PSA - Society of Three Speed membership
05-19-21, 10:01 PM
#26
Insane Bicycle Mechanic
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This is why I have a garage full of bikes. I have a bicycle addiction and a wife who facilitates it.
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Jeff Wills
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Jeff Wills
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05-20-21, 02:11 PM
#27
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Well, Shawn is a frequent BF contributor under @adventurepdx, though he doesn’t necessarily need to join the fray here as arbiter of IGHs!
Shawn of Society of Three Speeds here. And note, it's Shawn with a W, not "u". I mean, you showed my biz card in the photo, @gugie
Also, to be pedantic, the proper abbreviation is SoTS. No periods between letters, and note that the "o" is lowercase.
Anyways, thank you for the interest in my little club. To clear up some confusion:
- This club is open to anyone who appreciates the humble three-speed internally geared hub. You don't even have to own a bike with one (yet), but it sure helps! You just can't disparage three-speed hubs. If you do, what's the point in joining?
- While the spirit of the club focuses on British bikes and Sturmey Archer hubs, we are open to bikes and hubs from any and all nations. We are open to vintage and modern bikes.
- Yes, you can own and appreciate bikes with bigger hubs and even bikes with deraillerus. It's okay.
- I host two challenges each year: Three Speed April and Three Speed October. These challenges are open to anybody anywhere in the world, you don't even have to be a member of SoTS to participate, but you do need to register for it and report your challenge in a mail-in journal (provided by me.) To participate in these challenges you'll need a bike with a hub gear of three, four, or five speeds. No more/less speeds, no external derailleurs or other variable gearing. (An exception is made for Bromptons with the two-speed derailleur.)
Hope this helps!
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05-20-21, 03:28 PM
#28
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You rang?
Shawn of Society of Three Speeds here. And note, it's Shawn with a W, not "u". I mean, you showed my biz card in the photo, @gugie
Also, to be pedantic, the proper abbreviation is SoTS. No periods between letters, and note that the "o" is lowercase.
Anyways, thank you for the interest in my little club. To clear up some confusion:
Hope this helps!
Shawn of Society of Three Speeds here. And note, it's Shawn with a W, not "u". I mean, you showed my biz card in the photo, @gugie
Also, to be pedantic, the proper abbreviation is SoTS. No periods between letters, and note that the "o" is lowercase.
Anyways, thank you for the interest in my little club. To clear up some confusion:
- This club is open to anyone who appreciates the humble three-speed internally geared hub. You don't even have to own a bike with one (yet), but it sure helps! You just can't disparage three-speed hubs. If you do, what's the point in joining?
- While the spirit of the club focuses on British bikes and Sturmey Archer hubs, we are open to bikes and hubs from any and all nations. We are open to vintage and modern bikes.
- Yes, you can own and appreciate bikes with bigger hubs and even bikes with deraillerus. It's okay.
- I host two challenges each year: Three Speed April and Three Speed October. These challenges are open to anybody anywhere in the world, you don't even have to be a member of SoTS to participate, but you do need to register for it and report your challenge in a mail-in journal (provided by me.) To participate in these challenges you'll need a bike with a hub gear of three, four, or five speeds. No more/less speeds, no external derailleurs or other variable gearing. (An exception is made for Bromptons with the two-speed derailleur.)
Hope this helps!
Sorry about any spelling and acronym miscues, my education is from a hick country high school plus a third rate mechanical engineering program, so I can barely read and write.
But, point of order, is my humble 2 speed kickback Raleigh Grand Sport not kosher for the Three Speed challenges?
Alternatively I can pull out my 5 speed IGH Grand Sport, but that doesn't feel like it's as much of a challenge.
At any rate, lots of 3 speeds here in the C&V section of the forum, and almost always vintage.
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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.
05-20-21, 04:03 PM
#29
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Yeah, my two-speed Ted Williams Free Spirit is getting hurt feelings.
05-20-21, 04:49 PM
#30
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Shawn, thanks for hoping in here!
Sorry about any spelling and acronym miscues, my education is from a hick country high school plus a third rate mechanical engineering program, so I can barely read and write.
But, point of order, is my humble 2 speed kickback Raleigh Grand Sport not kosher for the Three Speed challenges?
Alternatively, I can pull out my 5 speed IGH Grand Sport, but that doesn't feel like it's as much of a challenge.
At any rate, lots of 3 speeds here in the C&V section of the forum, and almost always vintage.
Sorry about any spelling and acronym miscues, my education is from a hick country high school plus a third rate mechanical engineering program, so I can barely read and write.
But, point of order, is my humble 2 speed kickback Raleigh Grand Sport not kosher for the Three Speed challenges?
Alternatively, I can pull out my 5 speed IGH Grand Sport, but that doesn't feel like it's as much of a challenge.
At any rate, lots of 3 speeds here in the C&V section of the forum, and almost always vintage.
Regarding qualifying bikes: 2 speed no (see @nlerner 's previous response), 5 speed yes.
05-20-21, 04:51 PM
#31
Bike Butcher of Portland
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Ah, don't worry too much about it!
Regarding qualifying bikes: 2 speed no (see @nlerner 's previous response), 5 speed yes.
