C&V City Casual Commuter
01-23-18, 11:07 AM
#26
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Location: Manhattan & Woodstock NY
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Bikes: 1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, early '70s Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Raleigh International, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mk1
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+1 on the vintage 3-speed solution. It's exactly what these bikes were made for. My commute in Manhattan is about 4.5 miles. Pretty much all the service it needed after last season was a wipe down and a bit of oiling here and there.
My workplace required suit-and-tie until recently. I already had the Sports. It's mostly stock save for a slightly larger cog for a bit lower gearing and the consumables. The bags are Linus Market rollups. My locks & gear are in one side and my work bag in the other. They go on and off fairly easliy and have a shoulder strap. I've also used a Racktime Commuter briefcase-style pannier, but these allow more storage for stops on the way home.
My workplace required suit-and-tie until recently. I already had the Sports. It's mostly stock save for a slightly larger cog for a bit lower gearing and the consumables. The bags are Linus Market rollups. My locks & gear are in one side and my work bag in the other. They go on and off fairly easliy and have a shoulder strap. I've also used a Racktime Commuter briefcase-style pannier, but these allow more storage for stops on the way home.
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1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, 197? Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1971 Raleigh International, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I
Curator/Team Mechanic: 2016 Dawes Streetfighter, 1984 Lotus Eclair, 1975 Motobecane Jubile Mixte, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Free Spirit Ted Williams, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Philips Sport
1987 Mercian Pro, 1985 Shogun 500, 197? Falcon San Remo, 1972 Peugeot PX-10, 1972 Schwinn Paramount P13-9, 1971 Peugeot PX-10, 1971 Raleigh International, 1970 Raleigh Professional Mark I
Curator/Team Mechanic: 2016 Dawes Streetfighter, 1984 Lotus Eclair, 1975 Motobecane Jubile Mixte, 1974 Raleigh Sports, 1973 Free Spirit Ted Williams, 1972 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Philips Sport
Last edited by ascherer; 01-23-18 at 11:11 AM.
01-23-18, 11:22 AM
#27
aka Tom Reingold
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Here is one way towards that three-speed. Since you say you want to build something, you can.
LOVELY BICYCLES ON A BUDGET: VINTAGE VS MODERN
LOVELY BICYCLES ON A BUDGET: VINTAGE VS MODERN
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
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Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
01-23-18, 04:02 PM
#28
Full Member
Looking for ideas on a new build.
I unfortunately now have a job that requires suit and tie type dress. This complicates bike commuting. On days when I work in the Vancouver WA office that is 13 miles from my house, I ride in bike kit and shower/change at the office. But on days when I work in the Portland OR office that is only 2.5 miles from my house, the whole bike kit/shower/change routine seems a little much; it makes a 10-15 minute commute into a 30 minute process. Plus the shower/locker facility at that office is not re-opening until April, and changing in a toilet stall is irritating, and stripping in the bike room in the parking garage is a little too thrilling to do regularly. I have done it a few times, but eventually a lady bike commuter is going to walk in, walk out, and call security.
So I am thinking about building a bike . . . The requirements are:
1. Can be comfortably and conveniently ridden in a suit and coat, with leather-soled dress shoes, even on wet days.
2. Won't get chain oil or dirty road spray on pants. I would prefer not to use pants clips, but I could.
3. Riding position suitable for wearing a rain cape. I don't see myself putting rain jacket/pants over my suit, which would be a sauna. But I do have a rain cape . . .
4. Gearing suitable for a 2.5 mile ride that is largely flat. There is a minor grade when crossing bridge. Depending on the rest of the route, there is a climb of 3% grade for 2600 feet (10 short blocks) or 5% for 1030 feet (three long blocks).
5. Lights, reflectives, for riding in city traffic on dark rainy nights.
6. Kind of cheap and easy. I don't want to spend a lot of $ or time on this. I have other bike projects that take priority.
Could this be the excuse to acquire an three-speedish sort of bike with chain guard and upright bars.
I unfortunately now have a job that requires suit and tie type dress. This complicates bike commuting. On days when I work in the Vancouver WA office that is 13 miles from my house, I ride in bike kit and shower/change at the office. But on days when I work in the Portland OR office that is only 2.5 miles from my house, the whole bike kit/shower/change routine seems a little much; it makes a 10-15 minute commute into a 30 minute process. Plus the shower/locker facility at that office is not re-opening until April, and changing in a toilet stall is irritating, and stripping in the bike room in the parking garage is a little too thrilling to do regularly. I have done it a few times, but eventually a lady bike commuter is going to walk in, walk out, and call security.
So I am thinking about building a bike . . . The requirements are:
1. Can be comfortably and conveniently ridden in a suit and coat, with leather-soled dress shoes, even on wet days.
2. Won't get chain oil or dirty road spray on pants. I would prefer not to use pants clips, but I could.
3. Riding position suitable for wearing a rain cape. I don't see myself putting rain jacket/pants over my suit, which would be a sauna. But I do have a rain cape . . .
