atom hub with threads on the non drive side??

[The Ken]

I have an old atom hub on my claude butler.
Can anyone tell me about the brand?
The hub is strange in that it has a set of threads on the non drive side - what are they for?

thanks in advance

 

[Iwasgoodonce]

Don't know. Could hazard a guess that if it is VERY old, a rider could have a larger sprocket that he could use by flipping the wheel around at the bottom of the climb? Long winded, but when there was no support allowed in racing?

 

[john]

could be for different gearing. one side could be fixed and the other have a freewheel.

 

[The Ken]

I reckon it is 80's, never thought of optional gearing or even one side fixed. Probably right - I'll try and get a pic during the week.

I thought I'd get a definate answer within minutes as my road knowledge is almost zero. I thought it might be for a disc brake or some tandem related device, although it doesn't look heavy duty enough for tandem use.

 

[Cab]

a set of threads

is it one thread or two? if the outer section is smaller diameter & threaded anti-clockwise, that's so you can run a fixed gear, the lock ring threads on the opposite direction to keep it tight. Many riders used to to train or commute fixed & save the gears for competition. Try fixed, it's only going to cost you a cog & lock ring; great fun!

 

[Skully]

Fixed threads

That is almost certainly what the threads on the NDS are, it's a multipurpose hub. I have the exact same arrangement on a 5sp wheel from a '61 claud butler. BITD you could ride geared bike to your fixed TT, turn the wheel around, compete, then ride home a again with gears. This is quite commonly seen on vintage hubs.

I walked into a famous east london HHSB DayGlo Fixie' shop a little while ago whislt using the fixed side, with the old 5sp freewheel still on the there, and the proprieter looked very confused. Bless