Phamilton

^^^ note of additional interest on above post/bike - when I bought it the tires it had on it were actually still in good shape but they measured only 1” wide. They were old Bontrager brand 26 x 1 3/8 ISO 590 but were way undersized. They were super light and supple file tread skinwalls, like a Pasela. I actually don’t know what possessed me to replace them before they were worn out. I think I was worried they were too fragile? Years ago, before I knew anything about tires.

Schwinneffect

I've located a Collegiate like yours in Oklahoma that the owner claims is like new. Since I'm heading east from New Mexico I plan to stop and have a look. I was wondering if the early eighties Collegiates used the 590 Rims or the special Schwinn 26 inch rims. If the early eighties bikes are all like yours I am in luck since I'd prefer to avoid the Schwinn specific tire sizes. I am aware that people say the Shimano hubs are not as good as the Sturmey Archers, but I won't be riding cross country with this bike, and a broken bike is not the end of the world. In many places more than one person will offer a ride if you are walking down the highway with a broken bike on your shoulder.

jeirvine 

That's what I just did with a 70's Motobecane. If you can get or build a 700c wheel with a Sturmey Archer AW3 hub, the rest is pretty straightforward.

Phamilton

Yeah I’m pretty sure any of the 80’s models made in Taiwan are ISO 590 like mine.

Edit: Potentially important info - the fork/hub on my ‘83 Collegiate are 90mm. I don’t know about others from different years. It may not make a difference unless/until replacing the wheels etc. but worth looking at.

Schwinneffect

I have found that an Azor 3 speed may be ordered online and shipped to the USA for 99 USD shipping cost. A 67 cm frame is available. Is anyone familiar with this bike? The online specs did not show much. The bike is about 1000 USD.

Stadjer

I know the company, I love them allthough I don't own one for several reasons. They got big because of demand for old fashioned quality, and Dutch bikes used to be very reliable and durable before the 80's. You can also order them entirely bespoke but that might be complicated from overseas. Here's the website and the brochure, called a folder in Dutch, not a link to a folding bike.

CliffordK

Plenty of tall 10-speeds pop up.

https://eugene.craigslist.org/bik/d/...988774899.html

If it has horizontal dropouts, then conversion to 3-speed should be easy enough.

Perhaps hunt for an old Raleigh, Robin Hood, or Hercules to swap parts over. (26" wheels vs 27" wheels?)

Schwinneffect

Tall ten or 5 speeds are much more plentiful than tall 3 speeds. One interesting bike is the Schwinn Le Tour tourist. These had large lugged brazed frames, aluminum bars and rims, and light fenders. Schwinn World Tourist imports are common with large frames. I find it amusing to contemplate spending 2 or 3 times the cost of the bike for a conversion back wheel. Even so, this would be a lot less expensive than an import from the Netherlands.

Schwinneffect

Seems perfect with a 25 inch frame, but hard to find.

dedhed

https://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/b...014735692.html

https://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/b...014726047.html

squirtdad

Does it have to be a 3 speed IGH (internal geared hub)

you can take properly sized derailler bike and make it an upright bike pretty simply

stem with hi riser
handle bars
brake levers
thumb shifters

if you want to keep it pretty simple you can do it 1xX, take off the front derailer and associated cables and just shift the rear

squirtdad

here is an example

sixer

I sold this exact bike earlier this summer. Mint condition. I'm 6'-7". It was fun to ride but a little small.

I was going to use it as a donor bike but there were too many incompatibilities with the frame I was trying to fit the parts to. Saying that I would take any steel bike you have that fits and just convert it to a 3 speed. Here's an example wheelset: https://bikeisland.com/cgi-bin/BKTK_STOR20.cgi?Action=Details&ProdID=2350

Schwinneffect

Thanks sixer:

What did your used 25 inch commuter sell for if you don't mind my asking? I had given up on finding a tall 3 speed, so I bought a used 24 inch Suburban ten speed. The bike is comfortable, but a bit small. Since it works fine as is, I doubt that I will convert it, but I would like to learn more about the conversion process. A 700C wheel set is $189 or so. Is the axle diameter the same? I might need a new 1/8 chain since the derailleur chain is different, and a different front chain-wheel? The brakes have plenty of reach and should work fine on a 700C wheel. I might need some axle spacers for the front and rear wheel to get them properly centered, and perhaps anti-rotation washers? The result would be a nice bike to ride, but I could still only sell it for $75 at a yard sale after spending a few hundred...

xroadcharlie

Schwinneffect:

Why do you want 700c wheels?