4. Gearing suitable for a 2.5 mile ride that is largely flat. There is a minor grade when crossing bridge. Depending on the rest of the route, there is a climb of 3% grade for 2600 feet (10 short blocks) or 5% for 1030 feet (three long blocks).
5. Lights, reflectives, for riding in city traffic on dark rainy nights.
6. Kind of cheap and easy. I don't want to spend a lot of $ or time on this. I have other bike projects that take priority.
Could this be the excuse to acquire an three-speedish sort of bike with chain guard and upright bars.
There you go. A bike like this is absolutely perfect for your mission profile. Upright seating position won't stretch out your arms when you're wearing a suit jacket, 3 speed and chain guard will keep your pants clean. Not a great hill climber, not with what passes for a low gear on an Sturmey AW, but for flat short commutes it's quite enough. Pedals made for use with dress shoes. This one happens to be a classic Raleigh Sports. There are modern versions, but of course this is C&V so...
01-23-18, 04:16 PM
#29
aka Tom Reingold
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You can lower all the gears on a 3-speed by replacing the rear sprocket. They're available in many sizes. If you go up a lot, you'll have to replace the chain, as the existing one will be too short.
I think my 3-speed came with an 18T sprocket. I replaced it with a monster 24T when I lived in hilly Maplewood, NJ. I don't need that any more now that the bike lives in Florida.
I think my 3-speed came with an 18T sprocket. I replaced it with a monster 24T when I lived in hilly Maplewood, NJ. I don't need that any more now that the bike lives in Florida.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
01-23-18, 04:27 PM
#30
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Find a nice lightweight road frame with room for mudguards. Slightly smaller than your regular ride to get an upright position. Alloy Northroad bars, sprung Brooks, single chainring with outer guard, 2 speed Duomatic with 22 tooth cog. Rack, led lights, platform pedals. Front brake to supplement coaster brake rear. Effin' luvly.
01-23-18, 04:34 PM
#31
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Are you okay with wrenching or paying a bike shop to deal with the hard stuff? The obvious choice would be a Raleigh Sports, but if it's been sitting for a while, it'll take a little work to get it back up to snuff. Mainly the cottered cranks - if it's been a while since it's last service (like most), you'll need some service done.
On something like a Chicago Schwinn, a full service can be done with an adjustable wrench. If you just want a simple commuter for 2mi, that might be a better bet. Not as cool, but very reliable machines.
On something like a Chicago Schwinn, a full service can be done with an adjustable wrench. If you just want a simple commuter for 2mi, that might be a better bet. Not as cool, but very reliable machines.
01-23-18, 06:07 PM
#32
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Find a nice lightweight road frame with room for mudguards. Slightly smaller than your regular ride to get an upright position. Alloy Northroad bars, sprung Brooks, single chainring with outer guard, 2 speed Duomatic with 22 tooth cog. Rack, led lights, platform pedals. Front brake to supplement coaster brake rear. Effin' luvly.
01-23-18, 07:21 PM
#33
Senior Member
Well here’s mine, not sure it’s what your looking for exactly, but it’s 3-speed, upright and folds small enough to tuck next to my desk without getting a second look. Used on a 20 - 40km two way commute, depending on where I’m working.
01-24-18, 01:44 AM
#34
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Beautiful bikes pictured here! I'm getting the vibe.
One thing I will have to learn is the art of mellow riding. The other is riding without foot retention. Smoking a pipe while riding would be good too. I wonder if there is a handlebar mount pipe rest.
One thing I will have to learn is the art of mellow riding. The other is riding without foot retention. Smoking a pipe while riding would be good too. I wonder if there is a handlebar mount pipe rest.
01-24-18, 06:37 AM
#35
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Fenders, Brooks, 4-speed, and it's so English, it can only be ridden whilst wearing a tweed jacket and turtleneck.
Wrong coast, though.......
https://norfolk.craigslist.org/bik/d...438859389.html
Wrong coast, though.......
https://norfolk.craigslist.org/bik/d...438859389.html
01-24-18, 09:20 AM
#36
Bike Butcher of Portland
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There you go. A bike like this is absolutely perfect for your mission profile. Upright seating position won't stretch out your arms when you're wearing a suit jacket, 3 speed and chain guard will keep your pants clean. Not a great hill climber, not with what passes for a low gear on an Sturmey AW, but for flat short commutes it's quite enough. Pedals made for use with dress shoes. This one happens to be a classic Raleigh Sports. There are modern versions, but of course this is C&V so...
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
01-24-18, 03:35 PM
#37
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I like the idea of a front basket but might not do the Wald. It is functional but IMO not sublimely elegant.
Hey everyone, any experiences with Sturmey Archer drum brakes? Are they effective, maintenance free, and work in the rain?
Hey everyone, any experiences with Sturmey Archer drum brakes? Are they effective, maintenance free, and work in the rain?
01-24-18, 04:19 PM
#38
ambulatory senior
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modern sa drums are terrific. they take a bit to break in but they stopped well for me when i was using them. the front drum/dynamo hub the make now works really well but it is heavy as all get out.
