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For the love of English 3 speeds...

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For the love of English 3 speeds...

Old 05-31-22, 02:58 PM
  #26126  
markk900
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Tyres Your offer is tempting but even as a retired old fart need a little more time to coordinate with the family. I'm about 3 hours away by car..... Anyway, I'd be up for something like that at a future date. I'd definitely bring the Humber!
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Old 06-01-22, 06:51 AM
  #26127  
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A fortunate thing about SA hubs and their parts was that back in the 70s and 80s when many 3 speed bikes were rusted beyond repair and tossed, the hubs would be miraculously in good condition. Saved by their high quality plating and being coated in dried up oil and grease. Even if the wheels were trashed, people tended to save the hubs since they were still good. When I was a kid, I would always be up at dawn on trash days and never passed up salvaging any useful bike parts. I always has 3 or 4 three speeds on the road along with my clunky Columbia newspaper delivery bike. I think there will be plenty of spare SA parts around for a long while.
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Old 06-01-22, 07:20 AM
  #26128  
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It's true that for the AW, most of the spares will be available for a long time yet, but I think some of the parts are starting to become scarcer.

Good, metal clutch spring caps can be hard to find. The later bikes had a plastic cap that tended to deteriorate.

And I've found it harder in the past few years to find truly good cones. At one time, I could find whole bags of NOS cones from when bike shops would go out of business and sell-off all their stuff. But not lately. I'd guess that I have only about 8 or so good spare cones left now, whereas before I had more than that. I can find plenty of somewhat pitted or badly worn cones, but I try to use only good ones because if I'm going to take the time to rebuild a hub, I don't want to put in parts that will just cause problems later. I've had only marginal luck reconditioning cones by turning and polishing them. The marginal ones clean up OK, but the bad ones never really come back into use for me.
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Old 06-01-22, 07:22 AM
  #26129  
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Originally Posted by gna
Not really an English 3-speed, but it does have a Sturmey-Archer AW hub:




Someone gave it to me. They found it cleaning out a storage locker, and they knew I liked "old junk." 64 9 SA hub. Serial indicates built in 1965. Fresh grease in the hubs, oil in the SA hub, oiled chain, newer brake pads. Trued wheels a bit. Works just fine. Found it a home already.
Those are good utility bikes. They are an American take on the English three speed and are really durable. That one is in very nice shape and a good color. Someone is going to enjoy it.
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Old 06-01-22, 02:44 PM
  #26130  
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Originally Posted by SirMike1983
It's true that for the AW, most of the spares will be available for a long time yet, but I think some of the parts are starting to become scarcer.

Good, metal clutch spring caps can be hard to find. The later bikes had a plastic cap that tended to deteriorate.

And I've found it harder in the past few years to find truly good cones. At one time, I could find whole bags of NOS cones from when bike shops would go out of business and sell-off all their stuff. But not lately.
I have a supplier that bought out a bike shop, and he has many NOS parts, but I may go ahead and stock up. Front and rear cones are good to have.
Those are good utility bikes. They are an American take on the English three speed and are really durable. That one is in very nice shape and a good color. Someone is going to enjoy it.

