What is the furthest you have ridden on a three speed?

[tommaguzzi]

In the early 1970s when I was 15 i rode with 2 friends to chapel St leonards on the east coast from Sheffield for about 90 miles each way on a sturmy archer 3speed equiped Hurcules. Parents let their kids do that sort of thing in those days. My mates had the luxury of 5 derailers but it didn't seem to help them much. We camped on the sand dunes illegally for two nights to save money and rode home bank holiday Monday. It took about 11 hours each way and I remember being completly knackered climbing the final hill to our house.
Top gear started slipping after that , I think some sand might have got in the gear hub.

 

[TheDoctor]

I've ridden 22 miles on a '68 3 speed thing with rod brakes and a lot of rust.
And I've done a 10 day tour on a Brompton, but that had 6 gears. Not that the top 2 were any use to me...

 

[Dave 123]

As a lad of 10 I rode my Raliegh Grifter from Chirk station to the end of the Ceiriog Valley, probably about 17 miles.
It's a wonder I ever got on a bike again!

 

[mjr]

I think I rode about 50 miles on one last year but nothing too steep on that route. It's now in bits while I refurbish it but should be back together soon.

Does anyone else hear ticking when they stop? I've bought a little mini music player to avoid that happening again!

 

[voyager]

Mr H Green did 839 miles in under 3 days LEJoG

http://www.sturmey-archerheritage.com/files/view-828.pdf

107 years ago in July 1908

In a time when men were men, and Bicycles were made of STEEL

regards emma

 

[Ian H]

To be fair, the number and type of gears is not of huge importance. The frame and wheels make the real difference. Some of the mileages claimed upthread on proper silly bikes are impressive, three-speed or whatever.

 

[Saluki]

I used to ride from Thorpe St Andrew, just outside Norwich, to Great Yarmouth quite regularly in the summer hols. Obviously back again for tea. Sometimes I used to ride to Happisburgh or to Sea Palling for a day out too.
I had a much loathed Raleigh Twenty 3 speed.

 

[vernon]

I did a 110 mile round trip from Darlington to Pickering traction engine rally back in 1974 when I was in my teens on a Sun three speed derailleur racing bike. I had to get off and push the bike up Sutton Bank and the long drag from Helmsley to Sutton Bank on the return leg was a royal pain. I could barely walk for three days afterwards. My longest ride prior to the Pickering ride was a modest 24 miles to Richmond, N. Yorks. and back from Darlington.

 

[paddypete]

50 miles on a chopper,over the campsie hills,2 off the easyist gears did not work,but i was young and dumb

 

[Dave7]

I did Wallasey to Anglesey on my 3 speed Triumph Palm Beach.....approx 110 miles. I Did that in the one day but then continued all around north Wales for the next 4 days. Slept in barns ot wherever I could.
But that was in 1961 and I was 16 at the time

 

[tyred]

Didn't get around to the tour yet but managed a lovely ~45 mile day ride today which is actually my longest ride of the year to date. Not a huge distance but some tough climbs and fark was it windy.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/29091369@N07/sets/72157651249247975/

 

[ChrisEyles]

Lovely pics @tyred!

 

[tyred]

Lovely pics @tyred!

Thank you

 

[User42423]

Not sure where to post this, but intrigued to find out the sort of distances that people have ridden on a three speed?

Looking at training to do a ride on one in the summer, but not sure of a practical distance.

Garry

Hi Garry. In 2010 I cycled from London to Brighton on a circa 1910 Sparkbrook gents roadster (with a friend on Penny Farthing). 63 miles in eight hours. NEVER AGAIN ON A THREE SPEED. I Always do it on fixed wheel now, much easier!!!.

 

[mjr]

Didn't you have the same gear as your fixed available, @User42423, or is it a joke? :-/