Ok, someone here must know about old bicycles

[walnutred]

My wife was looking for an "Old School" type bike. You know, Big padded seat, upright handle bars, balloon tires and fenders. It's flat where we live so speeds were not important.

I found an old Ladies 3 speed probably made in the 60's by AMF. British racing green, big paded leather seat and even still had the wicker basket. Thing must of set in a basement for a couple decades because it is in very nice shape.

In waxing it this weekend I noticed the rear drum has a nylon oil port. Question is, what kind of oil goes in there and exactly what does it lubricate?

 

[walnutred]

My wife was looking for an "Old School" type bike. You know, Big padded seat, upright handle bars, balloon tires and fenders. It's flat where we live so speeds were not important.

I found an old Ladies 3 speed probably made in the 60's by AMF. British racing green, big paded leather seat and even still had the wicker basket. Thing must of set in a basement for a couple decades because it is in very nice shape.

In waxing it this weekend I noticed the rear drum has a nylon oil port. Question is, what kind of oil goes in there and exactly what does it lubricate?

 

[Jeb Stonewall]

You can use just about any motor oil for lub.
The gears on a three speed are inside the hub, unlike 5-10 speeds where the gears are sprockets on the outside of the wheel.

 

[ParadiseRoad]

...a three speed probably has a Sturmey-Archer hub...there's a planetary gear set in the hub...much like in an automotive automatic transmission. The link I'm posting below recommends a light oil...we used to use 3-in-1 oil if I remember correctly. Sewing machine oil would probably work too...

CLICK HERE

 

[walnutred]

Thanks for the link. I hope the hub never goes bad because it sure looks complicated. We went from single speeds to 5 speeds in my family so never had a oil lubed hub to deal with.

 

[MrPhil]

I worked in bike shops during that era and lots of people used 3-in-1 oil. The shifting got a little sticky. Took them apart, found a gummy substance. Speculation then was the 3-in-1 was the problem.

We used an oil sold by Schwinn. The hub manufacturer, Sturmey Archer, also sold oil. It was machine oil.

ParadiseRoad - thanks for that link to they late great Sheldon Brown's article.

 

[glypnir]

I think that just regular old 30 weight would work just fine.

Periodically we have a thread on this kind of bicycle. It's what people who actually ride bicycles to go places ride worldwide.

But it's relatively hard to find in this country. At least new.

If you can find the new ones, they are a lot lighter and nicer, sometimes, also more expensive. I've got a Breezer

 

[walnutred]

Glypnir, I found this at a yard sale for $35, with new tires and tubes. Where we live it's 4 miles around the block, Penny and my daughter like to ride around the block every other evening, weather permitting. All pretty flat. It's about 8 miles to town and back. So I'm hoping this old bike works out for her.

 

[ParadiseRoad]

I think that just regular old 30 weight would work just fine.

...the only problem with detergent motor oil is that it is made to work in a filtered system...it keeps contaminants in suspension so the filter can remove them...with no filter it eventually turns into lapping compound...

 

[OFT]

"I found an old Ladies 3 speed"

I hope that you were speaking of the age of the bike and not your wife when you said that!!

 

[walnutred]

Originally posted by OFT:
"I found an old Ladies 3 speed"

I hope that you were speaking of the age of the bike and not your wife when you said that!!

After reading what I posted I was afraid someone would misinterpret the "big padded seat" phrase.

 

[Stevens]

we always used 3 in 1 when I was a kid.
Steve

 

[Tijeras_Slim]

Sturmey Archer hub oil is great stuff but I doubt it's easy to find. However, a nice light oil like Hoppes gun oil would probably work well.

 

[fiasconva]

Walnut, the old school bike you are looking for is now called a "beach cruiser". Look for that in the want ads if you want one.