What about a 3-speed?

"Gwood" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

With all the talk about SS riding, I started to think about just what
makes
it attractive. The most common thread I hear is simplicity.

I'm all for that. However, as I only get to ride weekends (and I'm
getting
no younger), a bit of mechanical advantage would be essential for somebody
like me in my area - very hilly. So my thoughts stray to a bike with a
fixed gear in rear and standard 3 speed front derailleur.

Slightly more complex than a SS of course, but more approachable for most
riders? I assume you'd need to have some sort of chain tensioner when
going
down from big ring, but that could be made real simple.

Anybody tried a setup like this? (On purpose I mean - I think lots of
folks
have thrashed a rear derailleur riding and been stuck on one rear gear for
part of a ride...).

Gary

Doesn't really make sense to do. With the tooth difference between the big
and small ring, you'd need a rear derailleur. A short cage one would do,
yes. Plus, those are BIG jumps - it would interrupt your pedaling quite
noticably.

On the other hand, I'm currently in possesion of a 1x9. Seems to work
great, haven't gotten too much use out of it due to typical massachusetts
winter weather, but the couple forays I've had on it were fun. Simpler than
a 3x9, but not simple.... the original plan was to make it a SS, but I
didnt' want to shell out for a new rear wheel or fiddle with spacers for
hours!

Jon Bond

Per Gwood:

Quoted message said:

So my thoughts stray to a bike with a
fixed gear in rear and standard 3 speed front derailleur.

Might even work out without the der.

Heinz Stucke, who spend his entire adult life cycling around the world, said
that three was plenty for him. http://bikechina.com/ct-heinzstucke1z.html

--
PeteCresswell

(Pete Cresswell) said:

Per Gwood:

Quoted message said:

So my thoughts stray to a bike with a
fixed gear in rear and standard 3 speed front derailleur.

Might even work out without the der.

How would you change gears..with a screwdriver?

Quoted message said:

Heinz Stucke, who spend his entire adult life cycling around the world, said
that three was plenty for him. http://bikechina.com/ct-heinzstucke1z.html

Cool! He used a 3-speed hub, which sounds better. No chain flopping around
to make enough slack for the front gears. It would feel so wierd to use
pedal brakes again, though. :-)

--
-BB-
To e-mail me, unmunge my address

I have seen a chain tensioner for sale I think at Nashbar. Somebody
must be doing it. The thing bolts on in place of the rear derailleur.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have seen a chain tensioner for sale I think at Nashbar. Somebody
must be doing it. The thing bolts on in place of the rear derailleur.

Those are designed for singlespeeds on bikes with non-horizontal dropouts.
I doubt they'd have enough range to cover a 22-44 spread, but who knows?

Jon

Gwood said:

With all the talk about SS riding, I started to think about just what

makes

Quoted message said:

it attractive. The most common thread I hear is simplicity.

I'm all for that. However, as I only get to ride weekends (and I'm

getting

Quoted message said:

no younger), a bit of mechanical advantage would be essential for

somebody

Quoted message said:

like me in my area - very hilly. So my thoughts stray to a bike with

a

Quoted message said:

fixed gear in rear and standard 3 speed front derailleur.

Slightly more complex than a SS of course, but more approachable for

most

Quoted message said:

riders? I assume you'd need to have some sort of chain tensioner

when going

Quoted message said:

down from big ring, but that could be made real simple.

Anybody tried a setup like this? (On purpose I mean - I think lots

of folks

Quoted message said:

have thrashed a rear derailleur riding and been stuck on one rear

gear for

Quoted message said:

part of a ride...).

Gary

Ultimately, the easiest thing is to just run a singlespeed. choose an
easy ratio to start with, and accept that your geared friends will
probably out-pace you on the declines, since you'll top out somewhere
around 20mph.

But I rode an old 3spd all over WSU in Pullman, WA, which is *very*
hilly, and loved the daily workouts.

CDB

quote='BB On Sat said:

Per Gwood:

Quoted message said:

So my thoughts stray to a bike with a
fixed gear in rear and standard 3 speed front derailleur.

Might even work out without the der.

How would you change gears..with a screwdriver?

No I've done it. You have to stop and move the chain by hand. I didn't change the gear often...

"Mr_Kingkillaha" <[email hidden]>
wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

BB On Sat said:

Quoted message said:

Per Gwood:
> So my thoughts stray to a bike with a
>fixed gear in rear and standard 3 speed front derailleur.

Might even work out without the der.

How would you change gears..with a screwdriver?

No I've done it. You have to stop and move the chain by hand. I
didn't change the gear often...

--
Mr_Kingkillaha

You can also change it with your foot if you're daring enough. I've had to
do that when a front derailleur disintegrated on me in a race... i couldn't
get it back up to the middle ring without stopping, but knocking it down to
the granny for the long climb saved my day.

Jon Bond

A fixed gear? With a derr/spring tensioner? I don't think so. Sounds
like a baaad idea if you're planning on braking with the chain.
A plain offroad fixie (no 3sp) has been done though.
http://www.63xc.com/gregg/101_1.htm
/s

Gwood said:

With all the talk about SS riding, I started to think about just what makes
it attractive. The most common thread I hear is simplicity.

I'm all for that. However, as I only get to ride weekends (and I'm getting
no younger), a bit of mechanical advantage would be essential for somebody
like me in my area - very hilly. So my thoughts stray to a bike with a
fixed gear in rear and standard 3 speed front derailleur.

