Originally Posted by
noglider
In the 50's in the US, there were probably more US-made single-speed bomber bikes than English 3-speeds. Now where are they? All I see from that period now are the 3-speeds. Impressive.
Probably mostly junked while still serviceable in the early 70's for brand new "10 speed racers" with an ass hatchet seat, rock hard, uncomfortable, twitchy ride, with unreliable shifting mechanisms, crappy wet weather brakes, and without previous standard features like fenders, chainguard and kick stand; which soon got hung on garage walls or junked.
The dependability, reliability, durability, simplicity and practicality of the English and American 3 speed bikes was recognized by sufficient number of urban cyclists to allow the breed to survive the enthusiast/marketeer hype for "10 speed racer"/performance bikes.