anastrophe

After years of riding an old MTB commuter I am looking into buying a road bike for commuting. I like having a heavier bike in bad weather but I just want to go faster!

But here's my question...should I get an old English 3-speed, or a 10-speed lightweight? I have to buy used because I am so broke. There are quite a few of both around here, and I am looking at an old Raleigh roadster as well as a Motobecane 10-speed. They are both nice bikes in good condition for under $100.

3-speed pros: comes with fenders, rack, and chainguard. Sturdy and very good looking.
cons: upright handlebars (tough on hands), only three speeds (we have hills). Possibly too heavy for toting around 20 lbs of commuter crap?

10-speed pros: FAST! nice to have gears when going up and down hills. Lightweight so when I put all the fenders/lights/extra clothes on it'll still be (only) 35 lbs or so.
cons: will need to shell out another $30 for fenders, maybe too light for bad weather days?

I'm not the kind of person who likes to have different bikes for different occasions. I like to have one bike that's ready to go. So, which should I pick?

-=(8)=-

You can commute on anything !!!!

I have all the bikes you mention in my workshop and use them all,
plus a fixie and 40lb Single Speed FrankenChunker/salty road warrior.
Given your situation, only wanting one bike, I would say a 10 sp,
27" inch wheeled beater 10 speed would be the best.
When commuting, my priorities are comfort and bulletproof reliability.....
Old 70's and 80's era steel framers can be had for next to nothing
and fit both of those requirements quite well !

wahoonc

I agree with Lem...you CAN commute on anything. My personal preference would be the 3 speed, they are about bullet proof, I know, I have one with over 15,000 miles on it and it HAS NOT been treated gently, in fact my brother rode it for a while with no oil in the hub, I got it back added oil and it still runs good. It is very easy to swap the cog out on a Sturmey-Archer hub to get better/lower gearing for hills. I wear gloves when I ride and my hands don't bother me at all. However you are probably used to riding a multi geared bike so might be better off with the 10 speed, even with the addtional outlay. But be forewarned the French bikes have some odd sized stuff on them and sometimes can be a bit difficult to find parts for. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Aaron

-=(8)=-

I was torn over this, Aaron, because 3speeds are soooo cool !
The only reason I went with the 10 speed is because of the location.
I believe he is in a very hilly area. I would choose the 3 speed if
it werent for that. We have no problem with ye olde engineering
on hills but I beleive we are a minority
The open drivetrain of the 10sp .would be a real turnoff in the MA winter, though...
But yes, whatever says "please ride me !!" to you is the bike you need !


I probably should have avoided this thread

georgiaboy

The terrain and distance of your commute play a factor. Certainly, you could reach your destination on either bicycle. However, look closely at your commute. How far will it be? Will you need more gear options to carry a load up the hills? Be true to your commute, you are a commuter. Style goes out the window when you are hitting the roads in the rain with a smug look on your face and the world in front of you.

Good Luck!

jcm

If you are actually talking about a Raliegh Roadster, as your post says, then it's a no-brainer. Get the Raliegh. If it's a Raliegh Sport, I'd still consider it. It would have to be in excellent shape for $100.

The gearing is tough on hills when loaded, but the bars are not tough in your hands. Very comfortable, and you can always change out the old hard plastic grips for something better. You can get an 18 tooth cog to reduce the gearing for hills. Check with Sheldon Brown/Harris Cyclery.

My main complaint about the old 3-ringers is that they are so short in the cockpit and have short cranks. Makes me feel like I'm riding a bike that's too small. I love 'em though.

wahoonc

18 tooth I went with a 22 Actually the best bet is to head over to the Gear Calculator on Sheldon Brown's site and figure out what will work for you. Now that I think about it I think I may actually have a 20 tooth on my current Raleigh, but there is a 22 tooth on my wife's bike for sure. The cogs are relatively cheap and very easy to swap out.

Aaron

AndrewP

when I was a teenager, I rode a Raliegh 3 sp in an area with many steep hills. The gears are too widely spaced for going down through the gears as you climb a hill. If you change down when your cadence falls below an efficient level, you then find you cant make your legs go fast enough to put any pressure on the pedals.

ollo_ollo

I have commuted on both. Depends on how long your commute is. For a shorter commute, one way 7 miles or under, I would choose the 3 speed, but for longer commutes the 10 speed has the edge. The 3 speed will be easier to maintain & it excels for the shorter commutes.

jcm

oops! Yeah, that's what I meant.

ThatWhichRolls

Well, beyond everything everyone else has already covered...can you easily fit fenders on the 10-speed?
-Do you have the proper eyelets on the fork blades and dropouts?
-Is there enough clearance between your brakes and your tires?
-Is the area just under the fork crown wide enough?

Yes, there are solutions if you haven't got the eyelets or the clearance. I go everywhere on an old rebuilt Schwinn road bike and swear by SKS Raceblades...they hook onto your fork and your seatstays by means of durable rubber ties, cover the upper-rear quarter of your front tire and the upper-rear quarter of your back tire, and they generally do a good job of keeping the muck off. However, I just recently moved to Portland OR, and I've got this nagging sensation at the back of my brain (due to all the rain I'll be facing here) that I would be even *better* off with full-length fenders, if *only* I had the proper brake-tire clearance and the fork crown were a little wider. To accomplish this, I'd have to get a different fork, and I only changed it out six months ago after a crash mangled the old one -big hassle that's not worth the bucks.

It's just one more thing to consider, really. Raceblades rock, but if you can mount 'em, full-length fenders are really where it's at: less muck on you *and* your downtube and bottom bracket, and that means less to clean both bike and clothing-wise...not to mention it's a much bigger PITA to steal fenders that are bolted on than ones that are held with glorified rubber bands.

