Sturmey Archer S2C Kick Shift 2 Speed Hub with Coaster Brake

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Sturmey Archer S2C

S2C stands for 2 speed with coaster brake.

 The temperature was in the 70s this afternoon and perfect for a bike ride. I went out to give the Sturmey Archer S2C a bit of a test ride. This hub is a two speed with a coaster brake. (you brake by back pedaling) To change gears you pedal backwards just a little, but not enough to put on the brake. If you pull up to stop in high gear you will change to low when you are applying the brake. The bike had a 165mm Crank with a 50 tooth chainring. The sprocket on the hub is a 22 tooth. First gear is a direct drive and second gear increases the drive by 38%. This gearing worked fine for me. It's been 38 years since I spent much time on a bike with a coaster brake. I'm sure I wasn't going as fast or far as I did on today's ride. It took a little experimentation to get used to stopping and starting with clipless pedals and a coaster brake. It wasn't a problem and after a couple of times I had it all figured out. A coaster brake is definitely better when riding in regular shoes and on flat pedals. This hub had a bit of an issue when in first gear. I will have to call Sturmey Archer tomorrow and see if there is a way to adjust the shifting. Part of the time when the hub was in first gear it had a bit of a skip in it. This hub would be great on a cruiser or city bike. (what it really is intended for) I had it on a Path Racer or Track Bike. It was fun to ride with real track bars and no controls on the handlebars. All the while I was still able to change gears and use the brakes. Hopefully I will be able to figure out the issue with the first gear and have more fun rides using the 2 speed kickback.

The Mill on Lasiter Lake outside of Clemmons, NC. Now a private home.

I headed out to ride the "Mill Loop". This is an old traditional riding route that every cyclist in town used to ride. In the last twenty years it has lost a little bit of it country charm with the addition of many new neighborhoods. There are still pastures and many areas that look the same. More cars but still a good place to ride. As I was riding I came upon some friends of mine; Louis, Alan and Wanda. I turned around and caught up with them to have a little company on the ride. Just like the weather it turned out to be a great day to ride a bike.