Classic & Vintage - English Racer- what did you call 3 speeds in 50's.

Just curious, but what did you guys call Raleigh 3 speeds in the 50's.
The most memorable bike I ever saw was a 3 speed "English Racer." It was about 1955-I was 4 yo-in Philadelphia. An older kid down the block parked his new black 3 speed Raleigh on the sidewalk, and we all gathered around to gawk. Seems odd now, but seeing a multispeed bike with skinny tires was like seeing a fighter jet-F-104 fly over. It was like something from the future-the levers on the handlebars, skinny tires , etc were really exotic back then.
Everyone called those 3 speed Raleighs-English Racers.Funny, they weren't race bikes, but they looked like it to us. I didn't see any 10 speed until maybe 1964-in Sears probably-maybe just in the catalogue.There weren't any other brands of 3 speeds-just the Raleighs, and they were always black-not the green ones I remember from later on.
Just curious-was anyone else struck by them back then.Normal bikes had one coaster brake, and fattish tires-frequently 24" tires, not 26 or 27, and sure as heck not 700c. A lot of grocery,pharmacy delivery was done by guys on small front wheel, normal rear wheel bikes with huge front baskets-they were really common.
Thanks,
Charlie

Oh yeah....loved mine. I had a basket on each side in the back. Was great for books and grocery store runs for mom. Mine was black, but I remember british green and maroon ones later on. None of the fat tire bikes could ever keep up with those 24 inchers. Just called them an English and fat tire bikes were Americans.
D

Well, I wasn't born yet in the 50s, so I can't address the original question, but in the 60s, I do remember when my brother bought the first drop-handlebar bike in the neighborhood, a blue Schwinn Varsity, that we always referred to as an "English racer" (what did we know of manufacturing locations, anyway? We were kids in New Jersey after all).

Neal

I'm looking at my old, ancient, black Raleigh "English Racer" right as I type this, and love every inch of it.

My dad still calls his 1976 Murray a "English Racer". Super slack geometry, welds look like an animal did them, and extremely heavy. I still cannot convince him that it is not a racer. ;)

A guy on our street had an "English racer" when I was a kid. I remember my mom and dad were kind of awed by the bike because it was an "English racer." :D This was during the mid to late '60's, most of us were riding banana seat variants by then-

I was about 10 when my neighbor showed up with a black Raleigh with white trim. We called it an English Racer. Eventually there were two in the neighborhood, both 3 speeds, no 10 speeds. They were by far the fastest bikes around. That Raleigh had quite an influence on me. When I finally purchased a new bike as an adult, there was only one choice for me, a Raleigh.

I'm looking at my old, ancient, black Raleigh "English Racer" right as I type this, and love every inch of it.
Could you post a photo of it? I've been wracking my brain for several months trying to remember who made my "English Racer". I can see it in my mind, a black 3 speed with upright handlebars and "hand brakes".

No Idea what happened to it. I remember the first time I really opened it up, got down to the bottom of the hill and when it came time to slow down I got on the front brake too hard and the back tire came about a foot off the ground. Quick reflexes to get off the brake was the only thing that kept me from flipping it. No idea what happened to it (I said that already). The next thing I remember is riding a Schwinn Stingray single speed. Ah the memories...

Circa 1960, many Americans, including my mother, referred to lighter-weight English 3-speeds with Northroad bars and 26" wheels as "English racers." When I rode a balloon-tired Schwinn middleweight, I thought the term was appropriate, but I changed my mind when I got my first Bianchi road bike at the end of 1962.

The criteria as I remember it was straight frame tubes; if it had 'em, it was an English racer. I grew up in a little town in Michigan, and the only 'English racers' I ever saw growing up were Schwinn Racers -- had to drive all the way to Flint to get to a Raleigh dealer. I remember being struck by the fact that Raleighs looked like a person built them; Schwinns looked like they were belched in great numbers out of a machine.

I haven't heard them called that in decades, and it brings back a flood of memories.

