Commuting - Looking for a 3spd hub bike

Hey guys, I'm searching for an internal 3spd hub bike. I want one for around town, but not too expensive. Just curious of which ones you guys know about.

Check out a Breezer Freedom; 3 spd hub.
Hoping to to find one my size, probably not the cheapest- but comfortable to ride and solid components.

I looked at the 3-speeds, then decided to go with a Shimano 8. Works well for me. Got the bike at REI during a sale.

Many of the full line bike companies have 3-speed models. Could you put an upper boundary on "not too expensive"?

Good modern 3-speed commuters include the Bianchi Milano Parco, Breezer Citizen and Freedom, Brompton M3L, Cannondale Hooligan 3, Civia Hyland and Loring, Dahon Curve D3, Electra Townie Euro 3i and Amsterdam Sport Custom 3i, Fisher Simple City 3, Giant Suede GX, KHS Green, Nirve Wilshire, Raleigh Circa I3, Schwinn Excursion, Specialized Globe Carmel 2, Swobo Novak, Sun Cykel and Streamway, Trek Belleville and Pure Deluxe...

Good choices on the used bike market include older Raleigh and Schwinn models.

tcs

Lots of good suggestions tcs! I've been tempted by the Sun/Origin8 Cykel, it looks pretty nice and has very cool retro styling.

I recently found this old Phillips for $30 and refitted it to suit my needs:

http://www.boomspeed.com/artoflaw/incoming/phillips_04.jpg

Check out garage sales.

Schwinn Coffee
http://www.schwinnbike.com/usa/eng/SchwinnFiles_qa/ProductImages/478_311_1492_3876.jpg

Sparta Leopard

http://www.sparta.nl/Pics/Dynamic/Collections/2009/Sparta-Leopard-armygreen-H_L.jpg

Internal hub suggests the new type as martiaone and tcs have listed. Others have suggested three sp. & other old types the likes of which will require searching for and repair. RALEIGH has a current model(s) with a modern, very good Nexus "trans". I've seen others here andd there with lesser gears too. I only test rode the RALEIGH for fun, at the owner of the LBS's insistance, it rode and shifted well. It is among the more modestly priced bikes, not cheap, around three eighty to four hundred as I recall.

Schwinn Coffee
http://www.schwinnbike.com/usa/eng/SchwinnFiles_qa/ProductImages/478_311_1492_3876.jpg

I like that one !

check out the 2010 kona world bike. 3spd bike with fenders and other good commuting bits for under 500 canadian.

http://www.konaworld.com/bike.cfm?content=worldbike

Try old Raleigh Sports. They are the classic 3 speed bicycle.

+1 on the worldbike. Check out the Africabike, too.

Electra makes a bundle of 3-speed cruisers.

www.electrabike.com

Probably way more than you want to spend, but if I had my choice of 3-speeds, this would be it.

http://www.swobo.com/catalog/product_info_b.php?cPath=201_207

I have an Otis. Nice bike,but the 3sp isn't doing it for me anymore so it's getting sold. I bought it for polo and occational barhopping,but over the last year my work schedule has kept me away from polo,so it's been mostly an around town bike. Since I'm old and have alot of hills,the 3sp isn't cutting it,YMMV. Otherwise it's a sweet bike. Zero issues,even beating it up at polo. Zero maintenance for the hub,have only had to lube the chain and adjust the front brake a couple times. Only issue was I had to mix and match the fenders. I used a MTB fender for the front and a PB Freddy fender for the back.

I want a Kona Worldbike. I am into three speeds as well. I have a 1955 Schwinn Deluxe Racer that I enjoy riding. I need to have it gone over or perhaps I will go over it myself if I dare. I need to learn bike maintenance.

That Kona is a good call. Looks like a nice rig, and ready to go!

The Schwinn Coffee has a mild steel frame--I'd stay away from it. I bet it's about 8 pounds heavier than the Kona, which has aChro-Moly frame.

