Ultimate three speed
 

Not quite sure where to put this thread; mods, please move as needed.

I love three speeds. I had a vintage Schwinn Speedster that I came home to find crushed by a truck 11 years ago. I replaced it with a single speed Windsor TimeLine which I later had a shop convert to a three speed with a modern Sturmey-Archer SRF3. I later bought a Linus Gaston 3 with the same hub. Both of these bikes are light enough to be quick, certainly quick enough for riding in NYC. But owning these bikes has me wondering how far I can push the concept.

Is a carbon framed three speed possible? I know most generic carbon road frames have vertical dropouts, and carbon track frames aren’t drilled for brakes. If anyone knows of a carbon frame with horizontal dropouts or track ends and drilled for brakes, please let me know.

Long story short, I would like to build (or get the parts and get one of my local shops to build) a carbon framed version of something like a 1950s Raliegh Record Ace or Lenton. Drop bar three speeds are really fun, and I want to see how far the concept can go.

Yes, I have devoured the C&V threads on English three speeds and Club bikes.

I didn't find any with a carbon frame but there are belt drive aluminum framed three speed bicycles.

Why not 11 or 8 speed IGH? Shimano even has an IGH hub with electronic shifting.

What kind of carbon frame are you thinking of? A typical road bike frame? While many do, I don't feel a road bike frame is ideal for urban stop and go riding.

I have no experience with Shimano IGHs, but I have heard that the Alfine 11 has gone Di2. I asked my shop guy about the Sturmey-Archer eight speed and he replied, “you want to get involved with that” after a long pause and advised me to stick with the three speed.

I have had great experience with the SRF3 and AW, but I am curious about the eight and 11 speed hubs.

It seems to me that you could run any IGH or single speed hub in a vertically dropped CF frame if you used a simple tensioner. Or a rear derailleur locked in one position. I haven't done this but I trust that those who know more than I do on this matter will step in and correct me if I am wrong. Most modern CF road frames are going to be 130 OLD so that could be a challenge.

Right. That 130 rear dropout spacing is a definite question mark.

I grant this is a weird idea, a modern version of a 1950s Raliegh IGH road bike. But I see no reason conceptually why it can’t be done.

If money isn't a concern I'm sure one of the custom framebuilders can make you whatever you want.

Would that Raliegh originally have a coaster brake?

A dozen or so years ago, I had a custom steel frame road bike built - as a 1xN = the "perfect" bike for my needs.
Before doing so, I kept careful track of the bike gear inch combinations I used the most.
Turned out 36, 48 and 64 were what I used most often. Almost never anything above 80 and some times around 30.
So I had my N speeds built with about 28 the lowest and just over 80, highest approx 3.2x total range.
Turns out 36, 48 and 64 are almost identical to the three ratios of a 3 speed IGH.
Recently, I too have been thinking about a lightweight frame for a 3 speed hub, leaning toward Ti however.
A work in progress...... have one of those decade birthdays coming up soon - might splurge then ?

Nope. No coaster brake. Like this:

https://on-the-drops.blogspot.com/20...1946-1951.html

I use road bike for urban riding. Not a single problem.

IGH Road / gravel bikes are becoming more common nowadays. Many of them belt drive and can be had for as little as ~1000 bucks brand new. Some carbon, some aluminum. I would have bought one if I can afford it. In desperate need of true all-weather machine.

Very cool idea. A friend has a custom Landshark carbon fiber fixed gear bike with belt drive.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c1082860a.jpeg
Just came in from a ride on the Windsor. Notice where the trigger shifter is, similar to the old Ralieghs. I have to weigh it; never got around to that. It’s an all 4130 frame and fork, aluminum stem (with extension, as added by a professional fitter) and bars. Very comfortable, quick enough for Brooklyn, and the gearing works well.

Nice! My Windsor has gearing of 52, 69, and 92 inches, which is pretty close to the traditional Raliegh gearing (different rim/tire combination, I am running 700-32 on the Windsor and 700-35 on the Linus) and I am running the traditional 46x18 ring and cog.

Wasting an evening on Bike Forums today.

​​​​​​I had a Three Speed in the 70's .

There was a line ad in the back of Bicycling Magazine where you could send your Sturmey Archer cog carrier to weld on a five speed thread on sprocket cluster.

I then bought some rims and spokes and built a wheelset and put the cogs on, big ones for the day to climb, and using a friction thumb shifter and a twist grip 3 speed shifter and a double chainrings with a Huret Alpine I made a 30 speed bike with money from being a janitor.

I still have the wheelset and now just reading this I'm going to have to find out if that hub still works. I put Texaco transmission fluid in it and it's not leaked out , but it could have turned into glue.

Anyway that bike was crazy It was a Univega frame. Did many big rides and a few camping trips (tours or bike packing today, but back then I saw them as camping trips).