Utility Cycling - Bring back the English 3-speed

Funny, that is completely different from my experience. I commuted on a Raleigh for years. I put on at least 6,000 miles per year on that bike for about five years. The Sturmey Archer hub required very little maintanance other than oil. IF the shifter cable tension got out of whack like when I changed a tire, then yes, it was a pain in the ash, but once it was dialed back in, it remained faithful and reliable.

I still marvel at the efficiency of those old steel machines. It was not uncommon to average 19 to 22 mph on longer trips and even around 16 to 18 mph in the city when commuting. That is not much less than the averages I get on my modern road bike. All the while, your body is in a comfortable cruising position.

Many great bicycle touring trips have been done by millions of folks on English 3-speed bicycles in addition to the daily transportation provided for a generation that was less dependant on motor vehicle transportation than we are today.

Agreed. I did thousands of miles on my Raleigh 3 speed. Including touring with panniers and tents. We'd pop a little bigger rear sprocket on the back and a few extra chain links and have a lower geared set up and spin like crazy down hill. Given the current love affair with FG and SS bikes we had three times the choices of gearing.

And the 28" Raleigh 3 speed I'm rebuilding. I loved riding it in Florida and have to admit to getting a real charge out of rolling by cyclists on their Ti and Carbon Fiber frames decked out in their lycra finest as I pumped away on Rt. 1A on this big old bike with bermuda shorts and a t-shirt. Nothing slow about that bike in the right conditions.

I suppose the issue differs from place to place. Where I live, the classic utility bike would be nasty to get around on. Way too hilly where I live. So I get around via road bike.

And I'm the odd man out when it comes to bike commuting. There are a lot of weekend warriors in my neck of the woods, but not too many road bike commuters.

BUT, there are a ton of Latin American immigrants who get around by bike or a combo of bike and bus where I live. Their bike of choice? The cheesy, discount store mountain bikes, which seem to take a pretty good deal of abuse seeing as how they're daily transportation for these folks.

PS: I forgot to mention that back in the 70s, when I was growing up in Ohio, my dad commuted by a good ole Raleigh with an S.A. three speed hub, and I'm in the middle of rebuilding a Schwinn stardust for my daughters that has an S.A. three speed. God lub 'em!

+1

I got it back it had been wrecked, the fork replaced and the offside crank arm, the oil cap was missing off the rear hub and it was making a grinding sound. I stuck in the shed until a couple of months ago, put a new oil cap on it, added a couple good squirts of oil readjusted the cable and rode it 3 miles, it shifts just fine and still rides just like it used to. I don't know of too many other bike that you can do that with.
Aaron:)

Nice rescue. Sounds like the bike suffered from inconsiderate abuse. That is a shame.

Do the bike a favor and at least rinse the hub in solvent to get any grit out. You semi-disassemble the hub and that will be good enough. Just take off the hub cover. Be careful with the spring that is just inside the cover - don't lose it and make a note of how it goes back.

Thoroughly rinse the inside of the hub from both sides. Use a petrolium based solvent that will evaporate easily and cut the crud. Gasoline would work, but it is dangerously explosive. Paint thinner and kerosine would work OK too. You should be able to flush out some grit.

Let the hub dry completely so that all the solvent is gone. Wipe some new grease on the bearings and re-assemble. Then, of course, add oil through the oil hole in the hub. Phil Woods makes a nice oil for this purpose.

Thanks for keeping the old British racer alive.

BUT, there are a ton of Latin American immigrants who get around by bike or a combo of bike and bus where I live. Their bike of choice? The cheesy, discount store mountain bikes, which seem to take a pretty good deal of abuse seeing as how they're daily transportation for these folks.


That is cool. I admire the immigrants for bicycle commuting, although most of them bicycle because they don't have automobiles - same as any red blooded American.

I worked at a factory that had a lot of immigrant labor. Many of them bicycled to work. I was the only executive that bicycle commuted and they got a kick out of seeing me park my bike next to theirs on the bicycle rack while my assigned parking spot near the building entrance was left empty. I would peel the gaitors off my legs, take off the balaclava from my melon, turn into office superman, and walk to the office.