For a while I had the slickest bike in my little town. A single speed like all the others, but it was a Sears, made in Austria (probably by Puch). About 10 lbs lighter and geared lower than all my friend's bikes. Then the town doctor's kid got an English Racer.

50 years later I can still remember when I first saw it. Hot summer day and a bunch of the guys in the shady area next to Big Stan's Tavern, crowded around and talking excitedly.

Candy Apple Red and all kinds of shiny chrome bits our bikes didn't have and we didn't understand. Good thing his dad had money, because when it needed service, they had to take it to the city, to get it worked on at a bike shop. We made fun of his "sissy bike" to hide our envy. A big screwdriver and a couple of adjustable wrenches was all we needed to keep our manly steeds running. (It's a good thing the local pump jockey showed us the right way to patch inner tubes, as we actually believed a screwdriver was the proper tool for changing tires.)

A couple of years later we were still riding our single speeds and Mike his English Racer, when we decided to try riding out to a farm 25 miles away on the 4th of July. The farm belonged to one guy's drunken uncle, who let a bunch of 12 & 13 year old strangers sit at his kitchen table and blast away at crows in his trees, through an open window.

On the way back I got very envious of the way Mike still got up the hills OK, after the rest of us were totally used up and walking the steep ones. I vowed then and there that as soon as I was old enough, I'd get a job and my own English Racer.

Well I eventually got one, a Hawthorne I think. Then one night, I gave a pretty girl a ride home from a party, sitting on it's rear rack. Last summer I taught our great-grandson to ride a bike.

BTW That shady spot next to Big Stan's was also where I saw my first derailleur bike, a few years later. Some wiry lookin' guy passing through, on his way across the US. To us, an unbelievable feat.

BTW That shady spot next to Big Stan's was also where I saw my first derailleur bike, a few years later. Some wiry lookin' guy passing through, on his way across the US. To us, an unbelievable feat.

Awesome. That would seem pretty incredible as a kid, wouldn't it? As a kid I thought riding my bike to my dads work (about 15 miles) was quite an accomplishment.

Just curious, but what did you guys call Raleigh 3 speeds in the 50's.

English Racers of course. Only one kid in the neighborhood had one, Amy Shoemaker. But 3 gears!

Compared to all the single speed Schwinns that everyone else but me had, it was like a godlike speed machine. I had the odd bike in town, a Fleetwing, with gearing a tooth lower than the Schwinns. I really had to spin to keep up with anyone.

Just curious, but what did you guys call Raleigh 3 speeds in the 50's.
English racers.

We called the fat tired bikes "balloon tire bikes". I had one of those bikes with the little front wheels and a huge basket (plywood box actually). I used it to deliver newspapers.

Later I had a used and beat up "english racer", but I don't recall the brand for sure but think it was a Raleigh. It was black originally, but at some point it was painted day glo orange!

I do remember my dad's black, shiney, 3 speed, english racer. It was a Royce Union and had full fenders. I remember that he kept it immaculate. I am not sure what year he bought it or what eventually happened to it.

For those who are interested, there is a lot of discussion of old Raleighs, including the 3-speeds, on an interesting web site called www.retroraleighs.com.

Actually, the bike I ride is a 1980 Raleigh Super Record, which is a Retro Raleigh in its own right.

About 12 or so years ago I found another brand of "English Racer" 3-speed at a garage sale, and got it nicely running and cleaned up, for my wife's use (it was a womens' frame version). But we got rid of it again when we moved, so all I remember about the brand was that it began with a D. Not Dunlop, but something similar-sounding. It might have been Dunham, or perhaps Durham. It was basically identical to the classic Raleigh 3-speed, though: Sturmey-Archer hub and 3-speed shifter, a nice wide, padded leather seat with two coil springs, fenders (with contrasting white fender ends, and that cool-looking chrome bead on the point of the front fender), etc. But this one was painted in a metallic royal blue, rather than classic black. It was a dumb move on our part to have gotten rid of it.

For those who are interested, there is a lot of discussion of old Raleighs, including the 3-speeds, on an interesting web site called www.retroraleighs.com.

