is there an internally geared hub out there with the input either on the left or both sides?

[LittleTimmy52]

I want to add a transmission to my motorized bicycle, I hear a jackshaft is a mess and pain and I hear too that internally geared hubs work better if you were to use a shift kit, but a better idea would be then to have an internally geared hub but on the other side to skip the jackshaft all together, but does this exist? additionally I wish to preserve pedal function so if it can work on both sides or have say a disk brake mount so I can bolt a gear to it or something for the pedals for starting, is this a thing? if it is not, can I "reverse" the hub? like make it work but flipped around?

 

[Tony01]

A jackshaft is only used to attain the proper gear ratio and have proper chain spacing with very wide engines. If you have a regular CG type engine it should already have an internal reduction and the output sprocket the right distance from center to line up with a bicycle wheel sprocket.

A hub transmission is far more difficult, will add complexity, and more opportunities for failure, including the simple fact that most hubs are not designed for motor use and have close ratios for pedaling.

I’d recommend building your engine for equal power through the rpm range. There are many things you can do.. you can run a longer intake manifold to maximize torque, port work, compression, and selecting an exhaust tuned pipe then tuning exhaust header length. But you can pretty much just bolt stuff on that’s available for sale. Single speed, select a reasonable top speed for the amount of motor work and build with that. Keep it simple, stupid!

 

[LittleTimmy52]

Yes I do agree that keeping it simple is better, but I want to throw some type of transmission on it so I can have taller gears for speed and lower gears for lower speeds with the added bonus of not having that stupid spoke mounted sprocket these kits come with. if there is some kind of left handed internal gear hub this solves everything hi gear, low gear, better sprocket mount, all in one go. also your other suggestions I have been wanting to do,m but later on in the future.

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

There is a 3-speed internal gear hub that perfectly meets your needs: the Sturmey Archer S3X. This model operates as a jackshaft transmission and offers three gear ratios:

1) ⅝:1
2) ¾:1
3) 1:1

If you pair it with a 36t sprocket in the rear, it effectively gives you the equivalent of having a 48t and a 58t as options.

The Sturmey Archer S3X is the strongest internal gear hub available, built without any pawls, which enhances its durability. While it ceased production about a decade ago, with a bit of effort, you can still find them in the market. Just keep in mind that they typically range from $300 to $400.

 

[Tony01]

Yes I do agree that keeping it simple is better, but I want to throw some type of [complexity] on it

with the added bonus of not having that stupid spoke mounted sprocket

Get the bike running well as a simplistic single speed before you go into custom work. Read my threads I have built a couple of 2-speed auto shifters using dual jackshafts. It is not an easy endeavor that you just weld up and go ride. I figured all the speeds and feeds with an XL spreadsheet to see if it was feasible at all.

A hub transmission has nothing to do with the rear sprocket setup. Look on your other thread where the guys are recommending a hub sprocket adapter.

 

[Tony01]

Hub shifters will work to get you to the corner store, but their internal pawls are not made for high speed or hard shifts. A couple rough shifts and that thing will be toast. Those types of builds are for people comfortable with rebuilding internal hubs.

Also you’ll see as Jerry posted the ratios are very close. I’d use only 1st and 3rd with an engine, with its 160% jump, which I have tried and run for a little while as a quad chain dual JS 2-speed automatic. While it works great a slightly lower jump is better like 150% to 155%.

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

Engine power is the key factor in determining ratio spacing. Higher-priced engines can deliver up to 5 horsepower and rev as high as 10,000 rpm. Therefore, unless you're hauling extremely heavy loads, tackling very steep hills, or have a significantly large rider, you don’t need multiple gears with that level of horsepower.

I’ve found that the SA S3X ratios, despite being close, are exceptional because they lack pawls—essentially functioning like a compact 3-speed gearbox. The jumps between 58t, 48t, and 36t sprockets are substantial. If you’re running at 8000 rpm on 26" wheels, here’s what your speeds would look like:

1) 24 mph
2) 29 mph
3) 39 mph

This setup allows you to predominantly use 2nd and 3rd gear while still having reliable granny gear for when you need it.