The Otis is the bike I've been eyeballing for a while now. I might just deal with a cheap buy older Miyata mountain bike with skinny street tires on it for now and save my money for the Otis. The Kona World Bike looks ok, but how is the Shimano Nexus 3spd hub? Doesn't it stick out the side quite a bit? Bikes direct has a Mobecane Cafe express that has it too. I'm just not sure if the sram setup is a better choice. Any opinions?

Never played with a Shimano 3sp,just 7 and 8. The SRAM i3 makes more noise than my Nexus hubs,but nothing worse than the sound of riding knobbies on asphalt. The disconnect for the shift cable is way nicer; it uses the same connection as a V brake noodle.

Anybody have experience with the Nexus 3 spd?

The Schwinn Coffee has a mild steel frame--I'd stay away from it. I bet it's about 8 pounds heavier than the Kona, which has aChro-Moly frame.

It's a 3-speed cruiser, is weight that much of an issue?

It's a 3-speed cruiser, is weight that much of an issue?

Only for weight wienies, and weaklings who need to carry the bike up a couple flights of stairs everyday.

I've been looking into the Kona World bike. Seems like a good buy

Only for weight wienies, and weaklings who need to carry the bike up a couple flights of stairs everyday.

For the past week and a half I've been commuting on my 25lbs Big Buzz instead of my 32lbs Safari. I've really noticed the difference. I'm not a weight weenie,nor do I have any trouble carrying my bikes,but it is nice not to be hauling the extra poundage up hills. If bimbling along on a 40lbs Euro 3sp is your idea of fun,then all power to you. I like a little performance in my commute.

There are lots of old vintage three speeds out there gathering dust and the Raleigh Sports is my favourite as the SA hubs tend to be pretty bombproof.

English bikes have their quirks but if you get a good deal on a bike in decent shape they are a far better bike than almost anything you can buy new.

For the past week and a half I've been commuting on my 25lbs Big Buzz instead of my 32lbs Safari. I've really noticed the difference. I'm not a weight weenie,nor do I have any trouble carrying my bikes,but it is nice not to be hauling the extra poundage up hills. If bimbling along on a 40lbs Euro 3sp is your idea of fun,then all power to you. I like a little performance in my commute.

I enjoy my morning and afternoon bimble, thank you.


There are lots of old vintage three speeds out there gathering dust and the Raleigh Sports is my favourite as the SA hubs tend to be pretty bombproof.

English bikes have their quirks but if you get a good deal on a bike in decent shape they are a far better bike than almost anything you can buy new.

+1

Why not free one from a garage or basement? I found fixing them up is fun, too.

I enjoy my morning and afternoon bimble, thank you.

Good on ya then. My responce was aimed at ILTB and his weight weenies/weaklings comment. I could care less about his extreme retrogrouchery,but he tends to deride anyone who doesn't share in it.

The Otis is the bike I've been eyeballing for a while now. I might just deal with a cheap buy older Miyata mountain bike with skinny street tires on it for now and save my money for the Otis. The Kona World Bike looks ok, but how is the Shimano Nexus 3spd hub? Doesn't it stick out the side quite a bit? Bikes direct has a Mobecane Cafe express that has it too. I'm just not sure if the sram setup is a better choice. Any opinions?

I have the Swobo Dixon with the SRAM 9 speed hub. Same as the Otis basically except for the IGH and the Dixon's rear disc brake. With it's 135mm dropout width it should be easy to fit a different rear wheel to the Otis to give a wider gear range rather than selling it. The Shimano Nexus 8 speed coaster brake hub or the coaster brake version of the SRAM iM9 should be easy swaps that will give a wider range of gear ratios.

Good on ya then. My responce was aimed at ILTB and his weight weenies/weaklings comment. I could care less about his extreme retrogrouchery,but he tends to deride anyone who doesn't share in it.

I saw my chance to do the funny. :)

Bimble's about right, though. A slobby, 40-something-year-old man on a 40-something-year-old, 40-something-pound bike, isn't a recipe for speed. Still, I just keep pedaling. I enjoy the ride immensely.

