A roadster, aka English roadster, is a type of utility bicycle

Utility bicycle

A utility bicycle is a bicycle designed for practical transportation, as opposed to bicycles which are primarily designed for recreation and competition, such as touring bicycles, racing bicycles, sport/training bicycles, and mountain bicycles. The vast majority of bicycles can be found in the...

 once common in Britain and still very common in Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

, Africa

Africa

Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...

, Denmark

Denmark

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...

 and the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

, however, during the past several years, traditionally styled roadster bicycles have gained considerable popularity in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and throughout the western world

Western world

The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...

, particularly, as a fashion statement.
There were three basic variants of the roadster.
A classic English roadster has a lugged brazed steel frame

Bicycle frame

A bicycle frame is the main component of a bicycle, on to which wheels and other components are fitted. The modern and most common frame design for an upright bicycle is based on the safety bicycle, and consists of two triangles, a main triangle and a paired rear triangle...

, rod-actuated brakes, upright handlebars, a single gear ratio or Sturmey-Archer

Sturmey-Archer

Sturmey-Archer is a manufacturing company originally from Nottingham, England. It primarily produces bicycle hub gears but has also produced motorcycle hubs....

 3-speed hub gear

Hub gear

A hub gear, internal-gear hub, or just gear hub is a gear ratio changing system commonly used on bicycles that is implemented with planetary or epicyclic gears. The gears and lubricants are sealed within the hub-shell of the bicycle's rear wheel, as opposed to derailleur gears, where the gears and...

s, a chaincase, steel mudguards, cottered steel cranks, 28 inch (635 mm) Westwood style rims

Westwood rim

The Westwood rim style of cycle rim used on bicycles was one of the original steel rim designs, developed during or before 1891. Bowden brakes and cables designed for use with this rim were introduced in 1896. Westwood rims have also been found ideal for use with drum brakes...

, and often a Sturmey-Archer Dynohub hub dynamo

Hub dynamo

A hub dynamo is a small electrical generator built into the hub of a bicycle wheel that is usually used to power lights. Most modern hub dynamos are regulated to 3 watts at 6 volts, although some will drive up to 6 watts at 12 volts.-Models:...

.