Sturmey-Archer
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Image:Sturmeyarcher.jpg Sturmey-Archer is a manufacturing company from Nottingham, England. They primarily produce bicycle hub gears but have also produced motorcycle hubs.
The company was founded in 1902 by Henry Sturmey and James Archer under the guidance of Frank Bowden (from who the term 'Bowden cable' originates) the primary owner of the Raleigh bicycle company. They originally produced hubs for three-speed bicycles designed by Raleigh, but in 1939 a four speed model was developed. This led to the development of temperamental 5 speed models, and by 1994, 7 speed hubs were introduced. The Sturmey-Archer name was also credited with the 49cc two-stroke engine fitted to early Raleigh mopeds, although this was actually a reworking of Vincenti Piatti's "Trojan Mini-Motor" and built by BSA's motorcycle operation.[1]
In 2000, Sturmey-Archer was sold to Sun Race Sturmey-Archer Inc. and operations were moved to Taiwan.
[edit] Cultural significance
"Sturmey Archer" is a term that is frequently used by people to refer to any kind of hub gear, regardless of manufacturer. This is similar to "Hoover" used to mean vacuum cleaner and "Kleenex" used to refer to facial tissues. Talk of Sturmey Archer gears can also be somewhat nostalgic, referring to the days of old when hub gears were more common. The John Shuttleworth song Dandelion and Burdock is an example of such nostalgia. In the song John reminisces about his boyhood activities and recalls cycling up a tall hill, singing "I was grateful for the Sturmey Archer gears".
