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Sturmey Archer’s new S2C hub manages to pack in a gear-shift and a coaster brake, all without any cables. Unsurprisingly, its first retail outing is on a clean-lined track-style bike.
The hefty hub weighs in at 1400-grams, or just over 3-pounds, thanks to all the hardware it packs inside. On the outside, though, the only thing that gives it away is the lever-arm for the brake.
So how does it work? To change gear, you pedal back, flipping between two ratios (direct drive and 138%). To stop the bike, you press back a little harder to engage the brake. Braking also automatically switches you to the lower gear, although a quick flip of the pedals will get you back in top-gear if you like.
You’ll probably want to combine this with a proper front-brake, especially if you live in a hilly area and don’t want to burn the coaster out. The first bike equipped with the S2C is the $400 Torker KB2, a cheap hi-ten and cro-mo “track” bike drilled for a front brake (and with fender-mounts and bottle-cage bolts). It even has a chain-ring guard, so you don’t need to wear skinny jeans to ride it.
You won’t be taking this into the velodrome, thanks to its porky 28-pounds, but it makes a cheap and easy-to-maintain commuter bike, especially if you add those fenders in winter.
Torker KB2 [Torker via Urban Velo]
Sturmey Archer S2C [Sturmey Archer]
Torker KB2 Kickback Review [Urban Velo]
See Also:
- Felt Track Bike is Unashamedly Retro
- Sturmey Archer Three-Speed Fixed Gear Hub
- Hands-On With the Sram Torpedo Hub
- Suntour Swing Shock: Suspension Fork for Road Bikes and 'Fixies …
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