A tringle-speed Roaduno!

When we're talking gears with folks shopping for bikes, especially for commuting, it frequently goes something like this:

-Singlespeed? How silly and impractical! 
-Gears? Meh, they're cool, but I only stick to two or three, why do bikes these days need so many?!

Internal gear hubs, where nothing but three speeds is a normal and widespread standard, are very much in our wheelhouse but have their downsides - they're heavy, the internals are complex, cable routing can be awkward, and they're often pricier. Folks have been working around this since forever with parts bin special dingle- and tringle-speed configurations, where a front derailer shifts between two or three chainrings, and an old rear derailer stays put on a single speed freewheel, just acting as a chain tensioner

Rivendell, always a step ahead, went a step further and built a frame just for this kind of build! Meet the Roaduno. With its rear-entry dropouts and simple, lightweight construction, it works great as a single-speed, but has a few additional features that make it perfect for a two or three gears! A single downtube housing stop on the left and a rear derailer hanger are crucial elements that allow you to route a cable to a front derailer, and install a rear derailer or chain tensioner.

This build we recently put together for Jocelyn is a perfect use of all these features! We opted for the fancy transmission bits - a White Industries freewheel and Paul Component Melvin chain tensioner - but also kept it practical and friendly for commuting and bopping around the city. A Nitto M18 rack, Crane bell, Greenfield kickstand, full Velo Orange fenders, and comfy upright Sim Works Fun 3 handlebars make this a very capable everyday bike.

We love how it came out! Reach out if you'd like to plan a build, we still have a couple Roadunos left and would be thrilled to get more folks on 2 or 3 speeds! 

Build spec

• Rivendell Roaduno frameset, Mustard, 51cm
• New Albion XDT triple crank
• KMC X9 chain
• White Industries ENO freewheel
• Paul Component Melvin chain tensioner
• Bassi high flange track hubs
• Sun Ringlé CR18 rims
• René Herse Babyshoe Pass tires
• Rivendell Silver2 shifter with thumbshifter mount
• Microshift R9 front derailer
• Dia-Compe SS6 brake levers
• Tektro R369 brake calipers
• Nitto Technomic stem
• Sim Works Fun 3 handlebar
• Ergon GC1 grips
• Gilles Berthoud saddle
• Crane E-NE bell
• Sim Works John Cage bottle cage
• Greenfield kickstand
• Nitto M18 rack
• Velo Orange Zeppelin fenders

Lovely photos by Troy