I'll throw the cold water toward the 7 or 8 speed epicyclic hub in the marketplace and stop yacking as I suppose it's off topic. I've used a Sachs Super 7 extensively and it seems to be a fine functional unit. Wide range, even gear spacing and reliable in my sample of one. I suppose the Shimano is as good. Neither seems to generate much excitement in the marketplace. How will a new Sturmey 7 or 8 speed generate enthusiasm? Will the new Sturmey be somehow better than the Super 7?
On the other hand a fixed hub will be new to the marketplace and could sell well. I probably mislabeled my original post as I would propose a bottoms up redesign based on an ASC concept. I think of the design and tooling money that went into the Rohloff and I have to think a Nuevo ASC at a $150 price point would be a lot better investment for epicyclic venture capital.
A freewheeling multispeed internally geared hub necessarily competes with a derailleur system and for almost all consumers, from their viewpoint, solves a problem that doesn't exist (nevermind the wrecks mechanics see and fix). On the other hand an ASC type hub faces no competition and may meet a need in the marketplace. Besides- I want one!
Joe
>From: Sheldon Brown <CaptBike@sheldonbrown.com>
>To: "Bill Mattinson" <billmatt@sonic.net>, "Joe Bender-Zanoni"
><velo531@hotmail.com>, <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
>Subject: RE: [CR]Bring back the Sturmey Archer ASC
>Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2001 13:24:52 -0400
>
>Bill Mattinson wrote:
>>Joe Bender-Zanoni wrote:
>>>I think a campaign should be mounted to get Sturmey Archer/ Sunrace to
>>bring
>>>back a close or mid ratio fixed gear 3 speed hub.
>>
>>I second the motion - I'd love to have a 2 or 3 speed fixed gear hub or
>>two
>>for my bikes. The only thing even close I've been able to find is the
>>custom
>>mod from the folks in the Seattle bike shop who are converting coasters to
>>2
>>speed fixed. The problem with that is that their ratio is too big for me
>>with a 30% reduction on the lower gear.
>>
>>Sheldon - Any way to contact the Sturmey/Sunrace exec you met at Interbike
>>to pursue this one?
>
>The chances of this happening in the forseeable future are zero. The
>ASC was very complicated, had lots of special parts, and was also
>known to be a bit fragile. SunRace will surely place their resources
>into making hubs with larger sales potential, such as the 7 or 8
>speed, before committing to the enormous tooling costs that would be
>called for to re-invent the ASC, given the tiny potential market for
>such a hub.
>
>Sheldon "Cold Water" Brown
>Las Vegas, Nevada
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