This sounds great. I'll try to attend as my schedule permits. I've got a couple three speeds and they all need regular exercise.

Okay - Let's try this on for size:

Saturday, April 16
Meet at Longfellow Grill/Dun Brothers on Lake and W. River Pkwy at 11:00 AM
Ride the Grand Rounds in it's entirety with a short cut option via the greenway if anyone wants to shorter ride. We'll have lunch somewhere along the way, so money and a lock are recommended. The week after can be a rain day in case the weather is really hostile.

If I get any takers, I'll add this to the calendar...

We have a recycling event on the 16th so we can't go. However, anyone who wants in but needs a steed should head over to MMRB today between noon and 4 PM for the 3-Speed Event. We have a whole bunch of 3-speeds available, and we also have a few whitewall tires, some high-pressure gumwalls, and a collection of rear wheels with Sturmey-Archer hubs. All this stuff is cheap, and anyone who wants to go for a short ride at 4 PM can do so, although we probably won't because we will need to clean up. Even if you don't want to buy anything, stop by anyway, the 3-Speed Tweed crowd is a lot of fun to hang out with.

From the original posting.. "This is no costume ball".

This is what we find most attractive about the "Twin Cities 3-Speed Adventure Society". Sometimes the "Tweed" seems to have become more important than the "Ride".

One question; How strict are you going to be about the number of speeds? We have a fleet of bikes that started out as English 3 Speeds. But we're a couple of senior citizens, needing all the "mechanical advantage" we can get, just to keep up. So I've stuffed old 4 or 5 speed guts into our 3 speed AW shells.

Snak Shak,
Yesterday Jennifer found Steve a 3 speed and I'll help her get it in shape for the rides. And I found one today that I think will suit Jennifer.

Yes - we are about the ride and not the style...

We are also pretty tolerant and celebrate diversity in drivetrain configuration; bikes with other-than 3-speed hubs will be welcomed, as will their riders. If think carbon fiber might be a little confrontational, but everything else would probably be fine. This more about appreciating the fun of toodling around than about the gear or components. As a matter of fact, one TC3-SAS regular rides an 8 speed hub.

We are legion.

Steve is a big guy, so I'll be curious to see that bike. I have a beautiful Phillips that I am going to be reselling here shortly as well. I need to pull my new Brooks off of it and put the original Brooks back on it before i do that, however, and I've had other projects that are more urgent...

I mounted new rubber treads on the German 3 spd tank and plan on joining. I'm coming from WI so will need to haul it in - is there parking available to leave a vehicle for a few hours?

I haven't ridden a 3spd in years and am looking forward to it.

Not sure about the Minneapolis side. But just across the river in St. Paul you can definitely park in the neighborhood streets and bike the 3-4 blocks to Longfellow grill.

HEY LOOKIT THAT! Somebody's looking forward to this!

Okay - let's pencil in that date, then. I did the first part of a ride like this last year with gna and few others, but I'll do some thinking about some rest and refueling areas along the way. There's a ton of options down on the south end of the Grand Rounds but it's slimmer pickings up north as I recall.

As for parking, there is a small public parking lot in the building that houses Dunn Bros. and Longfellow Grill, but like I said, it's small. On a weekend you would probably be better off to find some on-street parking, either across the bridge as gross suggests or on the MPLS side of the river. There's a lot of on-street parking.

I'll be curious to see you German bike - most of the old clankies around here are English - Raleighs with a few other Phillips or Hercules' thrown in.

That question got me thinking about what the minimum qualifications - or membership guidelines - might be for TC3-SAS. Never one to miss an opportunity to meditate on trivial subjects, I reflected on this for an hour or so in the dentist chair today, so here's what I've concluded (on a provisional basis).

Lance Armstrong and I agree that it's not about the bike. While I'll be pumping up and down on an old 3-speed for these rides, I select that bike based on the ride experience it gives me rather than the bike itself. It's upright, it's slow, it's kind of quirky. It's low-tech....

Yes, this is an English bike, and it's in pretty good shape, but it's nothing to write home about. I got it for $40, it's from 1973 or so, and it's a "Sport", not the higher end Club model. Nothing special here. I'll most likely be wearing shants (aka knickers), some modern gloves and an expensive helmet, and a wool sweater or high-tech jacket; nary a stitch of tweed or a tea cup in my possession.

While we appreciate cool bikes for what they are - cool bikes -TC3-SAS is not a bike beauty contest (or a freak show, for that matter). Nor is it a faux fashion event. Wear what you like and what works for you. Ride what you like, too, for that matter. That said, I think it would be best if we stayed away from titanium and carbon fiber; not because we are luddites and neanderthals, but because titanium and carbon fiber are by-products of what I am seeking to avoid on these rides...

TC3-SAS is about freedom, movement, curiosity, empowerment and sense of adventure. It's about truly enjoying the places we go and the ride to get there and back. It's about moving slowly enough through our environment to really experience a sense of place and distance, and to realize a sense of accomplishment as well. It's not possible (for me at least) to really get a feel for a neighborhood or get the vibe of a town if I am time-trialing through it in the drops with my tongue flapping in the front spokes.

I think we are more interested in riders that are eager to enjoy a ride, explore their city and have fun. This is no geriatric toodle, but it's no-drop and anybody that gets too "testosterony" will be sent ahead to scout out a rest stop or buy treats for the rest of the group.

If you are the kind of rider who would get pissed off if the group stops to take a photo because it would screw your personal best time around Lake Calhoun, then TC3-SAS probably isn't you cup of tea - go drive to the ride and hit Black Dog or hook up with TCBC or something like that. On the other hand, if you want to go for a ramble, challenge yourself, meet some interesting people and enjoy the ride over the gear, this might just be the ticket.

I'll see if I can make it. I'm curious about the rest of the Grand Rounds.

I would be into this! I just threw together a sweet new ride with an S3X fixed 3speed!

Saturday, April 16
Meet at Longfellow Grill/Dun Brothers on Lake and W. River Pkwy at 11:00 AM

I've got a few 26 x 1 3/8" tires in good shape. I've got this ride on my mental calendar as of now, so I hope I'm not working during the day that day. I could just ask for it off also.

1. what does the route look like on the 16th?
2. does anyone sell new cotters around here? OR maybe just have access to a proper cotter press?

The reason i ask is a have this brand new to me early 60s somthing huffy sportsman.
It is very much like this one: http://oldbikeblog.blogspot.com/2009/04 ... ished.html

The drivers side chainring crank arm has some play in t and could use a new cotter. It is ridable now but i dont know for how far. IM excited to ride it though. $10 well spent on my part.