Sturmey Archer S3X Fixed Gear 3 Speed Hub

Sunrace Sturmey Archer have published details of a new fixed-gear 3-speed hub, which is currently at the prototype stage.

The details are as follows:

  • Overall gear range is 160%.
  • Direct drive is 3rd gear, with reductions of 25% and 37.5%. This translates as gear steps of 20% and 33%.
  • This The hub will feature a "much stronger aluminium hubshell".
  • No details are given about shifters, but a "bar-end style shifter" looks a possibility.

The new S3X is a new interpretation of the Sturmey Archer ASC hub, which was a Fixed Gear 3-speed hub produced from 1946 to the late 1950s.

The S3X has a wider ratio than the ASC, which had an overall ratio of 133% (-25%, -10%, Direct).

Some links for information on the ASC hub:


The Sturmey Archer ASC 3-Speed Fixed-Gear Hub, from Sturmey Archer Heritage

The full Sunrace Sturmey Archer blog post is below.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008
S3X Fixed Gear 3 Speed
So I know there are many of you out there that are very interested in the little bit of info I recently got my paws on.

The first batch of prototype Fixed Gear 3 speeds is finished. The new hub will be called the S3X. The hub will be made using a much stronger aluminum hubshell. Overall gear range will be 160%.

* 1st Gear -37.5%

* 2nd Gear - -25%

* 3rd Gear - Direct Drive

* Gear step gear 1 to gear 2: 20%

* Gear step gear two to gear 3: 33%

Shifters are still up in the air but we have had many requests for a bar end style shifter. Also we are still planning on the possibility of doing some anodized colors with laser etching instead of screen printed graphics. Please comment on what you would like to see in the way of shifters or color choices.

9 thoughts on “Sturmey Archer S3X Fixed Gear 3 Speed Hub”

  1. This is good news. The reliability of the SA 3-speed hubs that I grew up with, it seems to me, have never been surpassed. If these new hubs come close to the original it will be a big step forward. Deraillers are great for wide range but are not as reliable and relatively maintenance free as a good 3-speed, which seemed to run on, and on, and on.

  2. Problem though for the Moulton, being that with small wheels, it is not best to have direct drive as the top gear. Makes it hard to get a high gear- huge chainwheel needed. The SA eight speed had DD as a first gear.

  3. Hi, Any idea of a release date on this hub, or possible price of a 36 spoke version. I’ve been riding a fixed gear since the 60’s, and now of more mature years, but I’m reluctant to convert to Shimano & a free wheel.

  4. What was behind the decision to make the hub -37.5, -25, and direct drive. When i first heard that this hub was going to be made I was hoping for more of a standard 3 speed -25, direct drive, and +33.

  5. Sachs 3 speed torpedo hubs were always my favorite. Sturmey’s always had the dangerous idle spot slippage =P … and the Sturmey’s had some dangerous runs… the TCW being one of them.

    Excited about the three speed fixed, it’ll be a great eye opener for a lot of the hipsters outs there =P

  7. According to Sturmey Archer, hubs should be arriving to the States in early January 2010. At the moment, the tooling is being made, and the hubs should be coming out of the factory in early December, shipping takes about a month by boat, so it arrives to the States in early January.

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