jsidney

I was thinking for a neighborhood or short trip bike maybe all the gears are not needed.

I would guess it would be simpler to maintain.

I like the fact that my touring bike has quite a few gears (not sure I use them all though) but if a 5 speed can have enough gear range for most tasks the bike would be much simpler.

I actually think it would. In small towns my 520 is almost always full time in the middle ring up front and so I am only using the rear gears.

Zinger

You could machine away the inner and outer seats on your crankset and stay away from steep long climbs and fast riding partners.

jsidney

I was not thinking about doing that to my 520.

I was thinking about a dedicated town bike. A vintage bike built as a 5 speed from the start.

I don't have any riding partners here as I don't know anyone that rides a bike. Bikes to me are transportation.

Zinger

Actually now that I think about it, not very many cranksets would adapt so easily because the big ring is the one that the arms blend into. It would take some doing to come up with a nice looking setup like that.

As I get older I find myself on my small ring a lot on my double....but not always.

jsidney

I used to think in terms one bike for everything, that meant the bike had to be versatile so I picked a touring bike, then I needed a backup to that bike.

I am starting to think that bikes are more specialized tools and maybe it is not best to make one bike do everything. It will also save wear and tear on my long distance bikes.

An old ten speed (70's and 80's definition) can do all the local stuff but I wonder if that much is even needed. Some people do it with fixed speed. A 5 speed sounds Ideal for small town roads and trips less than 5 miles.

Zinger

I just ordered a compact Sugino myself because I don't like pushing the stuff I use ta on the hills anymore.

I ride in town some but I still don't think I'd like going w/o the big ring myself....they just keep getting 2 teeth smaller every 15 years or so.

jsidney

Spokan is a pretty big city.

I am really thinking my 520's are overkill for town and should be saved for the long stuff.

It looks like they did cranks different back in the 5 speed era.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Mens...item4ac64fa919

I will just use the gas pipe ten speed that I have for the short stuff.

jsidney

https://www.mannabicycle.com/bike-hel...tchinson-1956/

Something like this.

Zinger

Possible maybe to swap the inner to the outside on some of these old cranksets if you don't use something so rare that it would be a hanging crime. Maybe you could do it without machining away anything too.

Going to affect your chainline going to the inside cog in the back.

jsidney

I was still thinking of a 70's era bike originally made as a 5 speed.

Zinger

I see.
The crankset on the Hutchinson is a double so I thought you meant to convert it.

jsidney

Hmmm, it is a double, I found it when I googled 5 speed bicycle. Posting that link was an error then.

photogravity

Have you considered a 3-speed IGH bicycle? For a bicycle that's used in town, they're immensely practical.

big chainring 

My Jeunet is set up as a 5 speed. Stronglight crank with inner chainring removed. I flipped the BB spindle so the short side is on the drive side, for improved chainline.

oddjob2

I sense the OP is getting N + 1 disease!

dvsjes28

Its in no way vintage but its got a Sturmey Archer 5 Speed IGH and Reynolds 520 Steel frame. Its great around town, VERY low Maintenance, and its got the wide geared hub so its got enough range to handle whatever.

bradtx

jsidney, For a long time I had road bikes that were dedicated to one task or another. On one hand it was good because the mileage and the wear and tear was split between them. The downside was that I had too many bikes, yes I really wrote that. Long story shortened, I use the T bike for most everything and if I only need one or two gears, that's all I use.

Brad

Oldboyracer

I just picked up this 5 speed, will need a ride to blow the cob webs out..

https://www.flickr.com/photos/98228545@N04/9173496252/

ThermionicScott 

My girlfriend has a 5-speed Schwinn Suburban. I really dig what they did with the gearing, and could do a lot of contented riding with that scheme if I had to. (46T chainring with 14-17-21-26-32 freewheel for 39 to 89 gear inches. )

David Newton

I made my bike a 5 speed, I just remove the large ring and moved the small ring to the outside. The chainring bolts need to be ground short.
Then I removed the derailler and 6-speed freewheel and all the cables and shifters.
A single speed is all that is needed in our flat town.

browngw 

I recently sold an older CCM Mixte 5 speed which I used for a "townie" for awhile. Plenty of gears for riding in small town traffic. In fact low was too low and high, too high.
My Giant "Half Way" folder is an eight speed derailleur and works great in all conditions. I appreciate lots of gears on my road and touring bikes but they are not required for trips to the coffee shop.

Turbo231

I have had several townies, usually 5 or 6 speed. I like them for town as they are very simple to shift, just an analog shifter and more "get up and go" then a single speed. While I don't find low to be too low, especially hauling a heavy trailer, the high is really high and usually only use 5 of the 6 speeds. I've had 3, sold one and still have the other two, they are perfect around town, especially setup as a utility hauler (my bike is often pictured over there).

I agree with Sheldon Brown about 3 speeds...they are geared way too high. 1st gear is ok, but 2nd (drive) and 3rd (overdrive) are just too tall for anything then just cruising around and 1st is even too tall when biking with kids.

woodrupjoe

I set up my in-town daily bike as a 4-speed (originally 12-speed) by removing the large chainring and front derailleur and adjusting the rear derailleur stops to omit the highest and lowest cog. It had north road style bars with a single bar-end shifter and a Wald handlebar basket. Until it got stolen it was a great city bike (probably still is). I've been thinking about putting together another one just like it, it was a really sensible ride.

Zinger

Here's something that "Big Chainring" found that you might want to check into:

https://www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product...3-_-Affil_Item

RaleighSport

Your posts make me smile, good to see someone so enthusiastic and wanting to try out and do anything they can think of, the only thing that throws me is your join date is 2011 not 2013 did you take a big break between joining and becoming heavily addicted?