Actually, the bike I ride is a 1980 Raleigh Super Record, which is a Retro Raleigh in its own right.

About 12 or so years ago I found another brand of "English Racer" 3-speed at a garage sale, and got it nicely running and cleaned up, for my wife's use (it was a womens' frame version). But we got rid of it again when we moved, so all I remember about the brand was that it began with a D. Not Dunlop, but something similar-sounding. It might have been Dunham, or perhaps Durham. It was basically identical to the classic Raleigh 3-speed, though: Sturmey-Archer hub and 3-speed shifter, a nice wide, padded leather seat with two coil springs, fenders (with contrasting white fender ends, and that cool-looking chrome bead on the point of the front fender), etc. But this one was painted in a metallic royal blue, rather than classic black. It was a dumb move on our part to have gotten rid of it.

I bet it was a Dunelt. I won't chastise you too much for getting rid of it...I have had more pass thru my hands than I care to remember:o

Aaron:)

I grew up in a Jersey suburb of Philly. In the 60's we called anything with drop bars an "English Racer." I don't think we had a special term for 3-speed Raleighs.

Well, the English just called them bicycles...

Wow, memory can play tricks on you. The shiny black English Racer might have been a Royce Union.For some reason that rings a big bell. Raleighs became much more common, so I wonder if my memory was tricked over the years. Odd, that bike is my 1st real memory of a mechanical device(I was just 3-4),and the darn thing was so striking-I think it had a pump on it, and one of those tiny bags hanging on/behind the saddle.
Paperboys-how can I have forgotten about them-saw one of them everyday on one of those big basket, small front wheel bikes.The were really a form follows function machine.
I sure an happy to see those English Racers were as striking to everyone else as they were to me-like a B-58.
Thanks,
Charlie

English racers.

We called the fat tired bikes "balloon tire bikes". I had one of those bikes with the little front wheels and a huge basket (plywood box actually). I used it to deliver newspapers.

Later I had a used and beat up "english racer", but I don't recall the brand for sure but think it was a Raleigh. It was black originally, but at some point it was painted day glo orange!

I do remember my dad's black, shiney, 3 speed, english racer. It was a Royce Union and had full fenders. I remember that he kept it immaculate. I am not sure what year he bought it or what eventually happened to it.

We always called them Dad's bike:p My dad had a tall frame black Raleigh Sports that he commuted on. At that time he was a college professor in Marshal, MO. That bike was around for quite a few years and IIRC my brother made a club racer out of it, then it was stolen shortly after that, sometime in the 80's. I have always had a few 3 speeds around but never really appreciated them until the 80's and just now started re-accumulating a few for my retirement years ;)

Aaron:)

Circa 1960, many Americans, including my mother, referred to lighter-weight English 3-speeds with Northroad bars and 26" wheels as "English racers." When I rode a balloon-tired Schwinn middleweight, I thought the term was appropriate, but I changed my mind when I got my first Bianchi road bike at the end of 1962.

This is how I remember it too.
1965 was the first time I rode a real bike. It was what
my whole family called the "English Racer". It had skinny tires,
fenders and the SA 3sp click changer on the bars. I remember my
Mom and Sister telling me to get on it and holding me up because
my feet couldnt touch the ground...after walking me on it they let me go...
I freaked out but didnt fall :eek: I have always called those type of
Raliegh Sport/Superbe type bikes 'English Racers' even though it is technically
incorrect.

Just curious, but what did you guys call Raleigh 3 speeds in the 50's.
The most memorable bike I ever saw was a 3 speed "English Racer." It was about 1955-I was 4 yo-in Philadelphia...
Just curious-was anyone else struck by them back then.Normal bikes had one coaster brake, and fattish tires-frequently 24" tires, not 26 or 27, and sure as heck not 700c. A lot of grocery,pharmacy delivery was done by guys on small front wheel, normal rear wheel bikes with huge front baskets-they were really common.

I had an English Racer in Philadelphia as a young teenager way back then after having the usual single speed ballon tired coasters. Beats me what the brand was or the size of the wheels. But any and all non balloon tired thin tired 3 speeds were called English Racers. Then I turned 16 (in 1963) and didn't get on a bike again for 7 years.