I would keep my eyes on the bikes on the racks and give parts to the guys that needed them. I have a huge parts supply from my years of collecting bikes, so I have plenty of parts to keep their old machines working. I alway got a kick out of giving a guy a new saddle. Nothing brought more appreciation than replacing a torn up old saddle with a plush new springer saddle. I would also give reflectors, brake pads, handle grips or whatever else I noticed where I could help out.

I also gave bicycles to immigrants so they could commute to work. I gave a husband-wife pair of Raleigh 3-speeds to... you guessed it a husband and wife immigrant couple. They used the bikes to go everywhere together until, sadly, someone stole the man's bike while they were picnicking at a park.

That is cool. I admire the immigrants for bicycle commuting, although most of them bicycle because they don't have automobiles - same as any red blooded American...
I would keep my eyes on the bikes on the racks and give parts to the guys that needed them. I have a huge parts supply from my years of collecting bikes, so I have plenty of parts to keep their old machines working. I alway got a kick out of giving a guy a new saddle. Nothing brought more appreciation than replacing a torn up old saddle with a plush new springer saddle. I would also give reflectors, brake pads, handle grips or whatever else I noticed where I could help out.

I also gave bicycles to immigrants so they could commute to work. I gave a husband-wife pair of Raleigh 3-speeds to... you guessed it a husband and wife immigrant couple. They used the bikes to go everywhere together until, sadly, someone stole the man's bike while they were picnicking at a park.
I admire your helping out some REAL Real Cyclists. Keep up the good work.

BTW, I assume none of your biking coworkers moan or groan about not being able to put out 400 watts at all times when commuting.:)

This has been posted before so please forgive the redundancy, but this
comes pretty close except for the corner cutting exposed drive train.
At about 180.00 it seems like a good deal.

www.pakebikes.com

Now there is something in the right price range for 'normal' folks of modest means who don't want to spend a month's pay for a bicycle.

Mike,
The whole bike is scheduled for a tear down and overhaul this year. Cudak888 and I have been trying to pin down the exact model of it. It is a bit of an anomaly it is definitely a early 70's vintage Sports, but it came with Endrick rims. I think it maybe a Sports Standard vs a Sports Deluxe. The AW hub has no date stamp on it. (need to check the front one) I have ordered a new left crank arm for it. I am looking for a replacement fork. My brother was definitely the one that wrecked it, but I think his roomate was the one that ran it without the oil cap:rolleyes: But it is back home to stay:D I am torn between a full restoration vs a clean it up and keep it as a shaggy dog. I have very nice Superbe (courtesy of a fellow board member:D) that I use for my weekend cruising. I just wish I still had some of the ones I have had in the past, like a Phillips and a Popular Special, and my dad's 63 Sports. I have other bikes (some even have derailleurs :eek: ) that I do ride on occasion but my first love will always be the internalled geared English 3 speeds. I guess there must be some truth to the saying that "there'll always be an England":p

Aaron:)

I know this doesn't pertain to English 3 speeds, but since I owned a Indian Chief 3 speed many years ago, I would like to know if anyone has some info or know of a website that has info about this bike. I'm just doing some remeniscing.

I admire your helping out some REAL Real Cyclists. Keep up the good work.

BTW, I assume none of your biking coworkers moan or groan about not being able to put out 400 watts at all times when commuting.:)

You are correct, no mention at all about wattage from our imported bicycle commuting brothers. Getting from point A to point B is the main concern. If they can do it with a little more comfort by having a grandma sponge saddle with springs, all the better. You know, I remember once when it rained, I grabbed a bunch of plastic bags from the drawer and ran out and covered all the bicycle saddles. I knew that the guys working in the factory had no chance to get out to cover their bikes and would have to ride home with wet fannies, so I covered their saddles for them. I wasn't there when they came out, but they probably wondered what stranger had thought of them during the day and I bet they felt warm and fuzzy about it for the ride home. Maybe things seemed just a little brighter for them that afternoon.

After work on Fridays, I would see some of them go next door to the Cantina, buy a couple of 20 ounce Cervesa, hold on to the brown bag and start the journey homeward. I would see that and say to myself, "I gotta get that guy a bike basket so he can carry more beer..."

Why hasn't anyone mentioned the Bianchi Milano with an 8 spd internal hub? Rode it last year and thought it made a nice commuter option. Kind of pricey, but a decent alternative.

