The D2…

Sturmey-Archer, I take my hat off to you. The metaphorical one that is.

I have just received my new rear wheel from cell bikes (http://bit.ly/20cT2t5) which includes the Sturmey Archer D2 hub.

This thing is a two speed freewheel hub. Internal gears. You change gears by pedalling backwards about half a turn.

I have a 46:18 tooth set up on the sprockets; good for all the hills at 1.55:1.

The first gear is 1:1 just like a normal single speed. But the overdrive on the second gear is about 1.4:1 giving me 3.58. Woo hoo.

I just did 6 km on the flat at 45 km/h and I could have gone forever.

I creamed a bunch of lycra-clad weekend warriors on their $10K carbon fibre geared bikes.

They look surprised to see a $200 fixie go past them at 45 km/h – that isn’t normal.

You see, and I’m being nice here, they can’t see the two gears. No cables. It looks like a usual single speed.

And my bike is a little more efficient than theirs. There’s a lot less friction on the chain – no tensioner, no dérailleur offset etc.

Eventually a flat tyre got me; bloody Chinese. I swear I am only ever going to buy branded tubes from now on.