Slightly more complex than a SS of course, but more approachable for most
riders? I assume you'd need to have some sort of chain tensioner when going
down from big ring, but that could be made real simple.

Anybody tried a setup like this? (On purpose I mean - I think lots of folks
have thrashed a rear derailleur riding and been stuck on one rear gear for
part of a ride...).

Gary

I mentioned this a few years ago, before I got my SS. I still think it
would be a cool bike and maybe one day I'll make one if I ever find a 3
speed hub that seems like it could take the abuse.
From my quick search they all seemed to be aimed at comfort bikes and
the like and may not fare as well under offroad conditions.
But really, for a geared bike, I think a horizontal dropout 3 speed
internal hub (hopefully an efficient one if there is such a thing) would
probably be all most people would need.

Just have a granny, a mid, and a "haulin' ass" gear and no derailleur to
mess with. Pretty simple, versatile, and no chain slap. Might be cool!

Matt

On 2005-03-15, MattB penned:

Quoted message said:

Just have a granny, a mid, and a "haulin' ass" gear and no derailleur to
mess with. Pretty simple, versatile, and no chain slap. Might be cool!

Matt

Without having any real understanding of the technical issues involved, if it
could work well I think it would be a lot of fun. No more micromanaging your
gears, but you'd get some relief for tough climbs and whatnot.

--
monique

"Get a bicycle. You will not regret it, if you live."
-- Mark Twain

MattB said:

Gwood said:

With all the talk about SS riding, I started to think about just

what makes

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

it attractive. The most common thread I hear is simplicity.

I'm all for that. However, as I only get to ride weekends (and I'm

getting

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

no younger), a bit of mechanical advantage would be essential for

somebody

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

like me in my area - very hilly. So my thoughts stray to a bike

with a

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

fixed gear in rear and standard 3 speed front derailleur.

Slightly more complex than a SS of course, but more approachable

for most

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

riders? I assume you'd need to have some sort of chain tensioner

when going

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

down from big ring, but that could be made real simple.

Anybody tried a setup like this? (On purpose I mean - I think lots

of folks

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

have thrashed a rear derailleur riding and been stuck on one rear

gear for

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

part of a ride...).

Gary

I mentioned this a few years ago, before I got my SS. I still think

it

Quoted message said:

would be a cool bike and maybe one day I'll make one if I ever find a

3

Quoted message said:

speed hub that seems like it could take the abuse.
From my quick search they all seemed to be aimed at comfort bikes

and

Quoted message said:

the like and may not fare as well under offroad conditions.
But really, for a geared bike, I think a horizontal dropout 3 speed
internal hub (hopefully an efficient one if there is such a thing)

would

Quoted message said:

probably be all most people would need.

Just have a granny, a mid, and a "haulin' ass" gear and no derailleur

to

Quoted message said:

mess with. Pretty simple, versatile, and no chain slap. Might be

cool!

I've been contemplating using a Nexus 4 speed hub just so I can have
the "hauling @$$ gear. The other gears would be a nice bonus. It would
still retain the attributes I like about SS's such as quietness.

I got 3 speed. Two today male and female. Can't ride
them in the dirt. They came from dike land. Archer,Brooks,Weinmann,etc.
No turning Japanese on this bike. Over twenty years old.

Gwood said:

With all the talk about SS riding, I started to think about just what makes
it attractive. The most common thread I hear is simplicity.

I'm all for that. However, as I only get to ride weekends (and I'm getting
no younger), a bit of mechanical advantage would be essential for somebody
like me in my area - very hilly. So my thoughts stray to a bike with a
fixed gear in rear and standard 3 speed front derailleur.

Slightly more complex than a SS of course, but more approachable for most
riders? I assume you'd need to have some sort of chain tensioner when going
down from big ring, but that could be made real simple.

Anybody tried a setup like this? (On purpose I mean - I think lots of folks
have thrashed a rear derailleur riding and been stuck on one rear gear for
part of a ride...).

Gary

Like you I live in hilly country. I have five bikes. One has a Nexus
three speed rear hub. I prefer my 3 x 9s, but often like the Nexus,
especially in sandy areas or level parts of the country. They're
inexpensive. If you don't want the problems with a rear derailleur,
they're the answer. SSs are okay if you like punishment or live in
flatland. Life is short. Treat yourself.

Check out Sheldon's site for even better Nexus hubs, such as the 7 or
8 speed ones. Two hundred bucks will get you a 7 speed plus a
rapidfire shifter.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/nexus.html

Note what someone else said about Heinz Stucke. Heinz/Henry used a
Sturmey Archer and it has taken him and loads of baggage all over the
world. He really is the "most traveled man in history."

I predict that these internal hubs are going to make a big comeback.
Note the advantages Sheldon mentions. Just make sure you've got V
brakes; the internal brakes are pretty lame for mountain biking.

Old Timer

Old Timer said:

I predict that these internal hubs are going to make a big comeback.

Not unless they get a more durable SA/nexus design, or lighter Rolhoff
type design. I would be afraid of a SA or nexus hub in the dirt
because of durability issues. Standing on the pedals and grinding up a
hill at 225 lbs puts a lot of wear and tear on drivetrains, especially
hubs. Also, the weight weenies don't especially care for a Rolhoff
design and I find the strange balance point from all of that weight low
and to the rear very uncomfortable. I could see that making going back
and forth from a singlespeed to a geared a real problem, even for an
experienced rider.

JD

Got Sturmey Archer and drum brakes.