With this configuration, you could even enhance your bike by adding mag wheels, enabling a disc brake setup similar to the one on this bike. It's a solid approach for anyone looking to optimize their ride.

 

[Tony01]

Engine power is the key factor in determining ratio spacing. Higher-priced engines can deliver up to 5 horsepower and rev as high as 10,000 rpm. Therefore, unless you're hauling extremely heavy loads, tackling very steep hills, or have a significantly large rider, you don’t need multiple gears with that level of horsepower.

I’ve found that the SA S3X ratios, despite being close, are exceptional because they lack pawls—essentially functioning like a compact 3-speed gearbox. The jumps between 58t, 48t, and 36t sprockets are substantial. If you’re running at 8000 rpm on 26" wheels, here’s what your speeds would look like:

1) 24 mph
2) 29 mph
3) 39 mph

This setup allows you to predominantly use 2nd and 3rd gear while still having reliable granny gear for when you need it.

With this configuration, you could even enhance your bike by adding mag wheels, enabling a disc brake setup similar to the one on this bike. It's a solid approach for anyone looking to optimize their ride.

View attachment 116253 View attachment 116254 View attachment 116255

That’s DAMIEN and his bike… he is the moderator of Motoredbikes.com. I had the unfortunate experience of learning that guy does NOT know what he’s doing, and reposting his build on here without understanding why it’s dangerous, is very foolish. My experience with him was about backwards disc rotors, and him not being able to comprehend why disc rotors are directional (the reason I was banned, funny enough the persons bike with the backwards rotors I was talking about that time Jayraye39 is banned now as well).

The danger is in having a disc caliper adapter on a front fork not designed for disc brakes. Disc forks are built stronger for the added forces a disc rotor puts on one side of the fork. You do NOT run a disc adapter made by some monkey with a manual mill on a non-disc fork. Pretty much you don’t mess around with jury-rigged setups when it comes to front brakes.

Jerry have you personally run a mid mounted hub as a transmission?

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

With my bike, the Sidewinder, I have a 1.6 hp engine, I'm a large person, and I live in the mountains. I use a triple chainring shift kit with a 7-speed 34-13 freewheel. Immediately, one will think of 21 gears. That's way too many. With a 3x7 drive system, you don't have 21 different ratios you have 21 different shifting combinations. Many of the ratios are redundant.

The Sidewinder has the widest reduction range in forum history 66.79\1~16.25\1. I also invited a color-coded one-hand shifting system. Here's how my system works:

Red Gears
Steep hill climbing
1(1-3)

Yellow Gears
Around town general use
2(3-5)

Green Gears
Open road use
3(5-7)

Notice a chainring is only shifted when in either sprocket (3) or (5). This keeps the bicycle chain in a fairly straight line. Starting Gears are 1(1) for starts going uphill, and all other starts 2(3) is used.

So when doing builds turn the complicated into the simple.

 

[Gordy]

That’s DAMIEN and his bike… he is the moderator of Motoredbikes.com. I had the unfortunate experience of learning that guy does NOT know what he’s doing, and reposting his build on here without understanding why it’s dangerous, is very foolish. My experience with him was about backwards disc rotors, and him not being able to comprehend why disc rotors are directional (the reason I was banned, funny enough the persons bike with the backwards rotors I was talking about that time Jayraye39 is banned now as well).

The danger is in having a disc caliper adapter on a front fork not designed for disc brakes. Disc forks are built stronger for the added forces a disc rotor puts on one side of the fork. You do NOT run a disc adapter made by some monkey with a manual mill on a non-disc fork. Pretty much you don’t mess around with jury-rigged setups when it comes to front brakes.