I don't think I ever saw a 10 speed till I got out of the Army in 1970. I bought my first Raleigh Sports 3 speed with coaster in 1972. My daughter left it Freiburg Germany in 2002. May not have been a "racer" by today's standard; it was better than that for me.

I had an English Racer in Philadelphia as a young teenager way back then after having the usual single speed ballon tired coasters. Beats me what the brand was or the size of the wheels. But any and all non balloon tired thin tired 3 speeds were called English Racers. Then I turned 16 (in 1963) and didn't get on a bike again for 7 years.

I don't think I ever saw a 10 speed till I got out of the Army in 1970. I bought my first Raleigh Sports 3 speed with coaster in 1972. My daughter left it Freiburg Germany in 2002. May not have been a "racer" by today's standard; it was better than that for me.

The more I reflect, the more uncertain I am about the actual make-I always remembered it as a Raleigh, but when Royce Union was mentioned by another member, that sure rang a bell. Raleighs became much, much more common than Royce Unions, so I might very well have modified my memory.
Still, it didn't change my impression of that black bike. I lived in Philly from 1954-1956-age 3-5-roughly the age when you really fix stuff in your mind. The bike was like a SPACESHIP landing. All the kids, and adults gathered around and stared-drooled; I seemed to remember being warned to look but not touch.
It was even more dramatic than when-years later living-a local tough-brought home a Honda Dream(300or was it 305?).
Funny, in later years I came to look down on those heavy framed Brit 3 speeds. I had to revise my opinion of them after Katrina. A buddy of mine took 6 feet of water for 23 days.His wife had a 3 speed Raleigh(1979 or so) with kinda pretty brown metal flake paint(sounds like a horrible color, but it was actually nice). It sat in the water for 23 days. It then was tossed in the side yard-filthy,silty-for 6 months waiting to be hauled off with the rest of the junk. Well,I was over there, and he offered it to me. I didn't have the heart to leave it there, so I tossed it in the truck. I brought it home, hosed it off, sprayed so WD40 on it, pumped up the 25 year old tires, and off I went. THE DARNED THING WORKED-EVERYTHING WORKED-IT SHIFTED JUST FINE, AND EVEN THE BRAKE CABLES WORKED. Now, the brakes didn't work great, but they worked about as well as they did when new.
I had to revise my opinion of the Brits-they obviously new how to make a darned nearly indestructible bike. I guess I shouldn't have been so surprised; GB is about as wet as New Orleans.
Thanks for the memories guys.
Charlie

havent thought English Racer in a whole buch of years. When I was 6 or 7 the bully up the steet got one from his big brother program guy, I slash his tires. "I'm not like that any more"

My friends and I all rode one speed American bikes, and the Schwinn was the "Mercedes" of the neighborhood.

I sometimes saw some doctor's son or lawyer's daughter riding a three speed Raleigh...we called them "English Racers". Having such a fancy and expensive bike seemed about as unlikely as living in one of those big houses where those bikes were parked.

Although Schwinn sold hundreds of thousands of ten-speed Varsity and Continental bikes in the 1960's, I don't remember ever seeing one on the road when I was a teen-ager. The three-speed had the "elite" market all to itself in that decaying old midwestern town.

Although Schwinn sold hundreds of thousands of ten-speed Varsity and Continental bikes in the 1960's, I don't remember ever seeing one on the road when I was a teen-ager. The three-speed had the "elite" market all to itself in that decaying old midwestern town.
I wonder where Schwinn sold those 10 speeds in the 60's? I never saw one in Philadelphia till the 70's.

I wasn't around in the 50s but my father, a WWII vet, referred to 3 speeds as "English Racers." in the 70s when he bought a Huffy 3 speed for himself.

Sheldon Brown seems to really not like that term but he does say it's the WWII vets who coined it, referring to the strange and, relatively fast, bikes they saw in England.

My father served in the Pacific though......


:beer:

I wonder where Schwinn sold those 10 speeds in the 60's? I never saw one in Philadelphia till the 70's.

