Hi, 1st time poster long time lurker here. I'd like to get back into biking just for exercise and short errands. I rode English 3 speeds in the distant past and would like to return to a similar bike. I've tried Craigslist and all the local thrift stores, flea markets, etc. to no avail. Ebay has vintage 3 speeds but they're invariably 1000+mi away and the pics aren't usually good enough to see what you're really getting. I think my best bet is a recreation of the old Raleigh 3 speed. Anybody out there making such a bike for a reasonable (less than $400) price?

See if you can find a 2008 Schwinn Coffee. It is probably the closest new bike available to that English 3 speed. MSRP $389.

https://www.schwinnbike.com/usa/eng/P...F3-Coffee-3spd

There is also the KHS Green if you can find one and or a dealer. IIRC they were right around $300. WM had a Schwinn 3 speed but they had messed it up by adding a suspension fork

Aaron

Thanks for the tips; anybody else got any ideas?

Flying Pigeon or find an original Raleigh or Rudge in your size and restore it..

I like the overall look of the Coffee with the horizontal top tube. The Schwinn site does not list frame dimensions, which look pretty small for an average adult male. Also I do not care for the use of one piece cranks, presumably steel.

IIRC it was either 19" or 20"...the one size fits all mentality...

I saw a pair of these in shop last year, not bad, but I felt they were pricey at $389 each. They were also waiting on a replacement fender, one had been damaged in shipping. Shop owner said Schwinn was a PITA to get parts like that from.

Aaron

There are plenty of good used 3 speeds out there, Just give it a little more time. I was at a garage sale, recently, & the woman had a completely original '67 Raleigh bike. Yes, I left with it. A local college girl bought it from me. If you like old Schwinns, keep an eye on this site's classified ads.
https://www.schwinnbike.com/usa/eng/f...isplay.php?f=3

Here is one in the Tampa Bay area that may be worth investigating.

27" 3 speed Schwinn 70s model men's bike - $125

https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/bik/1015413709.html

Well, we're here on the C&V forum so as soon as I post this there will be responses that none of these modern bikes are fit to wipe the shoes of a classic three speed. Whatever.

Advice: if you're talking new, up your $400 budget and get a better quality bike. (The late Sheldon Brown once took into account inflation, exchange rates, consumer purchasing power and other factors and calculated a Raleigh Sports cost its original purchaser the equivalent of $800 in today's market.)

In addition to bikes already mentioned, current "traditional pattern" 3-speed offerings include:
Batavus Blockbuster
Bianchi Milano Parco
Breezer Citizen, Freedom
Civia Hyland, Loring
Electra Townie 700-3, Amsterdam Sport 3 Custom
Fisher Simple City 3

If you're up for adding your own fenders, there's also the Sun Cyckel.

HTH,
tcs

What do you guys think of the Sun Cyckel?



Uses the sram torpedo 3 hub, lugged steel frame, retails around $500

Sure. You can also try Electra - they've got "town bikes." or the new Schwinn Willy (replaced the Coffee). Trek has "City bikes" that aren't 3 speeds, but you can get one with North Road handlebars, full fenders and an Internally Geared 8 spd hub.

I was going to suggest the Electra Amsterdam. More expensive though... and apparently there is a recall due to some issue with the chain case that can cause a chain derail.

Another one is the Biria Classic Dutch. I think that one is less than the Electra.

Sooner or later, if you get serious about bicycling for exercise, you will want a road bike. If you like a women's style, the vintage mixtes are tough to beat. I sold a Panasonic Sport LX in January for $135; alloy rims, three piece crank, cromoly frame. I think any of the Japanese mixtes from the 80s would be nice, and can be found in the $100 to $150 range.

The sun look nice here's the link https://www.sunbicycles.com/sun/index.html

The OP said nothing about mixtes or derailleur bikes. Where did your reply come from??

FWIW, the Amsterdams do NOT have a chain case. They have a chain guard, cleverly styled to look like a chainscase, that's actually wide open on the side toward the wheel.

Best,
tcs

On paper I really like the Cyckel; in real life I've never seen one and don't know where to go locally to look at one. IIRC Sun is coy about what steel alloy they use in the Cyckel's frame.

I have seen several Fisher Simple City 3s, and was impressed with the build, spec and classy appearance. The pedals, stock two-legged kickstand and optional factory front basket stood out. Despite the "Dutch-bike" Fisher marketing hype, the Simple Cities are actually inspired by/based on another classic city bike design, the Schwinn Suburban.

HTH,
tcs

It looks good in the picture. Is that the same Sun that makes recumbents?

Performance lists 30.75" for the standover on the Coffee single speed which I presume is the same frame.
https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...estore_ID=1366

It's pretty annoying that Schwinn didn't provide geometry info on their site or in last year's catalog.

I saw a Cyckel at a shop in West Palm Beach a few weeks ago, and it definitely caught my eye. It's a nice looking bike with good retro appeal and a non-sloping top tube. It was priced around $375, IIRC.

The branding on the one I saw was weird, I didn't see "Sun" anywhere, but there was an Origin8 logo on the seat tube.

I can't tell from the picture if the Sun has fender eyelets and I can't get into their site here at work.

If someone posted this and I missed it sorry... But, don't forget the Kona Africa3 bike. Simple, understated, utilitarian step through frame, good solid looking bike, I think... A little pricey at aprox. $450.00, but not too bad... Unless you have some kind of a hangup about a step through frame... I know I would ride the devil out of it myself.

https://www.konaworld.com/09_africabikethree_u.cfm

Not in the listed price range but for those who want a NEW true classic English 3 speed there is Pashley. To my eyes they make some beautiful classic appearing machines.

I found a Jamis Commuter 3.0 online for $400 delivered. It's an 8 speed internal hub but it's got the classic British look. Anybody have an opinion on the Jamis bikes?