Speed Bike
What is a multi-speed bike with coaster brakes that is worth buying?
I rode a three-speed bike with coaster brakes all summer and loved it, but now that I'm looking for one for myself I can't seem to find anything of quality. Mostly very cheap beach cruisers. I'm not looking to spend over $300 anyway. I don't think I'll be doing any off-roading but I can't be sure. Suggestions appreciated. Thanks!
Some may say so, but there are none that I know of.
The problem is coaster brakes are dangerous and should have been outlawed years ago. If you slip or break a chain on a bike with only coaster brakes you're toast--you can't stop.
Sounds like what you really want is something simple and reliable like a singlespeed. It's the hot lick in the bike world these days because it makes sense. If you live in a relatively flat area and you aren't worried about going top speed all the time they are wonderful, Super lightweight they have a solidity you can really learn to love. And it gets to be second nature to just stand up and pump up a hill like you were 12 again. You can get one off craigslist or build one yourself. It's certainly easy enough and there are lots of resources to show you how.
If you need the gears, nothing is more reliable than a standard, non-indexed 5 or 6 cog freewheel and derailleur. If you spend 5 minutes with the guy at the LBS learning how to adjust it you'll never think about a horrible internal 3 speed again.
But if you must and you want some class, get a vintage Raleigh or other 50s-70's English bike. God knows you can find enough of them. It should be easy to find a dusty, nearly unused one in somebodies basement for less than $100.
As a bonus, dismiss the idea of coaster brakes from your mind and look for an old one with "rod" brakes. No cables, the brakes worked with solid connections from handle to pads. They were marvels of engineering and had a brake feel that has only been rivalled by modern disc brakes (and they never need adjusting).
While they have been long surpassed technically, the older English bikes have a quality of construction and beauty of workmanship that is hard to beat. The best ones had georgeous filligreed lugs with hand painted pinstriping and accenting.
Now that would certainly be better than a beach bomber wouldn't it?
High Speed super bike : stunts and accidents and crashes 1
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