Regarding qualifying bikes: 2 speed no (see @nlerner 's previous response), 5 speed yes.
edit: Neal's 2 speed Ted Williams bike is the perfect ride to get to a Red Sox game.
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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.
05-20-21, 04:52 PM
#32
Senior Member
That indeed is a beautiful bike, but yes, it does not qualify for Three Speed Challenge participation, as it's only open to three, four, and five speed hubs. I had to make some standards that cut off certain bikes. The society can't be everything to everyone. Perhaps you should start a two-speed kickback club?
05-20-21, 04:56 PM
#33
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That indeed is a beautiful bike, but yes, it does not qualify for Three Speed Challenge participation, as it's only open to three, four, and five speed hubs. I had to make some standards that cut off certain bikes. The society can't be everything to everyone. Perhaps you should start a two-speed kickback club?
05-20-21, 05:11 PM
#34
Senior Member
3 speed society member here!
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05-21-21, 12:49 PM
#36
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05-22-21, 06:15 AM
#38
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05-22-21, 10:07 AM
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Seems like a cool hub, and it looks like you can tinker with it to make it more to your liking,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlHyEj_sXlg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlHyEj_sXlg
05-22-21, 11:17 AM
#41
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I don't own a three-speed, but if I did, I would want it to be this one:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124037328600
https://www.ebay.com/itm/124037328600
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05-22-21, 04:23 PM
#42
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Doesn't seem like it's a 'challenge' to find suitable gearing. Off the top of my head: BSA X, MBI, New Departure Triplespeed, Sachs T3 & P5, Shimano Nexus 3, 4 & 5, SRAM i3, Sturmey 3-speeds (too many models to bother naming, plus private label manufacture and copies), four-speeds F and X series, five speeds S5 thru RX.
(Okay, I'll admit to being amused that a Strida Evo, a bike with great English heritage and fitted with a Sturmey-Archer three-speed, is ineligible.
)
Last edited by tcs; 05-23-21 at 08:46 AM.
05-22-21, 04:30 PM
#43
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While useful two-speed hubs were available beginning in the early 1880s, the three speed was not introduced until the new century.
“A novelty in gears is a three-speed device shown at the Raleigh Company’s stall. It is the joint invention of Messrs. Henry Sturmey and James Archer, and has free-wheels on all three speeds. The invention is placed in the hub of the back wheel, and the only alteration effected in the appearance of the cycle is a slight enlargement of the rear hub.” Midland Daily Telegraph 22 November 1902, report on the National Cycle Show
A now for a little appreciation:
Fun fact: the principle designer of Sturmey-Archer’s early hubs was William Reilly. His hub design was patented under James Archer’s name to skirt a previous contract Reilly had signed.
Fun fact: Henry Sturmey was probably the best known and most marketable name in British cycling as the 19th Century turned to the 20th. He designed several internal gear hubs, but had minimal involvement with the syndicate’s production three-speeds!
Fun fact: the famous End-to-End record was held by riders employing Sturmey-Archer hub gears from 1907-1958.
Fun fact: Fichtel & Sachs introduced their first three-speed in 1904 and a four speed in 1912 (alas, the German four speed was lost in the Great War, never to return.)
Fun fact: Henry Sturmey patented a five-speed hub in 1922. Sturmey-Archer followed up with a production five-speed…in 1966!
Fun fact: The Sachs T3 was manufactured from 1951 through 2009.
Fun fact: The Sturmey-Archer AW hub began production in 1936. The basic freewheel version was withdrawn in favor of the ill-fated SW during 1957~58, but the AW mechanism continued to be produced in Dynohub (the AG) and drum brake (the AB) models continuously during this time. The basic AW was returned to full production in 1959. The AW-NIG debuted in 1984. Production of the AW ended in 2000, but the AW-NIG continues to be produced to this day.
Fun fact: Shimano advertised they’d been in the internal gear hub business ‘over 25 years’ in the late noughties. Hard to believe given their technical prowess these days, but actually, they’d been in the internal gear hub business since 1957, it's just the first 25 or so years of their IGH production were forgettable even by the company!
“A novelty in gears is a three-speed device shown at the Raleigh Company’s stall. It is the joint invention of Messrs. Henry Sturmey and James Archer, and has free-wheels on all three speeds. The invention is placed in the hub of the back wheel, and the only alteration effected in the appearance of the cycle is a slight enlargement of the rear hub.” Midland Daily Telegraph 22 November 1902, report on the National Cycle Show
A now for a little appreciation:
Fun fact: the principle designer of Sturmey-Archer’s early hubs was William Reilly. His hub design was patented under James Archer’s name to skirt a previous contract Reilly had signed.
Fun fact: Henry Sturmey was probably the best known and most marketable name in British cycling as the 19th Century turned to the 20th. He designed several internal gear hubs, but had minimal involvement with the syndicate’s production three-speeds!
Fun fact: the famous End-to-End record was held by riders employing Sturmey-Archer hub gears from 1907-1958.
Fun fact: Fichtel & Sachs introduced their first three-speed in 1904 and a four speed in 1912 (alas, the German four speed was lost in the Great War, never to return.)