Why hasn't anyone mentioned the Bianchi Milano with an 8 spd internal hub? Rode it last year and thought it made a nice commuter option. Kind of pricey, but a decent alternative.

Most likely because of the cost. Unless you can build one yourself or bring one back to the states after living in Germany like ILTB did, bikes that are equipped with 7-8 speed hubs tend to be expensive. Now, I bought a Breezer and I'm glad I did. It was pricey, but I have not developed much in the way of mechanical skills yet, and it has had very few problems for the mileage I've put on it since April. I plunked down a big chunk of change at once and I'm seeing the savings throughout the year. If you're living paycheck-to-paycheck, that's not going to be possible.

The Chicago Schwinn 3-speeds are all over the place where I live. They really seem to stand the test of time, and are generally less expensive than the vintage Raleighs I see for sale.

You are correct, no mention at all about wattage from our imported bicycle commuting brothers. Getting from point A to point B is the main concern. If they can do it with a little more comfort by having a grandma sponge saddle with springs, all the better.
What a concept! Who wudda thunk it?

Again Mike, You are doing the right thing by your co-workers/biking colleagues.

I have a Schwinn World Tourist from the early 80's that my mother had when I was a child. I swapped the "sit-up-and-beg" bars for a pair of drops, mounted the shifter like a bar-con, swapped the platforms for clipless, and moved the basket from the bars to the rack. With a drivetrain I don't have to worry about, fenders & chain gaurd, and the ability to carry stuff, it is the perfect nasty weather commuter for me. I can't think of a better fit.

I think the idea of a bike with fenders, an internally geared hub and a chain gaurd has certainly gone out of vouge. Fashion is a fickle thing. I still wear inch thick wool sweaters though.

-Rob.

I've not ridden one, but Electra's Amsterdam seems like a decent modern version of this type of bike. Steel frame and fork equipped with a generator for lights, a rack, a bell, internally geared with a coaster brake and a chain and skirt guard. They are $550, but now that the minimum wage bill just passed that's less than half a month's wages for minimum wage workers.

I've never really looked at this type of bike because I always thought they would be really slow. This thread has piqued my interested though.

I like to take older '70s road bikes and "3-speed" them. I think they are better than the original 3-speeds since I use more modern parts and better brakes. Lighter aluminum stuff like h/bars, stems, rims, etc. (none of those awful cottered steel cranks). They are more fun to ride and they weigh alot less while retaining the charm and character of the originals.

Here are a couple of them in my stable:

I've always wanted to create a 700cc bike with a Sturmey Archer AW3. I had a bike with 700cc wheels and a Nexus 7 but I never really used it and sold that bike practically brand new. I never really liked the Nexus 7 because of the weight but I do like the AW3. I abused my Dahon Piccolo to death putting thousands of commuting miles and the hub was still working pefectly one the day it was sold.

People still think the AW-3 does not have enough gears and that's simply not true. I've been able to ride 60 miles on my Dahon Piccolo with 16' inch wheels because the bike came with a 40' inch direct drive and 1st gear was a low 30' inches! I could ride that bike (slowly) all day long in 2nd gear. The trick to designing a 3 speed is to make 2nd gear (direct drive) a low 48 - 52 inches.

The Raleigh was overgeared from the start because it came with an 18 tooth cog giving it a high direct drive of 66 inches. Since the bike was over 30 pounds, that high gear would leave you exhausted after a short ride. All they had to do was replace the cog with a 22T and direct drive would drop to 54 inches. Perfect for city riding.

http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~hadland/elegy.htm

Somewhat related I read that bike sales in Australia (1.2 million ) outdid car sales 850,000 last year.

I've seen that Electra Amsterdam in a lot of shops. The only gearing option offered on it is a 3-speed.

Electra also offers a 3-speed on several of their Townie models.

Trek offers it on their new 2007 Pure Deluxe bikes at $459 list:
http://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/bike.php?bikeid=1218600&f=28

Schwinn offers them on some of their cruisers, like this one in the mid-$300's.
http://www.schwinnbike.com/products/bikes_detail.php?id=770

Giant has one on one of their Suede models, also in the mid-$300's.
http://www2.giant-bicycles.com/en-US/bikes/lifestyle/600/24445/

And the "English" three-speed still lives in the form of the Raleigh RetroGlide NX3:
http://www.raleighusa.com/items.asp?deptid=8&itemid=328

I've always wanted to create a 700cc bike with a Sturmey Archer AW3.

