays:

 

[HerrOtto]

Per the rustjunkie's F&S Torpedo Duomatic site he sent out. There may be a Duomatic Freewheel, called model 101.

 

[Miq]

To add to the list of sites for F&S info that @rustjunkie started above:

Hubstripping:

F&S / Torpedo DUOMATIC

Links: Pictures and Explosion Drawings (German): Andree Schote is the reference concerning Fichtel & Sachs Torpedo Duomatic gear hubs. Spareparts and used hubs (German): Jens Hansen is another …

hubstripping.wordpress.com

Jen's Danish scheunenfun site (in German but you can translate it or figure it out by exploring the links) :

Explosionszeichnungen Fahrradnaben

If you scoll down there is a section on Duo and Auto matics. The yellow arrow boxes are links.

Veloklassiker Czechoslovakian Swiss site has a section on F&S hubs including the Duo and Auto matics:

Fichtel & Sachs

Die «Fichtel & Sachs» Naben sind in der Schweiz vor allem wegen der Torpedo Freilauf-Nabe bekannt. Diese wurde in unzähligen Veloklassikern und natürlich in den Militärvelos verbaut. Die anderen Nabenmodelle hatten es offensichtlich gegen die «Sturmey Archer» Konkurrenz aus England sehr schwer...

veloklassiker.ch

The CABE is lucky to have member @Oken from Denmark who also has a site 700c.dk with a lot of great info on F&S hubs (and many other bike related topics!). His site has a section on Duo and Auto matics including the rare Freewheel 101:

Gallery of Duomatic models

Photos of the major versions of the Sachs Duomatic hubs in assembled and disassembled state

www.700c.dk

We have been having a fun time discussing the 3-speed F&S hubs and other F&S lore in this CABE thread. A few others long with me, @Oken, @SKPC and @WillWork4Parts are the "F&S Few" learning about and extolling the virtues of these wonderful German hubs. Some even make and buy special tools for them...

Fichtel & Sachs Torpedo 515 Handbooks and Service Diagrams Google Translate Project | General Discussion About Old Bicycles

I wanted to learn more about the F&S 515 3 Speed Torpedo hub and found some original information from F&S but it is all in German. These German F&S documents are downloadable here: Veloklassiker and they have info for many different F&S hubs. Wanted to see if any of the latest Google...

thecabe.com

 

[HerrOtto]

Miq, are you at all familiar how a 2 speed kickback freewheel hub works. I can't wrap my head around it. With the coaster brake duomatic, you pedal backwards slightly to change gears or pedal backwards with more force to apply the brakes. What happens when you pedal backwards with the freewheel Duomatic, won't you just freewheel or is the first movement of pedaling backwards, changing the gear, but if you continue in the backwards motion, it freewheels??? I understand there is a newer Sturmey Archer kickback 2 speed freewheel hub out there, but I can not find any information on it.