On a Sturmey Archer hub, what do the...?

Question

What do the numbers on the right side of the year mean. Example: 55 "4". What does the 4 signify. I have multiple hubs that are different years and different numbers. Some have 16, 7 , and 4. Which is best?

Answer 1

I honestly don't know, but I do know this page has more information than I can decipher without one of these hubs in front of me. Sheldon Brown was a big believer in them and the English 3 speed as the great multipurpose bike.

http://sheldonbrown.com/sturmey-archer.h...