+1! I have been thinking along the same lines, I have been looking for a 60-62cm frameset to do just that. Closest think I have in my current collection is an old Moby Nomade 25"...


People still think the AW-3 does not have enough gears and that's simply not true. I've been able to ride 60 miles on my Dahon Piccolo with 16' inch wheels because the bike came with a 40' inch direct drive and 1st gear was a low 30' inches! I could ride that bike (slowly) all day long in 2nd gear. The trick to designing a 3 speed is to make 2nd gear (direct drive) a low 48 - 52 inches.

The Raleigh was overgeared from the start because it came with an 18 tooth cog giving it a high direct drive of 66 inches. Since the bike was over 30 pounds, that high gear would leave you exhausted after a short ride. All they had to do was replace the cog with a 22T and direct drive would drop to 54 inches. Perfect for city riding.

Best kept secret for years, I still don't understand why Raleigh cranked out all those bikes with the high gears. I discovered gear inches/ratios back in the mid 70's, the first thing I did when I bought my commuter Raleigh back in '82 was swap the factory cog out for a 20t. My Superbe came with a 17t:eek: I put a 20t on there because it was what I had in the parts box, went from a 73.2" direct to a 62.2" which is much more ridable on flat ground. For "touring" rides I will put a 22t on the there and lower it even further to a 56.5":D which I can spin all day long at 12.5-13.5mph.
FWIW my fixed gear bike is currently set up with a 65" gear...I ain't as young as I used to be:rolleyes: :p

Aaron:)

Schwinn offers them on some of their cruisers, like this one in the mid-$300's.
http://www.schwinnbike.com/products/bikes_detail.php?id=770


I should have noted that while the other bikes that I cited use a Nexus 3-spd, Schwinn is still employing Sturmey-Archer 3-speed hubs.

There is some enthusiasm for these. I've also heard them called "junk."

http://www.yellowjersey.org/EASTMAN.HTML

In England there's:

http://oldbiketrader.co.uk/

I was looking for my link to a shop in New England that makes new English style bikes (and if I remember correctly) used English bikes too. The link was there but now it's gone. I probably deleted it one late night.

Last Oct. I bought a Bianchi Bergamo for commuting. It is a 2005 model which resulted in a substantial discount. The total at a LBS was about $480 plus tax. It has a three-speed SRAM hub combined with a 7 speed cassette and a single 32 tooth chainwheel with a disc type chain guard. It came with full fenders and a rear rack. The chain guard could be better but it has been a great commuter on my hilly 7-mile commute to downtown. It is everything my old 3-speed Hercules was, plus it is lighter, has more flexible gearing and much better brakes. It requires more frequent chain maintenance than the Hercules, but has been a great commuter so far.

Would it be heresy to replace the three speed hub with an internally geared hub like a Shimano Alfine/Nexus 8-speed or a SRAM 9-speed?

I was looking up something on WallyWorld's web page and checked out their bike section. Sure enough, they have a 3-speed too, a Sturmey Archer one. For all of $109.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3596787

I wouldn't be surprised if someone could get a lot of miles out of a bike like this.

Would it be heresy to replace the three speed hub with an internally geared hub like a Shimano Alfine/Nexus 8-speed or a SRAM 9-speed?

It's your bike. I'd do it with my Raleigh if I could obtain a 32 hole hub that fit within my 118mm drops.
I'm going to gear the three speed down with a bigger cog.

Don't sleep on Pashley cycles--there are available through a North Carolina distributor (they say there will be more widely available soon). http://www.pashley.co.uk/

They're beautiful bikes but given the shipping, etc. they're expensive. I'm just now getting hip to the English 3 speed thing and scored a Raleigh Sprite ('78 model) that should be arriving shortly from ebay. I'm going to get rid of the drops and go for the traditional WWII bike look just like the Pashley--all black, upright handlebars, brooks. My one nod to modernity will be a internally geared hub. I'll post pics when it's ready (next year:p )

http://www.broadwaybicycleschool.com/broadwaybike1.html

This is the link I said I couldn't find earlier. This is a small shop that rebuilds 3-speeds using the old frame, so they're compatible with modern components. They also make their own new steel English-style bike.