If the original wheels are defective then by all means. If they are in good shape, I'd just clean them up, check spoke tension, true them if needed and check the bearings, maybe clean and re-lube. There's nothing special about 700c wheels except you will likely have a wider selection of tire options. My 2018 Sedona came with 26" wheels, Which I wanted on a small frame bike.

Schwinneffect

I would not need 700C wheels, but Sixer had linked to a set of 700C wheels with a 3 speed hub, so that's an option. The front wheel does not need to be touched. A 27 inch rear with 3 speed hub could be swapped on. Isn't the Sturmey Archer rear axle slightly different (thicker by 1/32 or something) than a typical 10 speed axle? Several people have suggested modifying a 5 or 10 speed into an upright 3 speed, and that is probably no big deal for a lot of the veterans on this board, but I realize that I still have a lot to learn, and there are little details that could cost more money than the project is worth---or perhaps not.

rhm

During the years that they were both made (late 60's and all through the 70's) the Raleigh Sports (3 speed, 26" wheels) and Raleigh Record (10 speed with 27" wheels) had the same frame. But the largest Sports had a 23" frame, while the Record could be had with a 25" frame. It wouldn't be hard to move all the Sports components over to a Record. Rebuilding the Sports rear wheel with the Record rim would be a minor chore.

Some Raleighs came in a 27"frame. That might be even better. But I'm not sure which models, which years, etc.

thumpism 

Mid-'80s low end stuff like the Marathon. They're out there, but any 27" or 28" frame would do and many brands produced them during the same period. Fuji Royale (27") and Panasonic DX2000 (28") might be the nicest one you'd find.

sixer

I sold it for $160 in Boston. I'd bought it for $100 about a year before from a guy who was moving and couldn't take it. I didn't end up going thru with the project because of what you're facing: putting a couple hundred dollars or more into something worth less than that in the end.

You might be able to find a 27" 3 speed rear wheel or just ride with 700c in the back and 27" in the front until you feel like finishing the upgrade. I might consult with my LBS on details, but I have a good relationship with mine.

For me the axle diameter wasn't an issue but the spacing was. I think the Miyata had a 100mm rear spacing so I found a 120mm axle (from Poland!) I was going to put into it, but it was going to take a lot of work disassembling the hub. I also bought a bolt-on pulley for the 3 speed cable which was brazed on the Miyata and couldn't be transferred. But ultimately it was weird diameter tubing on my frame (probably like your Schwinn) that meant I couldn't use the seat post or stem that made me throw in the towel.

Vintage Schwinn

There is a 27 INCH Frame Raleigh 10 speed that just popped up on the RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA Craigslist.
It is in Cary, NC which is part of the Raleigh NC metropolitan area.
https://raleigh.craigslist.org/bik/d...025428530.html

Phamilton

The Marathon came with quick release alloy wheels, sealed bearings, and quality alloy components. Some years had a nice light and flexy triple butted 575SL tubeset. It’s not hard to swap out turkey levers and stem shifters for better brake levers and downtube shifters, or upright bars if desired. The Marathon does have stamped dropouts and no rear derailer hanger but for a 3 speed conversion not necessary. Compared to other frames mentioned here as possible conversion candidates, the Marathon would make a decent one but you’ll just have to watch tire size, there’s only clearance for about a 700c x 32mm tire under fenders, maybe a 35 or 38 without. I often see 25” Marathon frames for sale locally for under $50. I’d sooner build a 3 speed out of a Marathon frame than a Suburban.

thumpism 

OP, don't know where you're located in Kentucky but searching the region shows several tall (25" frame) finds but only one larger at the moment.

66cm Sekai in Indianapolis. https://indianapolis.craigslist.org/...016756217.html

thumpism 

How about a 30"? This one is about two hours from me.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/163959758563

chainwhip

Wow.

Edit: just noticed the reach to the downtube shifters.

Jeff Wills

It depends- a Sturmey-Archer axle is 13/32" x 26 tpi, but there are flats on the axle that allow it to slide into a derailleur bike's dropouts. I did just that, putting a 3-speed wheel on an old Schwinn Super Sport. I still have to finish the rest of the bike, though.