Far as which bike to consider...well, if I had the option to get a sweet English-style 3-speed in good shape for $100, I'd take it. Don't forget that people are always getting rid of road bikes, whether it's something that's been in the garage for 20 years or a newer bike someone bought to get in shape last season, rode it twice, and realized they weren't really into it so much. You can concern yourself with all the fun of an open drivetrain once the weather's nicer, and really have your pick if you shop around a bit. OTOH, make sure you're considering *your* wants and needs. If you really are bent on something seemingly "light and fast" and a 10-speed makes you feel you're meeting that, and the extra gears are genuinely beneficial to your commute, do it. A good cromo-steel bike is always a dependable beast...just make sure that the drivetrain is not excessively worn and that you're giving it a good cleaning after each ride in the yecch.

Artkansas 

They have internal hubs with 8 speeds and even 14 speeds. Modify your 3 speed with one of those. Harris Cyclery in West Newton handles them as well as 3 speeds. Check them out.

Sheldonbrown.com/harris/Internal Hubs

squeakywheel

I would buy the Raleigh 3-speed. The Motobecane 10-speed would be faster, however, and that's what you say you want.

Sammyboy

I have only two points - firstly, I don't think "too light for bad weather days" is a real issue - the bike might be 10lbs difference in weight, but you probably weigh 150lbs or more - it's just not that much of an issue. Also, upright bars are NOT uncomfortable - quite the opposite. Drop bars are there to let you get more aero, not to make the bike comfier. Upright bars should be good for miles. Regardless, it's relatively cheap to change bars, and you could run a Raleigh 3 speed with trekking bars, bullhorns, anything really.


If I were going to have one bike for commuting, I might choose the 3 speed out of those, they're indestructible, and fenders and rack are great. I love my tourer for commuting, but it does need a little more adjustment than a 3 speed (still very little though)

anastrophe

Thanks everyone for your perspectives. I'm starting to think the 3-speed might be a good idea, because although my commute is ~10 mi, it's mostly either in stop-and-go traffic or on a dedicated bike path. This would be my primary vehicle and I would need it to hold up to grocery shopping and other errands...and in the rain as well. So the Raleigh gets points for having its own fenders and rack, and generally being a sturdy low-maintenance creature, whereas the 10-speed might need some fudging to get fenders on in the first place, and yeah, the exposed drivetrain is a PITA in lousy weather. Also, 3-speeds being "short in the cockpit" (as jcm puts it ) is a definite plus since I'm a small rider.

Another factor is that I hate to change when I get to work if I can possibly get away with biking in my street clothes. Chainguard would help with that.

So it might be the way to go, although I still have some reservations, mainly about the weight. I'm <150 lbs, and I don't like the thought of pushing a bike that weighs more than a third of my weight (with all my commuter stuff) up a hill with only three speeds.

-=(8)=-

Good choice !
The hills will 'disappear' before you know it !!

chipcom 

Do you still have your old commuter? If so, you got your bad weather bike. Get the ten-speed, screw the fenders, ride it on the nicer days, the old bike when it's not so nice. So you might get caught in the rain on the fenderless bike once in a great while, BFD, you won't melt.

If you don't still have your old commuter and this is going to be your primary commuter, get the Raleigh - it isn't like you will never have the chance to buy another bike, and another, and another. There was a time I could only afford one old beater or xmart bike for all my needs...those days are past, now I have 4 bikes and they ain't from no xmart (though I still prowl the thrift stores for diamonds in the rough).

anastrophe

Yeah, I have my old commuter still...but it doesn't fit me well, I don't *love* riding it, and more to the point, I can't look out the window and say, "it looks like it might rain, I think I'll take the crap bike." I live in New England, it rains unpredictably, and I don't like having to switch my lights and panniers back and forth from one bike to another. But it's not a bad suggestion anyways.

PaulH

Unless you have a lot of steep hills, the convenience of the 3 speed will easily win out. I can still remember my first ride on one of those, over 40 years ago. What a revelation!

Paul

al-wagner

10 speed

CBBaron

It really depends on what you want from the bike.
If you want a fast light bike the 3speed probably isn't the bike. The upright riding position and heavy frame and drive train are not performance oriented.
If you want an every day commuter and errand machine the 3speed is your ideal machine. Simple reliable drive train, racks, fenders, chain guard. The upright riding position is nice for shorter stop and go rides.
If it was me, I would get a good older road bike that could take fenders and set up your old MTB as a winter and errand machine. 10miles is long enough to appreciate a faster bike. Many older bikes have enough clearance and mounts for fenders so that would be my choice.
Craig

anastrophe

awagner109: why do you think it's better?

anastrophe

See, that's the real selling point...since most of those 10 mi are full of stoplights and bike path intersections. It's practically impossible to get up any real speed for more than a few minutes without running into a pedestrian or oblivious bike-path joggers w/Ipod.

wahoonc

In the scenario you just described I would go with the 3 speed and get the cog to gear it down for the hills. Cogs are about $15 new or you should be able to find a used one. The upright riding style of the 3 speed, plus the fact you don't have to be pedaling to shift gears are both pluses in this case. BTW...got pictures? (of the bike )

Aaron

anastrophe

On the flip side, though, I'm not crazy about the idea of steel rims in the rain. What's the point of having a drivetrain you don't have to scrub off every time you ride through mud if you can't stop in time for a light?

No pic but anyways it's nothing super special--it's not a Raleigh afterall, it's a Hercules...lady's frame (not an issue for me ) and not in need of any major repair.