Nice bike. The Master model is really nice.

I wonder how many bike shops are out there making their own bikes? I run into them every now and then.

great-- I've seen that site before-- wish they shipped.

I would like to disagree with everyone who has posted so far in this thread.


[QUOTE]1. There is no reason to revive the old 3-speed. If someone wants one, they can still be found, and a huge amount of effort/money is not required to obtain one.

1. They are classic utility/touring bicycles, appropriate for average riders. Trek, Breezer and Jamis are rediscovering the timeless appeal of the old 3 speed, with modern materials and comfortable geometry. This also makes them ideal commuters.



2. These bikes are not all that great. Here is a list of objections I have... mostly this is based on my experiences with an old Columbia that my mom has, perhaps the Raleigh is better:

2. The Raleigh Superbe/Sports was built with steel. But they are not in the same class as mass department store bikes. As Sheldon Brown of Harris Cyclery wrote of them, "they were the finest utility bicycles money could buy." They are well built and can last a century or more with due care.


A. They are heavy.

The frame is heavy but the bike can be lightened by swapping the stock steel wheels for modern aluminum ones. That considerably improves the ride of an old 3 speed and the ultimate upgrade is to switch to either 700C or 559 MTB wheels for improved tire and tube selection.


B. The internal hub is not as bombproof or maintenance-free as is commonly suggested.
You do need to oil an old 3 speed hub from time to time. Modern Shimano Nexus and Sturmey Archer hubs offer greater speed selection and require no rider maintenance.


C. The frame geometry is weird: short cockpit and short crank arms.

This isn't a road biycle. The geometry is designed for an upright seating position that allows long commuting rides without tiring out the rider. Granted, it will never go as fast as a road bike but its not built for speed: a utility bike is meant to get a rider and whatever loads he is carrying from point A to point B reliably and safely.


D. A lot of the components are real junk - brakes especially.

Again, modern roller and drum brakes are now available that offer weather sealed reliable braking power and work much better than the old rim brakes did.



Also, I strongly disagree with the notion that the reason more people aren't biking is because acceptable bikes for normal people are hard to find. Sensible bikes for normal folk ARE quite available; they just don't look exactly like English 3-speeds. And the primary reason more people don't ride bikes is because they are afraid of traffic.

Today, new commuter bicycles exist that are inspired by the classic 3 speeds without their drawbacks. They offer the kind of transportation people who don't want to race or go off-road a lot want. So the utility bicycle is making a comeback and in much of the world, for people its the only form of transportation in daily life.


I would much rather use a classic rigid MTB for a commuter than an English 3-speed. I'd also prefer a modern rigid MTB (Trek SU300) or a modern "commuter" bike over the classic Raleigh. Who wants to ride a 40-lb relic?

My upgraded Raleigh Superbe is comfortable and fun to ride. It has a timelessness to it that makes one appreciate every day cycling. I ride a classic because I think well-made things from our past still deserve a place in our modern world.

http://www.broadwaybicycleschool.com/broadwaybike1.html

[QUOTE]This is the link I said I couldn't find earlier. This is a small shop that rebuilds 3-speeds using the old frame, so they're compatible with modern components. They also make their own new steel English-style bike.


Sheldon Brown of Harris Cyclery rebuilt my 1968 Raleigh Superbe I picked up a couple of years ago on eBay with modern components, most notably 700C wheels with Mavic rims, a Sturmey Archer front drum brake and in the rear wheelset, a Shimano Nexus 7 speed hub mated with a Shimano Nexus rear drum brake. The bike also sports a hybrid rear rack. It also has a dyno commuter lighting system. The bike is both retro and modern at the same time.

Hi Mike-


"...I still marvel at the efficiency of those old steel machines. It was not uncommon to average 19 to 22 mph on longer trips and even around 16 to 18 mph in the city when commuting. That is not much less than the averages I get on my modern road bike. All the while, your body is in a comfortable cruising position..."

They're cool for commuting and running to the deli for a dozen bagels and coffee. I'm having a hard time comprehending the notion of a 35-pound bike with upright bars that could produce average speeds of 22 m.p.h. on longer trips.