They must have all gone to Southern California. They were eveywhere.

Just curious, but what did you guys call Raleigh 3 speeds in the 50's.I was still a fetus in the '50s, so I don't really remember them. I don't recall them much in the '60s either and I know that when I wanted a 10-speed (after hanging up my Sting-Ray) in the early '70s, that they were still called "English Racers" or just plain "Three-Speeds" and were very un-cool. Sure enough, when it came time to visit the bike shop, we skipped the Schwinn shop and went to the local discount store and that is what Dad bought for me and my brother. Not nice Raleighs or their lesser sub-brands, but Brionis -- Italian named, Taiwanese pieces 'o crap. Fortunately I was only forced to ride this dark green, foil decaled, fender rattling monster for a little over a year before Dad redeemed himself by buying us beautiful Opaque Blue Schwinn Super Sport 10-speeds. :D

I didn't get near another "English Racer" until I pickup up a rod-braked Raleigh Roadster (which is really a bit of a different animal) a fews years back and was so enamored with the look and the ride that I've had several upright, 26" wheeled, 3-speeds of various brands since then.

I found a pair of almost perfect Brioni three-speeds at a garage sale a year or so ago for $20. Just like the ones we used to have. Heck -- they may have even been the same ones for all I know. I thought about buying them for an instant and then walked away quickly ... :mad:

Although Schwinn sold hundreds of thousands of ten-speed Varsity and Continental bikes in the 1960's, I don't remember ever seeing one on the road when I was a teen-ager.The first 10-speed I remember (and what made me want to give up my Sting-Ray and go straight to the 10-speed) was a '67 Coppertone Schwinn Continental that belonged to the sister of a friend (it was a boy's model). He rode it over one day and we all took turns riding it. I remember the rat-trap pedals (I was barefoot) and immediately putting it into 10th gear and trying to keep it balanced (it was way too big) as I got it up to speed. But what speed! I was hooked ...

BTW, If anyone has a nice example of this model gathering dust in their shed ... (the second letter of the serial number on the left rear dropout will be a 'C') ... :D

I bet it was a Dunelt. I won't chastise you too much for getting rid of it...I have had more pass thru my hands than I care to remember:o

Aaron:)
Oh man are you bringing back memories, Big Time. In 72, I was out of college, making respectable $$$ when I met a young lady at the Jersey shore (beach to everyone else). She was real pretty and in to cycling. She owned one of those three speed Dunelt's. I remember vividly because I wanted to ride with her, but I didn't own a bike. We solved that by visiting a couple of bike shops where I picked up my first bike as an adult, a Raleigh Record 10 speed. I wonder what ever happened to her. I also wonder what ever happened to that Dunelt.

I had a 3-speed in the late 1940s and we all just called it a 3-speed bike. Never an "English racer."

Just curious-was anyone else struck by them back then.Normal bikes had one coaster brake, and fattish tires-frequently 24" tires, not 26 or 27, and sure as heck not 700c. A lot of grocery,pharmacy delivery was done by guys on small front wheel, normal rear wheel bikes with huge front baskets-they were really common.
Thanks,
Charlie

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g160/dj_flx/1950natta_porteur.jpg

Like that?

I found that by coincidence tonight here: http://www.messengers.org/resources/history/cargo.html

In the early sixties, my brother had a so-called "English Racer", a black one that I believe was badged "Royal", though I was very young at the time. I do remember my parents complaining that the bike was nothing but trouble, and years later had to overcome thier prejudices toward English bikes when I wanted a Raleigh Grand Prix as opposed to the Schwinn Varsity that they thought I should have.

In hindsight, the problem wasn't the English 3 speed, but rather a brother with NO mechanical aptitude whatsoever. If that had been my bike, it would have always been maintained and adjusted.

That bike frustrated my brother and parents to the point that he sold it and got a coaster brake Huffy-made Western Flyer that wasn't capable of causing much mechanical trouble. The perfect bike for him!

