Three-speed freewheel
 

A propos of my thread on the Torpado Europa with the three-speed "Ocean" freewheel. This bike was not new, but I don't think it was earlier than 70s, either.

How long ago might you ordinarily find a new three-speed freewheel (i.e., in Europe)? Can you still find them? I think of them as a thing of the very distant past.

I've seen the Surly Dingle two-speed fixed cog. It would be funny to figure out a way to attach that to a freewheel and set up a two speed bike with rd. Or how about a six-speed with three in front and two in back? Oh, oh. This post is starting to belong on the alt-bike forum.

I have a fixed thread on threespeed cluster, no markings, french thread I think. I've always wanted to do something cool with it, haven't found the hub yet.

Sheldon Brown discusses his 63 speed bike on his site.

I've seen them on Ebay.

You could do the same thing with a cassette hub, three surly cogs and some spacers to take the place of the missing cogs. It will even index with 9 speed Shimano shifters. Surly cogs are spaced correctly for 9 speed Shimano when placed side by side with no spacers.

My 1973 Wheel Goods (Minneapolis MN) catalog shows 3 and 4 speed Regina freewheels.

In 1974 I bought my son a tiny Gitane road bike with a 15" frame, 500A wheels and a 14-18-22 freewheel. It was so small that despite steel rims, hubs, bars & cranks and a gaspipe frame, weight was under 20 lbs.