Sorry for taking this a little OT I have been considering getting a bike. I was familiar with the three speed and as a kid rode it all over Pittsburgh (which is pretty hilly) but not sure if a five (or 10) speed would be a smarter choice. Not very hilly around here and it would be more for exercise than transportation and I'm a lot older now.
I was glad to see SA is still around in some form, thanks Bonneyman!
My hybrid that I pictured in the bike thread is a 14 speed (2 in front, 7 in back). No need for more gears and complexity. The best of both worlds.
It's a mountain bike aluminum frame and fork, but with mostly road components. Since I don't do downhill racing I don't need a full-tilt off-road setup - road parts are just fine. Plus I picked older "obsolete" parts and they were had cheap because everyone wants the latest and greatest.
And though I have wider mountain bike rims - being 700c - I run narrower hybrid tires. Less weight than full MTB tires, thicker and more comfy than narrow racing slicks. Overall work great, my paint job, but nothing anybody would want to steal.
Most important recommendation - get Schwalbe tires. Not cheap, but right near the top and the customer service is top notch.