3-speed mtb conversion

jumbolugs

I recently rescued a Sturmey Archer AW 3-speed hub and all the gubbins that go with it (trigger shifter, indicator rod, cable & frame clips etc) from an old (but virtually unused) shopping bike, and I would like to build it into a 3-speed mtb for commuting and occasional offroad use. Just wondering if anyone else has done this?

The hub has an axle of approx. 145mm in length and the bike it came from had a rear triangle of 114mm OLN. I've been looking around for an old steel MTB frame with horizontal dropouts, with a view to cold-setting the rear triangle to 120mm or thereabouts to make it fit my hub axle.

Obviously it's quite hard to find old MTB frames with horizontal dropouts as that type of dropout was on the way out by the time MTBs became popular, so I've been wondering if it's possible to do the same with vertical dropouts - will the SA axle washer fit a vertical dropout?

(Yes I know I should buy a Shimano Alfine hub but that would be too easy - and too expensive)

nicklouse

the hub is not a 3 speed FIXED is it?

then you can use a tensioner or if lucky with the cog sizes a half link might take up the slack.

Have a look in the MTB FAQs for more Single speed infos as it should help.

good luck.