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Sturmey Archer Missing First Gear

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wrongway

I live for the CABE
I'm stumped here. I finally got my '34 RRA (clone) working right and with the proper tires so I rode it to work today.....only to find out that it doesn't always have 1st gear. I have many other three speed bikes so I am up to speed on these....or so I thought. Is there an adjustment I'm missing? It does fine in second & third. I am using an incorrect 60's vintage trigger shifter. The quadrant shifter was not working as I couldn't build a cable for it. The wheel set (and hub) is most likely from the 40's.
 
I have a similar problem with a '54 3-speed and a late 60s twist-grip changer.
It requires lots of adjustment and occasionally loses a gear completely.
I think that both of our problems stem from this mis-matching of parts.
I think that there must be a slight discrepancy between cable travel in the original and current shifters; or our hubs need servicing!
 
Your shifter is not pulling far enough to engage first- can you engage it by pulling the cable with the bike on a stand? try re-adjusting the cable from scratch, or if necessary, file another detent. What cable pieces are you missing?
 
Start by finding out if it's the shifter or the hub. The fast way to do this is to put the bike on the work stand and pull the indicator spindle/chain until it maxes out. When that is totally pulled tight, you should certainly be in Low. If you can pull that indicator all the way out and get Low to engage properly, then you've got a shifter/cable/housing/pulley issue. I would replace the shifter with a decent Sturmey and make sure everything is slick - no catching for the cable anywhere on the pulley or in the housing. Before you do this be sure the indicator chain/spindle is screwed into the hub correctly so you know you're pulling it in correct position.

If you pull the indicator all the way and you still have problems engaging Low such that you're stuck in Normal, you've got a hub issue. It could be that the spacing for the clutch is off. This can happen because you've got a clutch spring that's too long or catching; an improperly seated thrust collar; or the low gear pawls are installed backwards/upside down. You have to get into the hub to fix these issues, but none are terribly hard to fix once you get in there.

Also be sure your drive side cone is adjusted correctly at all times when working on it: finger tight and back off 1/4 turn on the AW (1/2 turn or so on the FW or S5). Badly adjusted cones can throw off diagnosing it.
 
Thanks guys. I must have gotten it. Apparently just in the adjustment. I rode it home from work and it seemed just fine. I was fighting a north wind of 10-15 all the way home. Quite a work-out!
 
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