Folding Bikes - Yet another Raleigh Twenty

Some updates to the new R20 project. Rev 1

Still SA 3 speed
Sun recumbent fork
Flat bars w/ barends
Alloy front wheel
Maxxis Hookworm tires
Thudbuster seatpostFront brake changed to V-brake and then to cantilever
Brake levers changed to Deore XT then to Diacompe XC
Pictures show addition of fenders, bottle cage, and rack.


I found out why the seatpost clamps are usually missing on old 20's when I stripped the bolt on mine today while trying out a different seatpost. Fortunately I had an old seatpost QR laying around.

More pics soon. I now have a Sachs 3x7 wheel, larger chainring, rear derailer, grip shifters, and a modified rear fender on the current project bike.

Interesting, looking forward to pics, one of these days (when the sun is out) i should really do some pics of my Twenty, it has really changed a lot. Among others:

'Tis ugly/deblinged/ no logo ed now, new back wheel and tire and Alesa rim, BMX rim, Big Apple and 7 S Ram Hub., bike pc, pedals, bottle cage, handlebarfoam, centerpull brakes (temporary) with Salmon Koolstop pads, Led Clip on light, Blackburn Mountainrack, Improvised 'Batman' mudflap to augment build in fender of the Mountainrack, Cat Eye Comet bell,... Last but not least, a Carradice Saddle Bag!

Soon a new wheel (shimano nexus hub and Alesa rim) will follow as well as canti/v braze ons, V Brakes etc. Powergrips too.

I bought a BB spanner yesterday - 36mm on one side, with the hook on the other. A few months from now, I'll get to remove the BB on my Twenty with it. :(

The hook is needed for the lockring but an adjustable wrench can be used to unscrew the cups. I have twice used a hammer and chisel to remove the stock BB cups. It's not as destructive as it sounds. I use it against the raised part of the surface to get the fixed cup to start turning and then use a flat faced pipe wrench on the raised edges to get it the rest of the way out.

I needed one for a charity-case bike I was repairing. I balked at getting one to work on my own bike, but I replaced the cranks/spindle on someone else's bike at no charge, and needed the tool. Go figure.

I have twice used a hammer and chisel to remove the stock BB cups. It's not as destructive as it sounds.

Sorry for butting in, but I did the same yesterday with my Twenty project. I couldn't get the driveside cotter pin out so I used a chisel behind the chainring to undo the BB cup. After about half an hour I had a completely dismantled Twenty bottom bracket. The only problem now is finding a new tapered BB to put it back together again.
I did try a spare Brompton bottom bracket I had lying around, which worked well apart from it being only a 119mm. This BB was way too short! :(
I think it will need a trip to my LBS, to get a Kinex in the longest length they have (131mm). Or I could just cut the BB shell down to a more standard 68mm, rather than the huge 76mm of my Twenty?...Hmm...

The saga continues.....

Was playing in photoshop last night with a picture of my twenty for my site version 2 (ie in CSS and mega compatable); Anyway when I got it repainted I did consider getting it mango yellow to match the tyres but erred on caution, not being sure I'd get a good match. Shame I didn't - this 'Duracell' scheme would look blimmin' ace!

http://www.littlepixel.info/twenty/blog/uploaded_images/twenty_duracell.jpg

that looks pretty cool. you should photoshop in the duracell logo in lieu of raleigh.

Can I have one of those "Photoshops" for my bicycle? :D

That looks Ace Pixel! However i am not so much a fan of the mango color, but i really like that the two tone showcases the folding nature, plus it just looks very pleasing to the eye! Nice. Can you do a version with a Candy Apple Red or Dark Blue back half?