~ Blue Jays ~

All this talk of convenience and utility, and barely a mention of singlespeeds. I was also surprised to hear about average speeds of ~18 mph on 40# bikes with bolt-upright riding positions. No hills or wind on those rides, I presume. ;)

While I appreciate the nostalgia for older bikes, I have to agree with the few dissenting posters in this thread. If I want an efficient, bulletproof bike that requires little or no maintenance, I'll throw a leg over a Surly Steamroller or IRO Rob Roy with 36H wheels and 28C tires. I've had the misfortune to work on the old Sturmey-Archer hubs, and I'd much rather field-strip a Shimano freehub body any day. Durability doesn't have to require weight, and comfort doesn't require an upright position...

All this talk of convenience and utility, and barely a mention of singlespeeds. I was also surprised to hear about average speeds of ~18 mph on 40# bikes with bolt-upright riding positions. No hills or wind on those rides, I presume. ;)

While I appreciate the nostalgia for older bikes, I have to agree with the few dissenting posters in this thread. If I want an efficient, bulletproof bike that requires little or no maintenance, I'll throw a leg over a Surly Steamroller or IRO Rob Roy with 36H wheels and 28C tires. I've had the misfortune to work on the old Sturmey-Archer hubs, and I'd much rather field-strip a Shimano freehub body any day. Durability doesn't have to require weight, and comfort doesn't require an upright position...

I don't think the nostalgia is all about the bulletproof nature of these bikes, although it is part of it. The bigger deal, in my opinion, is that the bikes had utilitarian features that made it handy as a piece of transportation. People used it in place of a car and they still managed. I suspect in many households, they didn't have a car (or perhaps they had one) and they used a bike to do what they had to do. I remember my youth days (1970's) and that's what I did--I rode my bike everywhere. That was pretty darn cool. Yet a few years ago I was getting overweight and yet driving my car through a nice park area to get to work. Now I commute via bike and I'm much happier doing so. I love it that I can use my bike for shopping and errands, too. As such, I can't help but wish that this caught on, and I'm sure it would be helped by the promotion and sale of transportation/utility bikes--like the old style English 3-speeds.

fyi-I'm having a hard time maiantaining 18 or 19 (I can keep 17 going pretty good) on flat, windless, straight sections with my commuter bike, but there are some beasts out there that can really push it.

I've had the misfortune to work on the old Sturmey-Archer hubs, and I'd much rather field-strip a Shimano freehub body any day.
What credible problem caused you field strip a S-A hub other than curiosity or an obsessive compulsion to tinker and "dial-in" something that is already working? Most all will run without a drop of oil or any adjustment for decades, and another drop of oil should extend the life for a few more decades.

[QUOTE=BroMax]http://www.broadwaybicycleschool.com/broadwaybike1.html




Sheldon Brown of Harris Cyclery rebuilt my 1968 Raleigh Superbe I picked up a couple of years ago on eBay with modern components, most notably 700C wheels with Mavic rims, a Sturmey Archer front drum brake and in the rear wheelset, a Shimano Nexus 7 speed hub mated with a Shimano Nexus rear drum brake. The bike also sports a hybrid rear rack. It also has a dyno commuter lighting system. The bike is both retro and modern at the same time.

That sounds like quite a bike!:)

What credible problem caused you field strip a S-A hub other than curiosity or an obsessive compulsion to tinker and "dial-in" something that is already working? Most all will run without a drop of oil or any adjustment for decades, and another drop of oil should extend the life for a few more decades.

Amen. When I was more naive than I am now, I cracked open a 15-yr old S-A hum on the grounds that it was "old and dirty" and I thought it could benefit from a little cleaning and such, only to find that inside was beautifully clean, not worn, corroded, degraded, etc, at all. Thank heavens I was able to get it all back together right so it still worked.

On later 3 speeds acquisitions that were 40+ years old, I knew better and simply dribbled in some really thin oil initially in case there was any gummed up old oil, then replaced it (after a few short rides) with 10W-40.

