# Were Three Speeds Offered?



## wrongway (May 7, 2014)

I'm at a bit of a cross-road. I really like my Middleweight bikes, but find my Lightweight British style bikes more rideable on the trails. I'm wondering if these Middleweights came with three speed hubs or if I could put one on? I think Schwinn had them, but they might be too expensive for me.


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## jpromo (May 7, 2014)

Schwinn did have them. Corvettes and Jaguars would be the most common 3-speeds to find. You can find a nice Corvette for 2-300. There's one on my local craigs right now; needing some love but only 90$--so keep an eye out and they are out there for fair prices.


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## baronvoncatania (May 8, 2014)

*Yes*

Here'


s one


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## kingfish254 (May 8, 2014)

That turned out nice Jim!


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## baronvoncatania (May 8, 2014)

*Still working on it.*

Yes to orig poster. And their fairly inexpensive. 

Thanks kingfish I still need to get a rear luggage rack, and an "s" reflector.

jim


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## militarymonark (May 12, 2014)

I made a 7 speed nexus fit my schwinn mid weight.


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## Nickinator (May 12, 2014)

I personally love Schwinn middleweights, last summer I restored a girl's Schwinn American with a tank and wanted a 3spd (girl's 3 spd bikes are uncommon), so used a boy's Typhoon 3spd Sturmey Archer on it (same as on a lot of Corvettes etc). I have about $900 in the bike after paint and everything, and it's worth every dime. 3 speeds is all you really need, and my Schwinn / SA works very well. 

We have a 3 spd SA Corvette for sale right now....pm me if you want more info.

Darcie


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## 32jones (Jun 1, 2014)

*3-speed Middleweight*

I have several of the late 50s early 60s English three speeds and they are great but wanted to build up a Middleweight with a vintage S-A hub too. I started with a pair of NOS Pirelli S-7 tires I found on eBay, cheap. Then waited until I found a suitable set of Schwinn S-7 wheels which I eventually found, again, on eBay at a reasonable price. Meanwhile I found this '64 Tornado/Hornet frame with fork, crank, pedals, stem, bars, and grips locally. Since the frame didn't have provisions for rim brakes I swapped the 3-speed hub the wheels came with with an S-A, S3C coaster brake 3-speed hub. I just re-laced the rear wheels as the hubs are the same size. The shifter is an early Sturmey-Archer top-tube quadrant shifter.


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## mruiz (Jun 2, 2014)

*Typoons too*

I got a 1965 3 speed, Deluxe.


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## 32jones (Jun 2, 2014)

mruiz said:


> I got a 1965 3 speed, Deluxe.View attachment 153802




Nice. I see that in '65 catalog they offered the Deluxe with the 3-speed and rim brakes. That option didn't appear in '64.


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## wrongway (Jun 3, 2014)

Interesting responses! I'll have to keep an eye out for one!


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## Lawrence Ruskin (Jun 3, 2014)

Sturmey Archer sells a 3 speed/ drum brake combo and a drum brake front hub.

Runs like the wind.

Stops on a dime.


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## SirMike1983 (Jun 3, 2014)

Lawrence Ruskin said:


> Sturmey Archer sells a 3 speed/ drum brake combo and a drum brake front hub.
> 
> Runs like the wind.
> 
> Stops on a dime.




That's how I would do it for a rider bike. Run a new Sturmey Drum or Coaster 3 speed rear with a Sturmey drum in front. Customize the rear cog size to suit your needs; they use a standard snap-on system. I don't fool with the old Sturmey coasters. They were not very good as brakes go.

The Bendix red band 2 speed is an option on the back, but has less range and is not as easy to customize rear cogs. The brakes on them are usually pretty good though.


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## Adamtinkerer (Jun 3, 2014)

There were a lot of manual shift Bendix two speed hubs in the 60s.


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