Ladies BSA

[RidgeWalker]

Just acquired an all original and complete ladies BSA. This bike has the optional twist grip for the BSA 3-speed. As far as I've been able to determine the twist grip was only offered from '50-56, before BSA was acquired by Raleigh in '57. The original Dunlop tires are on the bike; I pumped them to about 40 pounds and took the bike for a quick spin.
Often people assume BSA 3-speed hubs are the same as Sturmey Archer. They are completely different internally than all but the earliest Sturmey Archer hubs. In fact BSAs shift "backwards", meaning that when the cable is fully tensioned the hub is in high gear rather than low gear as in a Sturmey Archer hub.

 

[bulldog1935]

BSA IGH is the same as Sturmey Archer X - parts are interchangeable, and was built under license from SA, 1908-1956

http://www.sturmey-archerheritage.com/index.php?page=history-detail&id=91

 

[RidgeWalker]

I have never seen a Sturmey Archer X hub, let alone disassemble one. I'd love to get that chance.
Agree that the BSA hubs were made until 1956 and that they were fundamentally the same as the Sturmey X type.
However, I believe Sturmey Archer ceased to make the X type in 1914.
This opinion is based on my interpretation of the Type X section of "The Sturmey Archer Story" by Tony Hadland. My interpretation may be incorrect. From the book "The 'new' three speed was merely a relaunch of the unnamed model which had formed the basis of the BSA hub. It was now called the type X and continued in production until about 1914."

 

[bulldog1935]

if you read what SA says, they received a royalty on each one.
they went a different direction with newer designs, but BSA was building their X-design under license.