I still have the bike I purchased from a friend in 1960. At that time it cost about $120. It is a three speed. It was actually made in England and could be purchased only in Bike shops. I rode it all over Chicago. I am wondering if it has any value to anyone. It has hung in a garage for a long time so needs some work and cleaning. Any information

Let's have a couple of pictures so I can see what you're talking about.

$120 in 1960 was a huge price for a bike. The best Italy, France and England in the way of multi-gear bikes could be had for around that amount! So that 3sp must be something!

According to the US Government $120 in 1960 equals $891.75 in 2008.

That would make for quite a nice 3 speed, indeed.


http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl

Wow, memory can play tricks on you. The shiny black English Racer might have been a Royce Union.
Mine was a bright red 1958 or 59 Royce Union 3 speed and we all called them English racers..so fast compared to most bikes of the time..I put a 2 transistor AM radio on mine (sent off for it using the advertisement in a comic book), I have been searching for a 19 or 20 inch red Royce Union but they must be very hard to find..I think Royce Union was like a hardware store brand...

Here's a Royce Union in the size you describe.

http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=9801

Here's a Royce Union in the size you describe.

http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=9801

Thanks K of K,
There is hope for me yet!
Wow, made in Holland maybe not hardware store after all..:thumb:

I did not arrive until the 60's but think that this is what people have in mind... this is my '55 Raleigh Lenton Reg Harris Road Model which is a fixed gear but it could have also been ordered as a three speed for a few more pounds.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/regnewbars1.jpg
Those are the stock levers...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/regnewbars2.jpg
Leather bar wrap seemed appropriate...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/regnew1.jpg
It is a very fast (and comfortable) bike despite it's relatively high curb weight.

I have a 1954 Raleigh Sports 3 speed road bike in the works which is also green but not quite as nice as the 531 framed Lenton.

Raleigh did not adopt the use of 27 inch wheels until 57 and before that ran 26 inch wheels which are still amazingly fast... both my Raleighs run 1.125 Dunlop tyres although the '54 is getting converted to run on 700c as they fit well in the frame and with the existing brakes.

"English Racer" is a revealing term.

Between probably 1935 and 1960 or so the premier popular American bicycles were the old balloon tire machines. They had a coaster brake and only one speed. Often the gear ratio they were set up for was abysmal for riding uphill. They often weighed in the neiborhood or 40 lbs or more, without accessories. The tires were usually soft and fat, creating a cushy but slow ride. They took turns like oil tankers too- they had geometry as slack as you will find on two wheels. They were often regarded as "toys" for children and teenagers. There are a few exceptions to this, like the Schwinn lightweight Paramount and World bicycles, but they didn't sell terribly well compared to the popular heavy weights. The guys who fought during the war would have been at just the right age back in the 1930s to have been balloon tire riders. The bikes of that era were heavy with a capital H.

Now with these heavy machines being the norm, an English 3 speed looks absolutely exotic.

The English also knew about slack frame angles...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/Nevilleside.jpg

Funny the difference a few years make. I wasn't a gleam in dad's eye yet in the 50's but in the 60's I remember older people calling any drop bar bike an "English Racer" until the term "10-speed" took over among my generation. I never heard of that term used to refer to 3-speed Raleighs and the like until just recently on these forums. We just called them 3-speed bikes. I didn't know any kids that owned one, just adults. Kids had Stingray style bikes or 10-speeds. A few kids still had one speed ballon tire bikes but not many by then. I remember Mr. Richard and his wife, the neighbors across the street, riding those Raleigh 3-speed bikes. He was the nerdiest looking guy riding around with his burmuda shorts and tall black socks and hush puppies but as I think back on it, he and his wife were almost the only adults I ever remember seeing on bicycles.

One thing I always find strange now is how elitest we've become as a group - I remember back then that just having any European bike was way cool stuff even if it was just a Peugeot UO8. So much cooler than any department store bike or even a Schwinn. I spent "big money" (for the time and my age then - $175 in 1974) for an Italian "racing" bike. Now people all too often call those bikes gas pipe junk.