Having test rode an Electra Amsterdam (great looking in blue), an Electra aluminum cruiser with balloon tires, and a Specialized Crossroads with my mom last weekend to get her back into cycling, she chose the Crossroads. She is of the ilk that remembers single speed coaster brake cruiser bikes, and was afraid of using the hand brakes. We tried the two cruisers and she thought the Amsterdam was more efficient and easier to pedal uphill (that was a good start, even for a newbie like her). But she was practically having a wreck each time she came to a full stop, as the coaster brakes left her in an awkward position while dismounting. She nearly immediately took to the Crossroads, a standard bike with normal gears and decent brakes, and after less than an hour of trial, she could use hand brakes for the first time with ease. However she couldn't use the gears very well, so I set it on the middle chainring and told her to switch between gears 3 and 6 on the rear. Basically the same as the 3-speed Nexus/Sturmey Archer hubs on the other two bikes....and when she gets a little better, I'll show her how to shift to the other gears ;)

The Amsterdam is a perfect bike for flat ground commuting.

I've used my 3 speeds more than any other bikes for general short trip, "utility" purposes. The trip from my house to the Denver library is about 15 miles, and I have indeed averaged speeds in the 20mph range over the trip there (which is mostly flat except for a couple of obnoxiously large hills just about two miles from my house). However, a strong headwind can easily knock your speed in half with that upright seating position, my worst time I think came out to only about 8mph... this included residual snow and a headwind that just wouldn't let up. (If I could have beaten the crap out of the wind that day, I would have.)

Also Columbia geometry is weird. The bottom bracket is much higher than it is on most bikes, noticeably so, the really old ones also have unusually long cranks, so they just feel weird riding them.

And honestly, I see nothing wrong with a 5 or 10 speed derailleur bike, although my preference goes to the 3 and 5 speeds where you only need one lever to control all your gears.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Sheldon Brown's excellent podcast on the history of the English 3-speed, available from his Web site here: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/podcasts/

I've had the misfortune to work on the old Sturmey-Archer hubs, and I'd much rather field-strip a Shimano freehub body any day. Durability doesn't have to require weight, and comfort doesn't require an upright position...

I have cracked open many an SA hub mainly for a quick cleaning and in one case to replace a broken pawl spring. I don't consider it a major job. As far as a dérailleur drive train, talk about a PITA to keep indexing adjusted, cleaned and having to replace large chunks of the drive train on a regular basis due to wear...I have a Raleigh Sports that dates from the early 70's with something over 30,000 miles on it that other than regular oil in the hub and the occasional chain replacement is still running strong. No cog replacements, no chainwheel replacement, no hub teardown required. I used to be able to maintain 18-20 mph on flat ground with no problems...20 years ago;) now it is more like 16mph or so:p I am more interested in getting there not how fast I do it.

We also need to keep in mind that when the Raleigh 3 speeds were produced the car was a very expensive luxury and not considered the necessity it is today.

Aaron:)

About two years ago I got one of these brought over for my mother. She rides it constantly and raves everytime I come over to visit.

http://www.biria.com/bicycles/ez/_images/eb_top_3.jpg

The bicycle is amazing light despite the radical frame geometry, and the Nexus 3spd is about all the shifting action she could handle anyway. Utterly practical.

About two years ago I got one of these brought over for my mother. She rides it constantly and raves everytime I come over to visit.


The bicycle is amazing light despite the radical frame geometry, and the Nexus 3spd is about all the shifting action she could handle anyway. Utterly practical.

+1
We have a Bria dealer within a couple of hours of us. I agree it is very practical for the shorter haul around town trips. In fact it would be the perfect bike for the town I live in. We really only have one real hill and it is at one end of town.

Also Bria is not the only one that makes that particular frame style, I have seen in on Staiger and at least 2 other brands.

Aaron:)

The discussions here have me interested in an internal gear bike for utility & commuting. I've been looking for a while and finally came across on on CL.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/bik/298202265.html

Does anyone know anything about Columbia 3 speeds? Is this a good price? Or is it just an old piece of junk? Is this considered an English 3 speed? I can't decide if I like the "ladies" style frame or not. The Breezers are now calling that style "step through", and I could see it being better for utility. My main concern is, is this a decent bike, and is it a good price?

The discussions here have me interested in an internal gear bike for utility & commuting. I've been looking for a while and finally came across on on CL.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/bik/298202265.html

Does anyone know anything about Columbia 3 speeds? Is this a good price? Or is it just an old piece of junk? Is this considered an English 3 speed? I can't decide if I like the "ladies" style frame or not. The Breezers are now calling that style "step through", and I could see it being better for utility. My main concern is, is this a decent bike, and is it a good price?