Jerry have you personally run a mid mounted hub as a transmission?

Jayraye never got banned. He deleted his account. I talked with him privately alot about his bike and he told me that he felt he would get more help on his minarelli elsewhere, and arguments with some other members pushed him to leaving. But his bike was quite honestly a death trap IMO. It looked good, but boy was it dangerous.

 

[Tony01]

Jayraye never got banned. He deleted his account. I talked with him privately alot about his bike and he told me that he felt he would get more help on his minarelli elsewhere, and arguments with some other members pushed him to leaving. But his bike was quite honestly a death trap IMO. It looked good, but boy was it dangerous.

Yup, it really all comes down to that builders vs talkers stuff I was saying…

How some people who have no actual experience with the specific topic have a need to comment on it and muddy the conversation… This thread is a great example of that!!

Puck says what’s wrong with that forum pretty good in his more recent replies. FNTPuck is one of those Master Builders and his stuff gets buried and attacked too. So it’s not just me. Forum talkers just tend to do that.

 

[LittleTimmy52]

well thanks for the information, on the ratios, I guess this means jack shaft it is if I were to go with adding gears. Any recommendations for rear hubs that aren't hard to get and expensive like the Sturmey Archer S3X Jerry mentioned? if an igh similar isn't there, any recommendations for a strong enough but still cheap derailleur? also the shift kit, any recommendations and ones to avoid?

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

well thanks for the information, on the ratios, I guess this means jack shaft it is if I were to go with adding gears. Any recommendations for rear hubs that aren't hard to get and expensive like the Sturmey Archer S3X Jerry mentioned? if an igh similar isn't there, any recommendations for a strong enough but still cheap derailleur? also the shift kit, any recommendations and ones to avoid?

I personally use a Sram X4 rear derailleur and a Sram X3 shifter. I like it because it's all metal no plastic parts.

Shi(+)mano

This will be a thread about Shimano bicycle components.

motorbicycling.com

 

[LittleTimmy52]

I personally use a Sram X4 rear derailleur and a Sram X3 shifter.

Shi(+)mano

This will be a thread about Shimano bicycle components.

motorbicycling.com

the fancy expensive s3x you said is around 300-400 dollars? Now I could be wrong but i think i found it on ebay for $13 is this the wrong one? is it lies and probably fake? im unsure with this conflicting information.

also thanks for the recomendation on the shifter and deraileur, they dont seem too expensive, i might go for them.

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

the fancy expensive s3x you said is around 300-400 dollars? Now I could be wrong but i think i found it on ebay for $13 is this the wrong one? is it lies and probably fake? im unsure with this conflicting information.

also thanks for the recomendation on the shifter and deraileur, they dont seem too expensive, i might go for them.
View attachment 116277

If it's too good to be true; then it's too good to be true. I've seen 2 stroke kits on eBay for $25. The kit never comes and you have to go through up to a 90 day process to get your money back.

 

[LittleTimmy52]

If it's too good to be true; then it's too good to be true. I've seen 2 stroke kits on eBay for $25. The kit never comes and you have to go through up to a 90 day process to get your money back.

well that statement is 100 percent fact, Thanks. one question you gave me the shifter and deraileur i should look for, what hub should I use? i only got my one gear coaster brake hub maybe one with disk brakes would be nice if itll fit.

 

[Sidewinder Jerry]

well that statement is 100 percent fact, Thanks. one question you gave me the shifter and deraileur i should look for, what hub should I use? i only got my one gear coaster brake hub maybe one with disk brakes would be nice if itll fit.

If you're going to install a multi-speed cog system get a cassette hub instead of a freewheel hub. The cassette was designed as an upgrade to the freewheel. This was because freewheel axles are prone to bending. As for installing disc brakes you can weld nuts onto your seat/chain stays to bolt the caliber onto. You'll also need a bolt on rear derailleur hanger. You may need to spread your dropouts further apart to fit the wheel in.