Sturmey Archer quality late 80's hubs

Quoted message said:

What is the quality of the late 80's Sturmey Archer hubs. In
particular the alloy shelled ones of in 3 and 5 speed??? Have read a
lot it seems about how their quality was not so good in the newer
models, but when was this? 90's or ???/

No quality issues I have ever seen with any era of AW, FW[*].

Some late S5 control levers stink. Wait, all S5 control levers stink.
But S5 are OK with two 3 speed triggers. Early 3CB models (TCW series)
have no brake when the cable is kinked and scrambled into the neutral
between 2d & 3d gear. The 'improved' S3C is kinda klutzy compared to the
perfectly fine Shimano SG3-CB gearbox.

Some old grumpy types will wax nostalgic about British lathe-turned
parts versus modern diecast steel bits inside but in practice there's no
wear rate or 'performance' difference.

[*] Jobst notes the inherent oil bleed though Sturmey ball cup threads
and Sturmey's design error which lifts the clutch up from high to
neutral with sustained and constant pedal pressure.
--
Andrew Muzi
www.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

A Muzi said:

Quoted message said:

What is the quality of the late 80's Sturmey Archer hubs. In
particular the alloy shelled ones of in 3 and 5 speed??? Have read a
lot it seems about how their quality was not so good in the newer
models, but when was this? 90's or ???/

No quality issues I have ever seen with any era of AW, FW[*].

Some late S5 control levers stink. Wait, all S5 control levers stink.
But S5 are OK with two 3 speed triggers. Early 3CB models (TCW series)
have no brake when the cable is kinked and scrambled into the neutral
between 2d & 3d gear. The 'improved' S3C is kinda klutzy compared to the
perfectly fine Shimano SG3-CB gearbox.

Some old grumpy types will wax nostalgic about British lathe-turned
parts versus modern diecast steel bits inside but in practice there's no
wear rate or 'performance' difference.

[*] Jobst notes the inherent oil bleed though Sturmey ball cup threads
and Sturmey's design error which lifts the clutch up from high to
neutral with sustained and constant pedal pressure.
--
Andrew Muziwww.yellowjersey.org
Open every day since 1 April, 1971

The one that I was looking at is an alloy shelled 5 speed. It has the
single lever shifter with 2 cables.

I am assuming that this will be able to be retro fitted with 2- 3
speed triggers. Is this correct for a 2 cable unit ?

Thanks
Robert