I once had a lovely '62 Dawes Realmrider that I have since sold to another listmember that was an amazing bike. It handled like a lot of pretty decent sports-tourers from the mid-70s, and accelerated well and maneuvered well. The only alloy parts were the brake calipers, brake levers and the front hub shell. Really zippy handling for a bike with its wheelbase.
It was in a different class from the generic 3-speed sports bikes. I rode it back to back with a standard Raleigh Sports, and there was just no comparison ...
Russ Fitzgerald
Greenwood SC
rfitzger@emeraldis.com
http://www.emeraldis.com/
>Dear Chris and fellow list members,
>I never rode a high-performance hub gear bicycle. I remember converting
>my father's Hercules 3 speed with down bars and moving the trigger switch
>by the handle bar plug for a sort of end shifter. It still rode in a
>heavy fashion. I have used the modern Nexis 7 speed internal but that was
>on a cruiser style bicycle and also not particularly lively feeling.
>Assuming a decent lightweight frame and aluminum rims, can a 3 speed
>Sturmey Archer feel or even be a fast bicycle? Thank you.
>Tom (I know, it's not the bicycle it's the rider, but still...) Witkop
>Rockville, Md.
>On Fri, 23 Mar 2001 14:41:46 -0500 Chris Beyer
><beyerc@mailserver.volvo.com> writes:
>> Leonard, et al:
>>
>> Now you're speaking my language. But I'd vote for a British
>> Club-racer
>> style bike with a Sturmey-Archer hub, such as a FM. They shift
>> positively, every time, which is more than you can say for the
>> Cyclo.........Hub-gear bikes have that same uncluttered grace and
>> simplicity as track bikes, but they're useable And I'm unconvinced
>> that
>> 7, 8, 9, and10-speed cassettes have made our cycling lives any
>> better.
>>
>> Chris Beyer
>> Epicyclic Bloomfield, NJ
>>
>> Leonard Bulger wrote:
>>
>> > How about an Alan Super Record with titanium Galli group and
>> tapered
>> > roller bearings? Or maybe the original Klein Stage? Bikes went
>> > downhill after that time.
>> > Seriously, I suppose the pinnacle would be a good 1940's 531 DB
>> frame
>> > with a Nivex or French Cyclo derailleur. Bikes haven't gotten
>> any
>> > better since then; it's just that the fads change.
>> >
>> > Leonard Bulger
>> > temporarily sunny Ann Arbor
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>>
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