And some spinners of course. ;)

I agree with everyone else littlepixel, that two-tone looks sweet. I'm also of pacific islander ethnicity, so I'm cool with mango:)!!! BTW, do any of you Raleigh Twenty owners use or have used 451 size wheels on your twenty? I'm currently running 406's, but was contemplating going to 451's. The reason I was thinking of it is because I eventually plan to upgrade my wheelset anyway, and since I only ride my twenty on roads, I thought it would let me make a slightly lighter, faster wheelset. What are your thoughts?
By the way, I don't know if you know this Cheg, but you were one of the people that helped me with my build. I had emailed you a couple times, and your answers helped me out. I even purchased the same suspenson fork you have on your first raleigh 'cause it looked good and I needed the cushion. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks for the inspiration and the help,
juan162

Glad to hear that I assisted you, Juan.

I am running a 451 rear wheel on my first '20 and the one problem I had was that the rear brake did not work very well. The original brake had too much reach and a standard reach cliper brake was too short. The attached picture shows the original brake with the shoes all the way up and it still did not sit well on the larger wheel.

I made a brake bridge extender out of stainless steel plate so that a standard reach brake would fit. It's just a piece of 1/8" (3mm) plate drilled as shown in the attached drawing. I mounted a standard reach side pull caliper brake and it much improved the braking. I rerouted the cable to pull from below by switching the cable guide and the clamp with each other top to bottom. I can't show a photo at the moment because the bike is in another state (literally - I'm in Seattle, Washington and the bike is in West Palm Beach, Florida). I hope to have it back in the next few weeks.

I agree with everyone else littlepixel, that two-tone looks sweet. I'm also of pacific islander ethnicity, so I'm cool with mango:)!!!
Thanks! There's something about that orangey yellow I can't help but love...


BTW, do any of you Raleigh Twenty owners use or have used 451 size wheels on your twenty?
Mine came with 451s originally. (As most UK ones were). Lucky I fitted the rear v-brake bosses or I'd have had to do something like the what Cheg did with his bridge extender. So yes - the wheels will definitely fit; I wonder if one was to remove the bridges whether one could go up to 24" skinny airnimal wheels. That might be a fun ride!

That looks Ace Pixel!
Ta!


However i am not so much a fan of the mango color
Each to their own!


but i really like that the two tone showcases the folding nature
It's kinda cool isn't it? A lot nicer than an 80's style blend.
I just picked up some NewOldStock blue Twenty decals on ebay today; If anyone else wants them - the seller - OldBikeTrader - says he has more. They are costing me £1.50 (about $2.75 USD) which is a total bargain...


Can you do a version with a Candy Apple Red or Dark Blue back half?
I might be persuaded if I get a moment...


And some spinners of course. ;)
Naturellement! ;)

Can I have one of those "Photoshops" for my bicycle? :D
Oh go on then. Post up a picture and I'll see what I can do ;)

Glad to hear that I assisted you, Juan.

I am running a 451 rear wheel on my first '20 and the one problem I had was that the rear brake did not work very well. The original brake had too much reach and a standard reach cliper brake was too short. The attached picture shows the original brake with the shoes all the way up and it still did not sit well on the larger wheel.

I made a brake bridge extender out of stainless steel plate so that a standard reach brake would fit. It's just a piece of 1/8" (3mm) plate drilled as shown in the attached drawing. I mounted a standard reach side pull caliper brake and it much improved the braking. I rerouted the cable to pull from below by switching the cable guide and the clamp with each other top to bottom. I can't show a photo at the moment because the bike is in another state (literally - I'm in Seattle, Washington and the bike is in West Palm Beach, Florida). I hope to have it back in the next few weeks.
Cheg, thanks for the info.
I have a couple more questions for you...Do you feel like the 451 is a 'faster' wheel (I know, I know, speed is about the engine, but lighter, faster wheels never hurt) compared to a 406?
I also read somewhere that you can use a conventional roadbrake with the 451 rim? Do you know if it's true?
BTW, my next mod on the Twenty is hopefully going to be fixing the rear spacing so I can use my 7th cog. I found an LBS with someone who is skilled at brazing, welding, and metal work in general. We've talked about a couple of ways to fix the problem. I'll let you know how it goes, juan162