Already found a new home. The young lady I gave it to has just moved to the Twin Cities and didn't have a bike. She likes vintage items, and was very excited to have it.
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Old 06-02-22, 07:22 AM
  #26131  
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Originally Posted by gster
That Ebay price is quite reasonable.
I just stripped one last week.
I always tell someone who's just bought an old british bike,
don't throw anything away!
Amazon Canada
https://www.amazon.ca/3-speed-Sturme...s%2C86&sr=8-26
or this
https://www.amazon.ca/Sturmey-Archer...s%2C86&sr=8-53
Do people really pay $50 for an indicator chain these days or a pair of nuts?
If so I a buddy of mine who does cleanouts may just be retiring early. I helped him move cases of that stuff out of one shop in NJ a couple of years ago.
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Old 06-02-22, 07:43 AM
  #26132  
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Originally Posted by dirtman
Do people really pay $50 for an indicator chain these days or a pair of nuts?
If so I a buddy of mine who does cleanouts may just be retiring early. I helped him move cases of that stuff out of one shop in NJ a couple of years ago.
I certainly wouldn't...
But if that's the one thing you need to finish a project it
might make some sense.
My local parts sources have pretty much dried up.
George of Parts Unknown here in Toronto packed it
in last week.
What's it going to cost in time and gas to track something down?
My solution would be to buy a clean ladies bike ($50-$75.00) and
use it as a donor.
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Old 06-02-22, 07:50 AM
  #26133  
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Originally Posted by gster
I certainly wouldn't...
But if that's the one thing you need to finish a project it
might make some sense.
My local parts sources have pretty much dried up.
George of Parts Unknown here in Toronto packed it
in last week.
What's it going to cost in time and gas to track something down?
My solution would be to buy a clean ladies bike ($50-$75.00) and
use it as a donor.
That's what I did when I was reviving my Raleigh. $30 for a lady's Robin Hood yielded most of the parts needed. Just needed to endure the grief I got from my wife when I brought home "another bicycle". Chrome bits, cable housings, fasteners, etc. I picked the best between them. It would've been better if it had been a Raleigh in the same color, but still worth it.
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Old 06-02-22, 08:00 AM
  #26134  
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Originally Posted by swampyankee2
That's what I did when I was reviving my Raleigh. $30 for a lady's Robin Hood yielded most of the parts needed. Just needed to endure the grief I got from my wife when I brought home "another bicycle". Chrome bits, cable housings, fasteners, etc. I picked the best between them. It would've been better if it had been a Raleigh in the same color, but still worth it.
Yes.
It seems a shame to "harvest" a perfectly good ladies bike but
it makes financial sense.
Women tend to be a bit kinder to their bikes.......
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Old 06-02-22, 08:46 PM
  #26135  
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What are some movies that feature 3-speeds? Even some books where utilitarian / daily commute cycling might figure prominently into the narrative?
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Old 06-03-22, 03:17 AM
  #26136  
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Can others recommend films that feature non-racing bicycle riding, particularly on a 3-speed? The only videos I have been able to find have been shorter British documentaries about bicycle postal workers.
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Old 06-03-22, 04:12 AM
  #26137  
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Originally Posted by poetman
Can others recommend films that feature non-racing bicycle riding, particularly on a 3-speed? The only videos I have been able to find have been shorter British documentaries about bicycle postal workers.
Have you seen this one? It's one of my faves.
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Old 06-03-22, 05:51 AM
  #26138  
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Originally Posted by BigChief
Have you seen this one? It's one of my faves.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOE0DbfWqyo
no, I haven’t. I’ll check it out. I’m really looking for clips or movies about bicycle commuting and culture on 3-speeds back when they were modern.
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Old 06-03-22, 06:27 AM
  #26139  
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Originally Posted by poetman
Can others recommend films that feature non-racing bicycle riding, particularly on a 3-speed? The only videos I have been able to find have been shorter British documentaries about bicycle postal workers.
Call the midwife is a modern retro show about midwives in London that rode 3 speeds for work.
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Old 06-03-22, 09:33 AM
  #26140  
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Originally Posted by poetman
What are some movies that feature 3-speeds? Even some books where utilitarian / daily commute cycling might figure prominently into the narrative?
One of my favorites is "The Russians are Coming, The Russians are Coming" form back in the late '60s. How could they go wrong with Carl Reiner, Theodore Bikel, Paul Ford, Alan Arkin, and Jonthan Winters. The bike wasn't on-screen for long, but Reiner was riding it.
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Old 06-03-22, 09:48 AM
  #26141  
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The latest reboot of Mary Poppins has 3 speeds galore.
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Old 06-03-22, 01:00 PM
  #26142  
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Originally Posted by poetman
What are some movies that feature 3-speeds? Even some books wheijiuure utilitarian / daily commute cycling might figure prominently into the narrative?
The Ukrainian president ZALENSKY rides an IGH bicycle at the start of the sitcom that led to his election.
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Old 06-03-22, 02:37 PM
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You might find this short film enjoyable:

You could also read Three Men on the Bummel

Last edited by gna; 06-03-22 at 02:43 PM.
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Old 06-03-22, 04:53 PM
  #26144  
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Originally Posted by poetman
no, I haven’t. I’ll check it out. I’m really looking for clips or movies about bicycle commuting and culture on 3-speeds back when they were modern.
The classic
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning with Albert Finney
He actually works in the Raleigh factory.

Last edited by gster; 06-03-22 at 04:57 PM.
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Old 06-03-22, 06:55 PM
  #26145  
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This one's cool, Ridley Scott's first film.

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Old 06-03-22, 08:17 PM
  #26146  
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These recommendations are all great. I have seen most of these…a few are new. look forward to seeing what other suggest!
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Old 06-04-22, 07:24 AM
  #26147  
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Originally Posted by clubman
This one's cool, Ridley Scott's first film.

Boy & Bicycle.
Interesting...
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Old 06-04-22, 09:05 AM
  #26148  
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Originally Posted by clubman
This one's cool, Ridley Scott's first film.

Boy & Bicycle.

Interesting: I counted 3 bicycles, 1 car and no trains being used in this short part of the film.....

Looked up the film on IMDB - the whole film is 27 minutes long so I will be looking to watch the entirety of it. I loved the estimated budget section though which listed the cost of the film as 315 sterling!
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Old 06-04-22, 09:17 AM
  #26149  
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Save my Saddle
Has anyone had any success saving a leather saddle?

My B66 has just started to fail at the outer rivet.

I'd like to save it as it's already broken in and quite comfortable.
I'm not keen on breaking in a new one.
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Old 06-04-22, 11:28 AM
  #26150  
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Time to put that one to rest I'm afraid.
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