Sturmey-Archer

XL-FD Front Drum Hub 36h

My beach cruiser bike now has Sturmey Archer hubs on both wheels. At least about 1500 miles on the rear 3 speed coaster brake hub, which I love and is a perfect balance of simplicity, ease of upkeeping, easy shifting and having just enough gears for my bike's main mission, which is to get me to the beach (10 miles/40 min low country ride) and to keep me in great shape. Even though the coaster brake is decent for what it is, I got into a few close calls due to stupid drivers cutting me off, having no front brake. So, i decided to try the heavy duty 90 mm front drum brake hub, also from Sturmey Archer. The one without the dynamo. It is obviously very well made (similar to my rear hub) It is also straightforward to install, provided you know how to build a wheel (lace the spokes). If you don't, watch YouTube and learn. It is very satisfying and easier than it seems. The drum brake works and looks great in my beach cruiser. I'm not obsessed about weight, and I'm glad I bought the 90 mm instead of the 70 mm. I'm 170 lbs, my steel bike is heavy and this brake feels perfect, not overkill at all.