01-24-18, 05:50 PM
#39
aka Tom Reingold
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Citi Bike in NYC switched from Shimano hubs to Sturmey Archer. Front is drum brake and dynamo, and rear is drum brake 3-speed. The Shimano brakes were barely acceptable. The Sturmey Archer brakes are outstanding. Drum brakes require less maintenance than other types. But all drum brake hubs weigh a lot. The newest Citi Bike models have the same Sturmey Archer front wheel and a rear hub with NuVinci continuously variable ratio and a drum brake made by I-don't-know-who.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
01-24-18, 06:02 PM
#40
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Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
01-24-18, 11:14 PM
#41
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sounds like a @gugie custom is in order 
01-25-18, 12:00 AM
#42
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You mean your @gugie Special isn't coming fully customized to spec? 
01-25-18, 11:42 AM
#43
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I have SA drums on two of my bikes, and they're great. I have both sizes. I find that the 90mm is a bit much for a bolt-upright bike, but works well for a slightly-forward riding position. The 70mm size works really well for bolt-upright. The bike with the 90mm hubs has a 5-speed 90mm rear hub, and the one with the 70mm has the generator in front and 3-speed 70mm rear.
01-25-18, 11:53 AM
#44
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I have SA drums on two of my bikes, and they're great. I have both sizes. I find that the 90mm is a bit much for a bolt-upright bike, but works well for a slightly-forward riding position. The 70mm size works really well for bolt-upright. The bike with the 90mm hubs has a 5-speed 90mm rear hub, and the one with the 70mm has the generator in front and 3-speed 70mm rear.
curious, what does hub have to do with riding position? or is it more braking power? thx
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
01-25-18, 11:55 AM
#45
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you could use dual side pedals..... flat/spd get best of both worlds at your choice
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)
01-25-18, 12:00 PM
#46
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It has more braking power. I had a couple experiences last year, when I had the bike equipped with the larger hubs set up with a more upright position, where I felt that it was a bit overly grabby and actually crashed once in the snow as a result of it. Something about having the less-than-bolt-upright riding position of the current setup makes it feel a lot smoother and less grabby. That's one of the reasons I went with the 70mm hubs when I built up the ANT frame (which is set up for a similar riding position to my 1937 Raleigh Tourist with its rod brakes)
01-25-18, 12:24 PM
#47
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I have SA drums on two of my bikes, and they're great. I have both sizes. I find that the 90mm is a bit much for a bolt-upright bike, but works well for a slightly-forward riding position. The 70mm size works really well for bolt-upright. The bike with the 90mm hubs has a 5-speed 90mm rear hub, and the one with the 70mm has the generator in front and 3-speed 70mm rear.
01-25-18, 12:34 PM
#48
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Yeah, it's pretty sweet! It's an ANT frame that I bought lightly used, with a fork custom-built by Royal H to change the steering geometry a bit, and its whole purpose is to be a more practical take on my '37 Raleigh. It has brakes that actually work in wet weather, much more cargo capacity, generator-powered lighting, and doesn't have 80-year-old obsolete proprietary parts! (well, except the shifter, I guess....)
01-25-18, 10:00 PM
#49
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Both of those bikes are all sorts of awesome. 
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A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
A race bike in any era is a highly personal choice that at its "best" balances the requirements of fit, weight, handling, durability and cost tempered by the willingness to toss it and oneself down the pavement at considerable speed. ~Bandera
01-27-18, 08:23 AM
#50
Senior Member
At the risk of being labelled a heretic, maybe you could consider looking at some newer stuff from Breezer.
Lately I've been thinking about moving back to the USA and was thinking about what I would like in a commuter bike. My touring-to-sports-touring American side coupled with my newfound love of Scandinavian commuter gear lead me in that direction. I've found some good deals lately from Performance, and it seems that Nashbar happened onto a stock of older models that they're unloading at good prices.
I have no experience with Breezer bikes. My only experience with IGHs is the probably 20 year old Shimano 7-speed with coaster brake that I have on my city bike, and I built all my cheapo dynamo systems by hand. But I like all of it for practical reasons.
Many of the cheaper lights available nowadays are quite good, too. The cheap (~$20) AXA Echo 30 that I bought 2 years back is almost as functionally-nice as the B&M that I bought in 2013 ($120). So if you buy an older bike that already has a useful dynamo, you can do some serious upgrading for cafe latte money just by replacing the headlamp.
Lately I've been thinking about moving back to the USA and was thinking about what I would like in a commuter bike. My touring-to-sports-touring American side coupled with my newfound love of Scandinavian commuter gear lead me in that direction. I've found some good deals lately from Performance, and it seems that Nashbar happened onto a stock of older models that they're unloading at good prices.
I have no experience with Breezer bikes. My only experience with IGHs is the probably 20 year old Shimano 7-speed with coaster brake that I have on my city bike, and I built all my cheapo dynamo systems by hand. But I like all of it for practical reasons.
Many of the cheaper lights available nowadays are quite good, too. The cheap (~$20) AXA Echo 30 that I bought 2 years back is almost as functionally-nice as the B&M that I bought in 2013 ($120). So if you buy an older bike that already has a useful dynamo, you can do some serious upgrading for cafe latte money just by replacing the headlamp.