The Sturmey Archer Hub came to my rescue when I rode my first century. My tricycle was a single-speed when I bought it; and I didn’t add the three-speed hub until about a month before the big ride.

For several months, I had worked towards century day. I got tired of fighting the wind during long rides; and it finally dawned on me that I needed some kind of assistance. Part of me resisted (pride); but the other part said, come on — you need this! Let’s be practical!

I’m sure I couldn’t have made it through those 100 miles without the Sturmey Archer. The wind was nasty that day; and seemed to be against me most of the time. With the hub, I could spin in a lower gear when I got tired of fighting the wind; and the rare times when I had a tailwind, the high gear actually let me get up some speed.

I look back now, and wonder how I ever managed that ride. That trike probably weighed around 50-55 pounds; and its width meant it put up a lot of wind resistance. I’ve been spoiled by the much-lighter road bike; and I think I’ve gotten lazy, too. I don’t have to work as hard to ride 10-12 mph; and so I don’t!

If your adult trike is a one-speed, the Sturmey Archer Hub is worth considering if you do a lot of riding. As I said, it saved the day when I did my first century. The low gear is handy for both headwinds and inclines. On one ride (not the century), when I got a stiff tailwind, I was blasting along at 15 mph! That hub was worth it.