Hey, it's better than the crappy Huffy mountain bike I used to ride.

The Schwinn Coffee has a mild steel frame--I'd stay away from it. I bet it's about 8 pounds heavier than the Kona, which has aChro-Moly frame.

I've never ridden either one, but looking at the wheels on both I wouldn't be surprised if the Schwinn was friskier.

tcs

Anybody have experience with the Nexus 3 spd?

A few years ago, I asked a bike shop to put a Nexus 3 speed onto a new rim (sorry,
I forget what brand, but I also got a matching front wheel.) This was to put into an
old 12 speed. I love it. The spacing of the gears is wider than the Sturmey-Archer,
so it actually means something when you shift. I go all over a hilly area around my
work place during lunch. Just went today after a 6 month "avoid the heat" break.
Had no problems.

My daughter has a cheap one speed. I'd like to build one for her too.

I can't seem to get good info on purchasing the Kona world bike for the msrp price, but found the Bianchi Milano Parco for about $380 shipped. Seems like a great price, but I'm unsure of the ride. Would it be a good around town bike that i'd be stable in a stand up pedaling situation? It's only available in the celeste green in my size, but seems fitting for the bike.

...Nexus 3 speed...spacing of the gears is wider than the Sturmey-Archer...

The two Nexus (and SRAM) shifts are +36.4% and +36.0%.
The two Sturmey Archer shifts are +33.3% and +33.3%.


...so it actually means something when you shift.

Whatever.

tcs

The spacing of the gears is wider than the Sturmey-Archer,
so it actually means something when you shift.



The two Nexus (and SRAM) shifts are +36.4% and +36.0%.
The two Sturmey Archer shifts are +33.3% and +33.3%.
Whatever.

Probably "means" as much on a commuter bike, as the extra couple a pounds our weight wienie/performance buff pals are so concerned about.

With it's 135mm dropout width it should be easy to fit a different rear wheel to the Otis to give a wider gear range rather than selling it.

Did they change the frame? My '07 is only 130.

English bikes have their quirks but if you get a good deal on a bike in decent shape they are a far better bike than almost anything you can buy new.

Aye, and there's the rub.

Best case scenario: your neighbor asks $25 for a just-the-right-size Lenton (with an ASC and Lauterwasser bars!) that he's had stored at 54 degrees F in a dry nitrogen atmosphere since the day it was new. :ride:

Worse case scenario: Most any "bicycle repairman" whose certificate was issued by the School of Hard Knocks will tell you that the most expensive bike they ever owned started out being given to them free. ;)

Best,
tcs

Did they change the frame? My '07 is only 130.

Swobo lists the Otis and Dixon as the same basic frame but you are right. Per the SRAM tech manual the coaster brake iM3 is 130mm OLD while the iM9 is 135mm.:o

The Shimano Nexus 8C31 coaster brake hub is 132mm OLD which should work even for a 130mm Aluminum frame I believe. Minimal dropout stretching for wheel installation would be required or most Nexus hubs can be narrowed per several articles and posts here I have read.

i had a nexus 3-speed, it performed pretty good, but imo the Old Sturmey Archer are much tougher...the selector from shimano (looks good) is weak,i prefer the little chain sistem. had to replace some ball bearing on the shimano, nothing on the sturmey i currently ride.

had to rebuild the nexus, pretty interesting thing to do, learned a lot.

overall i love internal hubs for commuting!

I can't seem to get good info on purchasing the Kona world bike for the msrp price, but found the Bianchi Milano Parco for about $380 shipped. Seems like a great price, but I'm unsure of the ride. Would it be a good around town bike that i'd be stable in a stand up pedaling situation? It's only available in the celeste green in my size, but seems fitting for the bike.

I have the '05 Milano 120th anniversary, which is essentially the same geometry. I changed the handlebars for a flat bar with bar-ends and am happy with the ergonomics. Hill climbing and out-of-saddle riding are greatly improved.