Average new guy asking for direction..
 

I've been years without a bike. My father still has his MTB. Although I believe it is too big for him (he's 5'3). I have very little knowledge on bikes. I'm about 5'9, 31" inseam. 18" frame on 26" wheels. I like the feel even if I could bump the size up bit.
Cutting to the chase.. I simply want a road bike. I prefer the minimal/simple look of a fixie but with only a few gears (as I rarely change it on my father's bike). I'm just an average guy who likes to cruise around the neighborhood or park. Occasionally giving in a brief quick pedaling for a momentary fast ride.
My direction is to grab a road bike off Craigslist and giving it my personal taste. I dislike the look of the derailleur, so maybe an internal gear hub may do the trick? I have read up on gear ratios but still tends to be confusing as to what would feel right.

A Good direction for you to go
( learn & get what you want )
:thumb:

May want to take it to a bike shop & have them help you get the parts you will need for your set up.

Single speed is fine and simple. Not a lot of maintenance. But personally that's not much fun, especially if there are some hills.

IGH tend to be more expensive, but if you don't like the look of derailleurs then there really isn't much choice for you.

Was there an actual question in there other than a statement about IGH doing the trick? :shrug:

Well I don't know if there are any other options... I was thinking of a single speed with a front derailleur with different size cranks but I don't think that may be practical?

If you have multiple chainrings, you'll need a way to take up chain slack when you shift between rings. That means a rear derailleur or something that looks like one. If you wanted to go that route, you could get a Schlumpf internally-geared bottom bracket. More expensive than an IGH, though, and only 2 gears.

Road bike is something that looks like a ten speed, though those are rare now. Sounds more like you want a cruiser, which is a lot better for cruising around the neighborhood and park . They make them as 3 speeds.

I've adapted old road bikes. One of mine now has a 3-speed IGH. Another is single speed with a coaster brake. So I'm familiar with these conversions, and I greatly enjoy riding them.

There are actually a few bikes out there with IGH's but it takes a bit more searching because they are still perceived as a niche item. If you want to adapt an existing bike, then there are some things to look for.

For instance, it will be easier to work with a steel frame with horizontal dropouts. The steel frame lets you bend it a bit to accommodate the varying standards for rear dropout spacing. Horizontal dropouts let you make up for the slightly variable length of the chain, which a derailleur would normally take care of. And naturally there are many of creative options as well. All of this is for the mechanically inclined, possibly not for the faint of heart. I've gone so far as to build my own wheels so I can have exactly what I want.

The drawback is that it's hard to come out ahead cost-wise compared to starting with an inexpensive mainstream bike. Derailleurs aren't all that ugly. ;)

Luckily I am mechanically inclined. Lots of tools in the garage, so no issue there. I wouldn't mind a 3 speed. I find myself jumping into this too quickly. Need to research more on sizing, spacing and dropouts. Lots of areas to cover. :foo:

It's good to do some research. I've used old parts, Sturmey Archer AW and Bendix Red Band, because it's a hobby. But people are getting wise to the value of those parts, so it can be hard to find bargains. On the other hand, a new hub isn't all that expensive in the grand scheme, and then you know exactly what you're getting and whether it has all of the needed bits. (Including the correct number of spoke holes for the rim that you want to use).

Don’t like the look of a rear deraileur? Yes, they can disquiet a body. May I suggest a White Ind. SS hub? Nothing says Zen like the calm that comes from becoming one with a hive of angry bees. Preferably in skinny jeans.

Kilo TT, it has to be said.

Might I suggest buying a very cheap bike at a thrift store just to try it out? You have a lot of ideas but (it seems to me) not so much information informing them.

Not clear on why the "look" f a rear derailleur would be an issue, but it is if it is. That leaves you pretty much with IGH.

I bet you could find a lot of cheap bikes with three-speed rear hubs in decent shape, and since you are mechanically inclined ... get three and build two from the parts.

if you don't ride a lot or ride hard, even a big-box store bike might work just fine. They tend to be cheaply made, but that isn't an issue if you don't stress them hard.

Got to places like Nashbar.com or even BikesDirect and get a feel for what is on the market. or, if you are really ready to buy a bike which might never work right---or might---go to Craigslist. if you are handy with some tools, there is plenty of readily available information on how to repair anything .....

And unless you have a lot of hills, a single-speed is fine. But from what you say, it sounds like a cheap three-speed IGH bike is what you would like best.

Good luck whatever ....

You could use an "old school" 3 speed internal gear rear hub. They should not be very expensive.
Sturmey-Archer & Shimano made millions of them..... Either find a used one, or by a used 3-speed bike for parts.
Only problem is they were most commonly on 26" wheels, so may not work on a standard 700c road bike.

Are 26" wheels more common than 700c? I read that in some article. Aside from that I had no luck with Craigslist... Found some decent ones but were rather vintage and $300+ .. Upon further research, I was expanding my knowledge on cranksets and such, I found what will work for me. I'll definitely go with one (rather small) crank ring instead of having 2-3. I rode around on the 18 speed today and took note of what I liked best. It has the 3 crank rings but I really stuck with the smallest one because of less load on the knees. Haven't taken a look at the of the amount of teeth it had for reference.

Lookup the Nuvinci hub. Continuously variable transmission bike hub.

I've ridden one. Not near road bike gear range, but with a double or triple more than enough for a recreation rider looking to avoid a rear deraileur.

Supposedly little to no maintenance also.

The derailleur may look ugly and complicated but we put up with that for the big advantage: simple, cheap, and it works. By "works" I mean it's easy to set up and then after that it just works right until it wears out or you replace cables. Not a lot of maintenance. Light weight comparatively. No worries really, if and when you need to replace it.

I understand not wanting one (single speeds are also an option) and I'm not trying to talk you out of an internal gear hub, but I just wanted to get the relative advantages out in the open for your consideration.

I have modified many older steel road bike frames to be simpler, e.g single speed or IGH. My favorite is a late 70's Nishiki Professional frame fitted to a 2 speed Sturmey Archer "kick-back" hub. No cables; shifting is done by a slight back pedal. I built the hubs with 700c rims. The new Sturmey 3 speed hubs work well and they are very reliable, but you will need a shifter and cabling. A word of caution: You will need a frame with horizontal dropouts so that you can adjust chain tension. Otherwise you will have to use a chain tensioner (or elliptical bottom bracket).

Good plan - keep posting as you progress.

Thanks for the feedback guys it's appreciated. Budget wise I'd like to get something under $200. I know it's a "ha-ha good luck" with that price for a frame for my size but ill be on standby for local sales.
[MENTION=457988]Hoopdriver[/MENTION] that kick back hub sounds really neat. Didn't know there was such thing!

If you go that route, you'll need a chain tensioner, which looks very much like the derailleurs whose appearance you told us you dislike.

I'm back folks. Since I cannot post a photo yet, I recently bought a Spalding Blade RE 12 Speed (early 80s) for $125 on Craigslist. Really good condition.Thankfully enough it's a budget friendly price and good project starter. Will be changing the handlebars and repainting some parts as well as the frame. I noticed that it's really tough to find 1 3/8 width tires for 27" rims. Preferably cyclocross style.. I want something fatter and more comfortable. Not feeling these 1/4. Is it worth the 700c conversion for the shopping ease?