Fun fact: Henry Sturmey patented a five-speed hub in 1922. Sturmey-Archer followed up with a production five-speed…in 1966!
Fun fact: The Sachs T3 was manufactured from 1951 through 2009.
Fun fact: The Sturmey-Archer AW hub began production in 1936. The basic freewheel version was withdrawn in favor of the ill-fated SW during 1957~58, but the AW mechanism continued to be produced in Dynohub (the AG) and drum brake (the AB) models continuously during this time. The basic AW was returned to full production in 1959. The AW-NIG debuted in 1984. Production of the AW ended in 2000, but the AW-NIG continues to be produced to this day.
Fun fact: Shimano advertised they’d been in the internal gear hub business ‘over 25 years’ in the late noughties. Hard to believe given their technical prowess these days, but actually, they’d been in the internal gear hub business since 1957, it's just the first 25 or so years of their IGH production were forgettable even by the company!
Last edited by tcs; 05-22-21 at 08:35 PM.
05-22-21, 05:15 PM
#44
Senior Member
Doesn't seem like it's a 'challenge' to find suitable gearing. Off the top of my head: BSA X, MBI, New Departure Triplespeed, Sachs T3 & P5, Shimano Nexus 3, 4 & 5, SRAM i3, Sturmey 3-speeds (too many models to bother naming, plus private label manufacture and copies), four-speeds F and X series, five speeds S5 thru RX.
And yeah, there has been a link posted that details what the two challenges are, so you should check that out if you want more. But the short version:
- Three Speed April: A collection of five sub-challenges like: distance, climbing, rough-stuff, coffee outside, and a bike overnight.
- Three Speed October: Ride a three-speed bicycle three times a week, at least three miles (5 km) each trip, for at least three weeks
05-23-21, 08:00 AM
#45
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05-23-21, 09:29 AM
#46
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I'm a member! Shawn's designs and member items are really cool. I'm gonna sew my new design club patch onto my saddle bag.
Funny enough I am selling my 1950 Raleigh Superbe three-speed to cudak888 since it is too small for me and needs to go to an appreciating home, but my 1953 Sun Wasp in DB 531 runs with a SA alloy four-speed in the back (same year hub too - a happy coincidence). I am pleased as punch that folks like Shawn are out there celebrating that 30s-50s UK and wider European era of mass cycling, touring, and human-powered transport while at the same time bringing a sense of community - because we're in a new bike boom, and encouraging exploration of the world around us while riding a bike is a good mission. That the bikes are vintage but utterly dependable and versatile is icing on the cake.
IMG-20200519-WA0001
IMG-20200516-WA0005
20210429_175548
Funny enough I am selling my 1950 Raleigh Superbe three-speed to cudak888 since it is too small for me and needs to go to an appreciating home, but my 1953 Sun Wasp in DB 531 runs with a SA alloy four-speed in the back (same year hub too - a happy coincidence). I am pleased as punch that folks like Shawn are out there celebrating that 30s-50s UK and wider European era of mass cycling, touring, and human-powered transport while at the same time bringing a sense of community - because we're in a new bike boom, and encouraging exploration of the world around us while riding a bike is a good mission. That the bikes are vintage but utterly dependable and versatile is icing on the cake.
IMG-20200519-WA0001 IMG-20200516-WA0005 20210429_175548
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05-23-21, 09:43 AM
#47
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One of the things I appreciate most about @adventurepdx Shawn's online presence is his Flickr site. As a fellow Portlandia resident, I enjoy looking at pictures and commentary of bike rides, hikes, and bike trips he goes on. My wife doesn't ride bikes, but we do like to go hiking together on weekends, and I'm always scanning Shawn's posts for new places to explore. The man's a walking talking riding tour guide from the Before Times.
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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.
05-23-21, 03:23 PM
#48
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05-23-21, 03:28 PM
#49
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I'm a member! Shawn's designs and member items are really cool.
...I am pleased as punch that folks like Shawn are out there celebrating that 30s-50s UK and wider European era of mass cycling, touring, and human-powered transport while at the same time bringing a sense of community - because we're in a new bike boom, and encouraging exploration of the world around us while riding a bike is a good mission. That the bikes are vintage but utterly dependable and versatile is icing on the cake.
...I am pleased as punch that folks like Shawn are out there celebrating that 30s-50s UK and wider European era of mass cycling, touring, and human-powered transport while at the same time bringing a sense of community - because we're in a new bike boom, and encouraging exploration of the world around us while riding a bike is a good mission. That the bikes are vintage but utterly dependable and versatile is icing on the cake.
One of the things I appreciate most about @adventurepdx Shawn's online presence is his Flickr site. As a fellow Portlandia resident, I enjoy looking at pictures and commentary of bike rides, hikes, and bike trips he goes on. My wife doesn't ride bikes, but we do like to go hiking together on weekends, and I'm always scanning Shawn's posts for new places to explore. The man's a walking talking riding tour guide from the Before Times.
And for those allergic to flickr (for whatever reason), I'm also on the Gram of Instants.
05-23-21, 03:29 PM
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