At one time, English road bikes were routinely equipped with three internal gear hubs... when derailer gears replaced them 3 speeds became the domain of cruiser type bicycles.

My Lenton sold for 14.5 pounds in 1955 as a fixed gear.. with a 3 speed it sold for nealry 17 which was a goodly sum of money.

The English also knew about slack frame angles...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/Nevilleside.jpg


They did, but the rod brake roadster bikes were not embraced in the post war US the way the Sports machines were. I prefer my DL-1 to my Sports, but even the DL-1 frame angles are not as slack as my ballooner angles are. The roadster would fall into a more "middle weight" category between the Sports and the ballooners.

I like the way the DL-1s handle more than the Sports or even the Clubmen. I guess you get used to what you rode when you were younger-- I had a JC Higgins middle weight and a Schwinn pre war ballooner, so the DL-1 didn't feel so "slack" to me. But I do feel a definite difference between that and the Sports. Hell, the DL-1 felt "lively" compared to the Schwinn Henderson.

When I was 11 (in 1957) at school in the Northamptonshire countryside (UK I'm talking) and a long way from home, I got £10 to buy me a bike.
Most of the other kids had bikes, but not me.
I got taken down to the LBA in Towcester and had to choose what I wanted.
Loads of drop-barred bikes hanging up around the shop, and I virtually had the choice of any second hand bike there.
But I chose a Raleigh 3 speed, probably a Superbe looking back.
With chain-case and Dynohub/DBU etc.
Dark green and shiny chrome.
I loved it and used to do all the mad things that kids do today on BMX and MTBs. Wheelies, (well almost:)) skidding and generally being a fool.
Came off it loads of times but it was so much fun.

My best friend, whose parents were less able to indulge his fantasies than mine, had an ex WW2 BSA parachutists folding bike.
You see them today fetching silly prices on ebay.
A lot more than the equivalent Superbes of the day.

Memory Lane this thread is:)

When I was 11 (in 1957) at school in the Northamptonshire countryside (UK I'm talking) and a long way from home, I got £10 to buy me a bike.
Most of the other kids had bikes, but not me.
I got taken down to the LBA in Towcester and had to choose what I wanted.
Loads of drop-barred bikes hanging up around the shop, and I virtually had the choice of any second hand bike there.
But I chose a Raleigh 3 speed, probably a Superbe looking back.
With chain-case and Dynohub/DBU etc.
Dark green and shiny chrome.
I loved it and used to do all the mad things that kids do today on BMX and MTBs. Wheelies, (well almost:)) skidding and generally being a fool.
Came off it loads of times but it was so much fun.

My best friend, whose parents were less able to indulge his fantasies than mine, had an ex WW2 BSA parachutists folding bike.
You see them today fetching silly prices on ebay.
A lot more than the equivalent Superbes of the day.

Memory Lane this thread is:)

Of all the elements of the Superbe that were offered above the normal Sports, I think the Dynohub and light set were (still are) my favorites. No batteries, no problem!

When i was a kid. in montana..ie 60's/70's English racer meant triangle frame, 3 spd, hand brakes.....your basic Raliegh (or a columbia like I got in junior high).... my time line on bikes was

first grade, 1962 or so 24 inch big baloon tire girl's bike (the horror) that my dad found and compeltely rebuilt....what he could afford

Second grade, 1963 - 26 inch Bright Red metal flake Coast to Coast bike medium tires - lusted after a 'real schwinn" but they were expensive

Junior High, 1968/70 the first 10 speeds (thats all we called them..10 speeds) showed up at Coast to Coast..I got an English Race...Columbia 3 speed, shimano gears

Sophomore 1972 - First 10 speed..... Azuki lasted many years including 2 years on a coast guard ship and riding in NYC

1982 - Nishki - used to commute for first 6 months in California without car, and lots of riding since

1989 Nice bike Miyata 1400 - still have just rebuilt to ultegra 9 spd

2007 Nishiki reborn as a Japanese 8 speed.....looking very much like an 'english 3 speed), brooks, fenders, and nitto priest bars.... the cycle continues but the "english 3 spd" vision lives on