Originally Posted by
Sixty Fiver
I built a non English 3 speed using a Kuwahara mtb touring frame and a Shimano 3 speed hub laced to a Mavic double walled wheel and used a double walled Vuelta wheel up front.
It is 15 pounds lighter than my Raleigh 3 speed and only half a pound heavier than it's twin which is set up as a fixed gear.
I would like do the same using a Raleigh frame and lightweight parts.
My problem is that what I really like about the old three speeds is not the hub, but the frame geometry.
Of course if one has the money I guess one could get a custom frame that matches the old ones that way. But, with a choice of a heavy bike or an extra $1000 or so, it is easy for me to decide which way to go. To me the advantage of your last option is that one can upgrade a piece at a time while still having a bicycle to ride.