Anyone ever put Gears on a 20" BMX?

[SaMAlex]

A friend of mine is looking at doing a 100 mile cycle but she wants to do it on her BMX. Has anyone had any success putting gears on a 20" BMX? Its her main rider so she wont want to go mad on the conversion but its bound to need at least a custom rear wheel. My guess is some kind of internal hub gear might be the best plan. The short back end wont  work too well with an offset chain alignment and the width of the frame wont be happy with a cluster of sprockets. I think that hub gears have had a bit of a revival thanks to the "Fixie" style of bike but I dont know much about it.

Anyone got any ideas? 

[pickle]

sturmy archer rear hub with 3 gears  

something like this?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PAIR-20-x-1-75-STURMEY-ARCHER-AW-3-SPEED-ALLOY-RIM-WHEELS-FOLDER-SHOPPER-BIKE-/281048607451?pt=UK_sportsleisure_cycling_bikeparts_SR&hash=item416fcd6adb

[garran]

Bmx plus did a feature on a gt with a Browning 2 speed system. think dordy has the mag off me

[MaD-RoK]

There was a Aero Pro done with full on rear mech and front end 3 ring crankage..... Looked a fookin monster though.

Tell her to just be rad and go single speed, it rocks after 30 miles..... 

[Julian347]

Use the 3 speed system off a Grifter. Proper old school.  

Didn't Brian Lopes start using gears on his GT BMX at one time? Might be worth checking out.

[MaD-RoK]

Been trying to find the pic..... BUT thinking about it, it may have just had the rear mech fitted as a tension device and used the front three ringer with shifter as a 3 speed set up. Going from scarred memory here though dude.

[SaMAlex]

I think that most of the 2 speed set ups for BMX racing are ones that change down only. Then you have to re-set it before the next race. (I could be wrong?).

I didnt really want to suggest a sturmey archer (Grifter/chopper) 3 speed, cos they are pretty horrid to ride.

Shimano have done a few hub gears, more recently the Nexus stuff. 3 speed, 7 speed and even an 8 speed version.

http://www.shimano.com/publish/content/global_cycle/en/us/index/products/0/nexus.html

[pickle]

will the new Shimano ones fit the rear end of a BMX though Alex?  i also think they'd be pretty expensive for a one off ride 

[MaD-RoK]

Here you go......

[Julian347]

Here you go......

 

[GavinDavis]

I can appreciate the need for doing a long distance ride, but for anything else....gears should be nowhere near a bmx ...yuk!!

[SaMAlex]

Man, those gears on the BMX look stinking 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure the Nexus hub wont fit in a BMX frame.
And you're right. Prob a bit much to spend for a one-off ride 

[gib66]

i think moley did one few years back it will be on here somewhere but god knows how to find it

[Jon The Bassist]

Get the correct gearing on the bike (something slightly higher than the usual 44/16, 25/9 type ratio), with the right tyres (eg high pressure & low profile). This will be more reliable and almost as quick as a bike with gears with added efficiency from having correct chainline etc, no extra weight from derailleurs & extra sprockets, less parts to go wrong.

[SaMAlex]

Get the correct gearing on the bike (something slightly higher than the usual 44/16, 25/9 type ratio), with the right tyres (eg high pressure & low profile). This will be more reliable and almost as quick as a bike with gears with added efficiency from having correct chainline etc, no extra weight from derailleurs & extra sprockets, less parts to go wrong.

Wise words, for sure 

[Dark Diggler]

i think moley did one few years back it will be on here somewhere but god knows how to find it

Moley did a sturmley 5speed on his GT, a bit weighty but not too bad, very clean looking