Cheg, thanks for the info.
I have a couple more questions for you...Do you feel like the 451 is a 'faster' wheel (I know, I know, speed is about the engine, but lighter, faster wheels never hurt) compared to a 406?
I also read somewhere that you can use a conventional roadbrake with the 451 rim? Do you know if it's true?
BTW, my next mod on the Twenty is hopefully going to be fixing the rear spacing so I can use my 7th cog. I found an LBS with someone who is skilled at brazing, welding, and metal work in general. We've talked about a couple of ways to fix the problem. I'll let you know how it goes, juan162

Speed is about gearing and rolling resistance. 451 tires are generally narrow and high pressure which gives low rolling resistance. 451 are not lighter than all 406 wheels, just lighter than heavy 406 wheels. I went with 451 because it was bit easier to get the gearing I wanted. I wanted about 100 gear inches in top gear. With the 451, I could use a 58 tooth chainring off Ebay instead of finding a 10% larger chainring to offset a 10% smaller wheel. Chainrings > 60t are not too easy to find.

I my experience, a conventional road brake is too short to use with a 451 wheel unless you relocate the mounting hole. It may be different on a '20 frame that was originally equipped with 451 wheels.

I'l be interested in hearing about your mod for the chain clearance problem. Be sure to post some pics. There are other solutions to the gearing problem if you figure out a way to use the smallest cog on your cassette. Shimano makes a hub that takes a 10 tooth smallest cog. With that you could get 100 gear inches using a 406 wheel and an easily found 54t chainring.

Thanks! There's something about that orangey yellow I can't help but love...


Mine came with 451s originally. (As most UK ones were). Lucky I fitted the rear v-brake bosses or I'd have had to do something like the what Cheg did with his bridge extender. So yes - the wheels will definitely fit; I wonder if one was to remove the bridges whether one could go up to 24" skinny airnimal wheels. That might be a fun ride!

Maybe 24" in the back but what about in the front? How about a Brompton 16" wheel with a drum brake?

Put a longer fork and a larger wheel on the front, like a 26" or 27". 20 X 26 makes for an interesting look and better handling.

The 24 X 16 would make it look chopperish.

Maybe 24" in the back but what about in the front? How about a Brompton 16" wheel with a drum brake?

haha yes it would look chopperish! Maybe I can photoshop something to scale for us all to have a laugh. Tell you what - virtual bike modding is a lot cheaper than the real thing ;)

http://www.littlepixel.info/twenty/twenty_red.jpg
http://www.littlepixel.info/twenty/twenty_blue.jpg

Speed is about gearing and rolling resistance. 451 tires are generally narrow and high pressure which gives low rolling resistance. 451 are not lighter than all 406 wheels, just lighter than heavy 406 wheels. I went with 451 because it was bit easier to get the gearing I wanted. I wanted about 100 gear inches in top gear. With the 451, I could use a 58 tooth chainring off Ebay instead of finding a 10% larger chainring to offset a 10% smaller wheel. Chainrings > 60t are not too easy to find.

I my experience, a conventional road brake is too short to use with a 451 wheel unless you relocate the mounting hole. It may be different on a '20 frame that was originally equipped with 451 wheels.

I'l be interested in hearing about your mod for the chain clearance problem. Be sure to post some pics. There are other solutions to the gearing problem if you figure out a way to use the smallest cog on your cassette. Shimano makes a hub that takes a 10 tooth smallest cog. With that you could get 100 gear inches using a 406 wheel and an easily found 54t chainring.
Cheg, thanks for the info. I'm relatively new to biking (only about a year of serious miles) and so I'm learning as I go. My front chainring is a 54, which gives me about a 92" top gearuntil I can get the smallest cog to work. I actually was able to run the smallest cog once by simply adding spacers to the end of the hub, inside the drops on the drivetrain side. The only problem was that I would have had to have the rear wheel redished, and more importantly, I felt like I was spreading the seat and chainstays out a little further than what is probably safe.
The LBS guy who is going to help me with the problem said he could cut a small hollow in the seatstay (is that the right name?) and refill the 'hollow' space to keep it strong. He said that he has done this before and that there are bike frames that are actually made this way, new. The other alternative is cutting the fender/brake hanger/stiffening bracket and either filling the gap via welding it or replacing it with a new, wider bracket.
Back to the whole wheel sizing thing. Assuming I can get the gear range that I want, is there any other major pros to moving to a 451 wheel. In other words, do you find that the 451 size lets you use a lower rolling resistance tire, or are the choices about the same for the 451 and 406(as far as smooth, skinny tires go)? If anyone else has any advice please feel free to chime in.
juan162
BTW, I'm new to the whole forum thing. Should I have started a new thread for my questions, or is it OK to do what I'm doing. Just want to make sure I'm a polite forum user.

