Recreational & Family - 3 Speed bikes....any exist anymore?

Looking for a 20 or 24in 3sp w/fenders...think classic English bike. Anyone know who makes them anymore? I had a Raleigh 3sp when I was a kid many years ago and loved it...

Don't know if they are sold by bike shops anymore but you certainly could find a used one on Craigslist or at somebody's garage sale if you try hard enough. Nothing much goes wrong with an old three speed. Make sure the wheels are true. Grease the bearings in the wheel hubs, adjust the cable on the rear hub, and replace the brake pads and you should be good to go. You probably shouldn't have to pay much more than about $25 if you are able to find one at a garage sale.

I don't know about 20/24" wheeled bikes but there are still plenty of 3 speed bikes out there. (You can get internal gear hubs with up to 14 speeds now too!)

http://fisherbikes.com/bike/model/simple-city-3M

http://www.konaworld.com/08_africabike3_w.htm

Not a 3 speed but still internally geared and a really cool bike:

http://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/hybrid/superbe-roadster/

They are still available at some bike shops. But they have been overshadowed by bikes with more internal gearing. Why have three speeds when you can have 8 or even 14 in an internally geared hub.

Check out Electra bikes, My friend loves her 3 speed.

Thrift shops often have them, too. Around here (Reno), I'm sure I could buy half a dozen in a month for $100 or so total. And as another post mentioned, nothing much goes wrong with them. I'd have one myself, but I'm 6'4" and they're all too short.

I don't see many kid sized three speeds and was fortunate to have picked up two great bikes for my daughters...

My 9 year old daughter rides a 1973 Raleigh Fireball that I restored...

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/girlcommute4.jpg

My 11 year old daughter rides a 1980 Raleigh Saffron which is an adult bike but most suitable for such a long legged lass and the best thing about the bike is that she can ride it for as long as it lasts due to it's high level of adjustability.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/girlcommute3.jpg

They have nice mountain bikes for urban riding and commuting they always choose their English 3 speeds and I am hunting for another Saffron as my 9 year old will outgrow her Fireball and also loves the idea of keeping one bike through the years.

She wants to save it for her kids.

Not sure about your area, but there's a couple guys in Milwaukee that post on craigslist.org selling old bikes out of their garage, all in good shape. I bought a Schwinn Collegiate 5-speed from one in the spring and my girl bought a ladies Raleigh Sprite 5-speed from another. Both were quite inexpensive. Both guys had a few 3-speed Sturmey-Archer's to choose from. Chances are, there's someone in your area that can sort ya out.

I bought my wife a Banchi Cafe Crusier 3-speed for Christmas and she LOVES it. Very easy to ride, internal hub so you can change gears without pedaling. Has fenders so she says clean when going through water. Really a fantastic bike.

Looking for a 20 or 24in 3sp w/fenders...think classic English bike.

20 or 24" wheel? Nah, American kids are on the sofa playing on the Wii in front of an HD big screen these days, and get hauled everywhere in an SUV. No market. If you want one bad enough it's easy to roll your own, though.

Modern interpretation of a classic English bike in 20 or 24" (adult size) frame? Off hand, I can think of the Bianchi Milano Parco, Breezer Citizen and Freedom, Civia Hyland and Loring, Dahon Curve D3*, Electra Townie Euro 3i and Amsterdam Sport Custom 3i, Fisher Simple City 3, KHS Green, Nirve Wilshire, and Schwinn Excursion. I'm sure there are more. There are plenty of three speed bikes that aren't in the classic British pattern as well (example: Specialized Globe San Francisco 2).

HTH,
tcs

*Well, perhaps the Dahon is a modern interpretation of the classic English Bickerton 3-speed. :)

check our electrabikes.com. I just purchased a 3 speed Amsterdam Sport, I love it.

No particular model in mind but know there are plenty out there.

I see plenty of used 3 spds around. Trouble will be finding a smaller one.

The Raleigh Colt bikes comes to mind as a 24" 3 speed. I think Schwinn offered a 24" Breeze model as well.

Pashley has a few options, as I recall.

Look around on the manufacturers web sites.

i.e.
http://www.schwinnbike.com/usa/eng/Products/Kids/Juvenile/Details/1461-S10MNMES3-Mini-Mesa-3-speed

Buy a three speed folding bike, plenty around. Vsit the folder forum and read up on them. Both the white and mustard bike in Sixty Fivers post can be ridden by both chldren and adults.

I'm not going to tell you that it is easy or cheap to do, but a 3 spd bike can be made from any conventional single speed with a little time and effort. This is the little 16" tire bike that I did for my then 5 year old. She is now close to 7 and almost big enough to graduate to a Trek Mt. Lion (6 speed, 20" tires).

http://www.khsbicycles.com/09_green_09.htm
Good budget priced bicycle around $375 or less for a good quality steel frame and decent components that should last a long time. This is probably the best cheap bike one could buy.

http://www.schwinnbike.com/int/eng/Products/Cruisers/Details/1208-S9COF3-Coffee-3spd
Probably the closest to the original 3 speeds now manufactured. Also around the $400+ mark, don't know about the quality of the frame or parts though. It's a pretty bike though.

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/urban/eco_design/belleville/
Trek's $675-700 quality offering. Quite a lovely package with dynamo lighting and plenty of cargo capacity built in.

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCBkModel.jsp?spid=40435
Specialized's offering similar to the trek, but without a front rack, or chainguard. $1100 is quite steep for what it is imho.

http://2009.feltracing.com/09-catalog/cafe/cafe-series/09-cafe-8-deluxe.aspx#
$675-700 quality offering, but it is an 8 speed with external gearing, still similar is style to what you want though.

Specialized's offering similar to the Trek, but without a front rack, or chainguard. $1100 is quite steep for what it is imho.

Actually, that bike is very much unlike the Trek you posted. It's lighter with a better frame and fork and has upgraded parts like an eight speed hub instead of the Trek's three speed.

Best,
tcs

My apologies I misread the description of the Vienna Deluxe. I don't see how an aluminum frame and fork is better other than weight, but it does justify the material cost.