Model name and year of Swift bike made in Birmingham

[Lobi]

New here, don't know if this is ok place to post this or maybe it can be moved?

I have a Swift bicycle that I know very little about and hope a few here can shed some light. It looks like it's a Raleigh frame and three piece crank set. Fenders are flat and look cheap. Rod brakes seem light duty but are operational. The lil stick shift for the Sturmy Archer two speed hub is really cool. Any guesses on year of manufacture and model name? Is it worth restoring or selling? Maybe I'll just make it rideable to show it off.

 

[Pedrocut]

Swift Cycle Co in Grace’s Guide…

Swift Cycle Co - Graces Guide

www.gracesguide.co.uk

 

[Eric Gibson]

I think that's a three speed Sturmey Archer hub.

 

[Lobi]

I figured I was a three speed hub, I thought they all were. The lil sturmey archer stick shift is marked "Low" "N" and "High". N must be neutral, can't fathom why you would have or need a neutral.

 

[jukebox]

The lil sturmey archer stick shift is marked "Low" "N" and "High". N must be neutral, can't fathom why you would have or need a neutral.

Maybe the N stands for Normal?

edit: guess confirmed - see https://genetics.mgh.harvard.edu/hanczyc/pdfs/satriggers.pdf

The first bike I remember my dad having had a similar gear lever mounted on the cross bar (referred to as top tube in the above article).

 

[Eric Gibson]

My dad had one the same, I used to ride it.
My own first new bike had a four speed 4W (wide ratio) with the trigger lever.

 

[Lobi]

Maybe the N stands for Normal?

Well, then it isn't a bike for me then.

Don't the three speed hubs say 3 speed on them? This doesn't. It also doesn't have date code on it.

Maybe the N stands for Normal?

edit: guess confirmed - see https://genetics.mgh.harvard.edu/hanczyc/pdfs/satriggers.pdf

The first bike I remember my dad having had a similar gear lever mounted on the cross bar (referred to as top tube in the above article).

Nice. "Normal" didn't even cross my mind. Hard to teach car guys that N stands for anything but neutral.

That pdf calls this shifter a precursor to the SA lever one. This bike doesn't seem that old. Maybe pieced together? Maybe they ran both styles concurrently for a while.

 

[Lloyd]

Manual for overhauling the Sturmey Archer AW hub, should you feel adventurous!

Servicing The Sturmey-Archer AW Wide-Ratio Three Speed Bicycle Hub

Service instructions for Sturmey-Archer bicycle internal gear hubs

www.sheldonbrown.com