I’d want a dropped seatpost to get to the lever... lol!
The idea for 3 speed came about because a neighbor rode a single speed mtb. He said he got tired of fiddling with the RD. The only issue he has is not enough top end and occasionally having to run up a steep climb carrying his bike. The guy is a beast.
I told him if he ever wanted to try it, I could see if I could set the limit screws to run 3 cogs with friction shifting. He would need to get a hanger setup for his single speed. It never happened, but it was a project I always wanted to try.
John