Fair to decent price; personally I would not pay more than about $40 for that particular bike, but I am not in the market for it either. From the shifter that one has the Shimano 3speed hub. They are a bit hard to find parts for and if it is the CCC hub you may have terminal problems with it. The slightly older Columbia quite often came with the S-A hub.

Aaron:)

The discussions here have me interested in an internal gear bike for utility & commuting. I've been looking for a while and finally came across on on CL.

http://atlanta.craigslist.org/bik/298202265.html

Does anyone know anything about Columbia 3 speeds? Is this a good price? Or is it just an old piece of junk? Is this considered an English 3 speed? I can't decide if I like the "ladies" style frame or not. The Breezers are now calling that style "step through", and I could see it being better for utility. My main concern is, is this a decent bike, and is it a good price?


Talk them down. That is a later model columbia, and it looks like it has got a Shimano hub (nothing wrong with shimano, they're quieter than the SA hubs - they're just not worth as much). I bought a similiar Columbia for $12 - (it had of course been left in the back yard and had a fair share of pitting on the chrome).
The best Columbias were made prior to about 1975, after that their quality began to drop off, although they still remained a notch above Huffy. Make sure to check for "notchiness" in the steering bearings!

I have cracked open many an SA hub mainly for a quick cleaning and in one case to replace a broken pawl spring. I don't consider it a major job. As far as a dérailleur drive train, talk about a PITA to keep indexing adjusted, cleaned and having to replace large chunks of the drive train on a regular basis due to wear...I have a Raleigh Sports that dates from the early 70's with something over 30,000 miles on it that other than regular oil in the hub and the occasional chain replacement is still running strong. No cog replacements, no chainwheel replacement, no hub teardown required. I used to be able to maintain 18-20 mph on flat ground with no problems...20 years ago;) now it is more like 16mph or so:p I am more interested in getting there not how fast I do it.

We also need to keep in mind that when the Raleigh 3 speeds were produced the car was a very expensive luxury and not considered the necessity it is today.

Aaron:)
I guess I should have thrown in a "YMMV". Regardless, the S-A's that I worked on were rusty, nasty pieces o' crap. I'm just happy I don't work in a shop anymore...

I do not miss the old 3 speed hubs at all, my 3 speed was breaking a link on the center pull chain about once a year, and it always flush with the hub or deep inside it, necessitating a hub tear down. I like the derailleur system for easier cable maintenance and added gear selection, even though the derailleurs are exposed to the elements and require more cleaning.

I do not miss the old 3 speed hubs at all, my 3 speed was breaking a link on the center pull chain about once a year, and it always flush with the hub or deep inside it, necessitating a hub tear down.
Would it be safe to say that that bike was being dropped on its right side at least once a year? The fix should have been made by unscrewing the broken indicator chain with needle nose pliers and installing a 50 cent piece of plastic that any bicycle shop should have on hand designed to protect the indicator chain from drop damage.

Pictured below is one on a Sachs Torpedo 3 speed of mine, it used to be on a Raleigh Sports with S-A 3 speed.

I found a Huffy 3-speed Shimano internal hub at a yard sale last year for $3, and gave my LBS $30 to tune it up. My thought was the easier maintenance for use in bad weather, and I just don't feel quite ready for fixed gear yet. No major problems so far, but I still enjoy my other bike better. I don't care for the swept bars and totally upright position, and I have to admit I prefer having a few more gears for the hills and headwinds. And yes, you do have to remember to start braking early in the rain. So an overhaul may be in its future. But, it's doing its job. The only maintenance I've had to do so far (after the LBS tuneup) is adjust the cable, which I was pleasantly surprised to discover I could do myself. But then, I only ride it only when bad weather dictates, which is somewhat < 50% of the time. (But on the third hand, it's almost always crappy weather when I do! :))

I guess I should have thrown in a "YMMV". Regardless, the S-A's that I worked on were rusty, nasty pieces o' crap. I'm just happy I don't work in a shop anymore...

Well that helps clarify that!:p All of my hubs are nice and shiny....under the coat of oil and gunk;) :D Helps keep them that way. I did have one SA that I thru in the trash whole, it had been on a bike that had laid on its side in the yard for what I would guess was several years, the hub was frozen solid and was a mass of rust. Not worth the effort on an AW, considering I have probably 1/2 dozen or so NOS.

Aaron:)