Back when I was a kid, my father modified an relatives old 1940’s bicycle. It was well used and my father had an idea of mounting a set of wheels on the bicycle that was collecting dust in the garage. After some adjustments and mechanical wizardry, he got the bicycle running. I was about that age that I needed an real bicycle so he gave me the old bicycle as an everyday ride. There I went, with the seat lowered as much as possible. To school, the shops, riding to friends and one or two occasionally ride to the hot dog stand for a snack.

To be honest, that bicycle had an huge impact on me. Not only because it was my very first adult bicycle I used at an regular basis. But more of the wheels my father had mounted. They were laced with Sturmey Archer hubs, drum brake both front and rear. The rear hub had three speeds and that was a first for me. Being able to shift gears, pedal backwards without braking, it was amazing.

On the handlebars were the shifter, an delicate little thingy. By pulling the lever towards you, the first gear got connected. Perfect for going up hills and starting at traffic lights. When moving the lever up one notch, there we found the second gear. The normal gear, smooth sailing on the streets, just listen to the hub silent ticking along the way, like a purring cat that had cream for dinner and are enjoying the sun. Pushing the lever all the way up, we have the third gear. Now we are going down hills in a lightning speed, the stream of wind is immense and fills the eyes with tears. Three gears. That is it, no more, no less. Simply perfect!

The old drum brakes that was most likely designed back in the Napoleonic era made sure your stops would be smooth as silk, even when pulling the levers for an emergency stop. The brakes were more of an – well let us take it easy and gently ease to an halt, shall we? Or, if adjusted even so slightly tighter, the brakes would seize up and make the sound of an old bus slamming the brakes at a stop just before hitting an ice cream van. After a while you learned to either brake well in advance, or not at all. In either way. The one great lesson we learn early on, was to look far ahead and read the traffic and brakes are rather nice to have.

Sadly the bicycle was left behind a shed in one of many moves over the years. But the memories of the old bicycle remained, it was a special bicycle for me in many ways. Not only because the three speed gears, but it was an relatives bicycle that had been in the family for a long time. But back then, an old bicycle was only that, an old bicycle. Nothing special at all, simply an old rusty, worn and well used bicycle.

Many years later I discovered the Society Of Three Speeds. It looked like a fun thing to be a part of, riding a bicycle, participating in different challenges, all with a three speed bicycle. But after reading the qualifications, I realized that I could not participate in any of those events. Simply by not having a three speed bicycle that was according to Society Of Three Speeds rules. The gears is supposed to be internal. The only gear systemn I had was the suicide derailleur and that design was on the outside!

After thinking for a while I decided to re-lace a wheel with an old Torpedo three speed hub that I had in one of my boxes. It was made in 1941 and my initial idea was to mount the hub on an bicycle from the same year so it would be a perfect match. The only bicycle I could replace the standard hub on, turned out to be damaged in some strange way so that ones had do be disregarded. The other candidate I had was just a tad to modern, the green Husqvarna by being from 1948. It was not quite what I had in mind. I was procrastinating, and did not made anything with the hub or bicycle. Back to square one.

One day I noticed an classified ad online, about an red Husqvarna from 1939 that was for sale. It was almost the same style of bicycle as the green Husqvarna. But what really caught my eye was, the bicycle in the ad was equipped with… Look and behold, Sturmey Archer hubs with drum brakes and a three speed rear hub. It was the same set up as when I was a kid. I told the seller that I would like to look at the bicycle. After meting up in the city a few days later, a deal was made. Money changed hands and I went on my way with a new bicycle.

After a short ride, I realized. I hadn’t bought a bicycle, I had bought an time machine. For the first time since mid 1980’s I rode an bicycle with three gears and after only 10 meters I knew how to slightly pedal backwards while shifting gears. That might not be the way to do it, but it was how I was learned to do back then. The drum brakes eased the bicycle to a stop, the hub ticked happily along. Just as I remembered from when I was a kid. The only question I had while riding the bicycle was why I haven’t bought a three geared bicycle earlier?

This is the way to ride, adjust the peddling slightly along the way in relation to the gradient of going up or down hills. Just stop peddling for a moment, flip the lever on the handlebar with your index finger ever so slightly, and first gear slides in to place and ride like the wind up the hill. Or when going like a dive bomber down the hill on third gear.

The bicycle seems to be an Husqvarna from 1939, that I suspect might be an renovation from 1950’s. That is due to the year stamp on the hubs, whilst the rimes seem to be original. The seat post screw is painted and according to what I was told earlier. That it was a sure sign of an bicycle shop renovation. Back in the 1950’s it was very common to have older bicycles renovated by an local shop, the upgrade was cheaper than a new bicycle. The repainted the frame and other parts that were in good condition. Upgraded some parts and changed others.

This red Husqvarna seems to been upgraded a lot. First of all it got aluminium Novo orthopaedic pedals. Those were the latest development in how to be careful about your feet back in the late 1940’s. The chain guard is also made out of aluminium, not the best choice of material when it comes to a chain guard with all scratches, oil, grease and dirt stains. Then we have the mud guards, they are also made of… aluminium. Very thin aluminium, in fact they are so fragile that I suspect if a fly lands on them, the fly will make a dent in the metal. The mud guards have all kind of different holes in them, almost like a factory preset, “our mud guards will fit any bicycle, with any accessories. Buy them and do not regret it”. All those upgrades makes the red Husqvarna a time stamp of the time when bicycles were taken care of so they could last for many years to come.

As I am told, aluminium reacts to other metals and corrodes. That explains the damages on the rear fender. Over the years the mount for mudguard brackets and the mandatory cat eye reflector, have corroded a hole in the aluminium. But fear not! I had an old rear light in slightly thicker aluminium from the 1950´s that fitted just perfect. Mounted with an small leather patch as isolation against the guard I guess the corrosion will be 50% less, since it have taken about 70 years for the aluminium to corrode. I will manage just fine the nest 20 years. Beside the aluminium rear light mounted on the aluminium mudguard, looks like an work of art.

The weight of the bicycle, along with the front and rear lights, dynamo and especially with the Sturmey Archer hubs and with a frame that was made in an era when they manufactured bicycles out of solid iron (so it seems). Makes it a really heavy bicycle. After all, it is red and have British hubs, perhaps it is an vintage Routemaster in disguise made in Sweden. That might explain the special sound when stopping. It is a bus?

There are still some minor adjustments and repairs to do on it, like changing the tape holding the shifter cable mounts and so on. But as the car enthusiast says – it is a rolling renovation. I will renovate and fix it along the way. The winter is long and cold up here in the north, there is plenty of time for preparation for tweed events 2022.

But now it is time to shift in to the first gear and gently be on my way to the hot dog stand for a snack, just as back in the early 80´s.