Littlepixel,
Nice job with the whole photoshop thing. I appreciate the 'natural' highlights you added to the frame to give it a realistic look. I do have to say that I am more partial to the mango 2-tone than these newer ones - the louder the better.
If you try the 24"rear wheel, I do have a chrome 24" fork you could have, if you want to have a matching wheelset.
juan162

Juan; thanks for the offer of a fork - I think I'm just thinking out loud at the moment and not about to leap into another twenty project.... Re the highlights - it's all in the layer effects. You can just paint a flat colour then set it to 'colourise' the layer beneath meaning you can recolour without obliterating the highlights. Off topic! I'll stop hijacking Chegs interesting thread now. [crawls back under rock] ;)

Cheg, thanks for the info. I'm relatively new to biking (only about a year of serious miles) and so I'm learning as I go. My front chainring is a 54, which gives me about a 92" top gearuntil I can get the smallest cog to work. I actually was able to run the smallest cog once by simply adding spacers to the end of the hub, inside the drops on the drivetrain side. The only problem was that I would have had to have the rear wheel redished, and more importantly, I felt like I was spreading the seat and chainstays out a little further than what is probably safe.
The LBS guy who is going to help me with the problem said he could cut a small hollow in the seatstay (is that the right name?) and refill the 'hollow' space to keep it strong. He said that he has done this before and that there are bike frames that are actually made this way, new. The other alternative is cutting the fender/brake hanger/stiffening bracket and either filling the gap via welding it or replacing it with a new, wider bracket.
Back to the whole wheel sizing thing. Assuming I can get the gear range that I want, is there any other major pros to moving to a 451 wheel. In other words, do you find that the 451 size lets you use a lower rolling resistance tire, or are the choices about the same for the 451 and 406(as far as smooth, skinny tires go)? If anyone else has any advice please feel free to chime in.
juan162
BTW, I'm new to the whole forum thing. Should I have started a new thread for my questions, or is it OK to do what I'm doing. Just want to make sure I'm a polite forum user.

I talked to a frame builder about replacing the brake bridge a while back and it sounded like it would not be a problem. He said he would be inclined to put in a standard tube bridge instead of a plate. What put me off was that he wanted to repaint the frame after welding and that cost more than I wanted to spend. At some point you have to draw the line. Of course I actually crossed that line a long time ago :rolleyes: .

I got a very good deal on my 451 rear wheel, that's why I chose it. You can get narrow high pressure tires in both sizes, as shown at http://www.gaerlan.com/bikeparts/bike.html . There is no real advantage to 451 wheels that I can think of except the slight gearing advantage.

Don't worry about hijacking the thread. I think anyone interested in Raleigh 20's will probably see your message in this thread as well as if you started another.

I just found this link on the web about a cool Twenty - thought this group would enjoy.
http://raleighfolder.blogspot.com/2005/12/folder-so-far.html

Humblecyclist,
Thanks for the post. It's always good to see another raleigh twenty in good condition,
juan162

Shimano makes a hub that takes a 10 tooth smallest cog. With that you could get 100 gear inches using a 406 wheel and an easily found 54t chainring.

Actually, Shimano Capreo has a 9t top cog.