Classic & Vintage - Raleigh Twenty comes to life

Just a quick "brag" on my project bike, an older Raleigh Twenty. My new rear wheel is in transient to me, built with a SRAM Spectro S7 hub on a Sun Rynolite rim. The front wheel uses the same rim with a Shimano Nexus generator hub. The seat has been replaced with a new Brooks B66 with a Carradice Camper Longflap (in red) hanging from the rear loops. I've mounted Schwalbe Marathon tires on the new wheels. They give a great ride and seem bulletproof.

The bottom bracket will be replaced with a new Shimano held in place with Phil Wood retaining rings.

It's still not the prettiest ride, but I love it!

Photo's please! I picked up an early 70's folding Raleigh Twenty that I plan to do up, I've cleaned it up and the chrome guards have come up well, but I think I'm looking at a respray for the frame. Which of the two wheel sizes do you have? Have you seen Sheldon's 20's?

I'll get a photo up later today. I have the smaller wheel (American BMX size). I got the ideas for the upgrades from reading Sheldon's accounts (and a few telephone conversations with him regarding part suggestions, etc.)

I've toyed with the idea of a new paint job but I like the original decals, etc and would hate to lose them. I've recently acquired a second Twenty and have done some minor tweaks on it for my sister. She's keeping it mostly stock.

Photos to follow soon.

Photos can be found at my web site
http://lennytaylor.freeyellow.com

Are you using the original handelbars? Mine look different. Did you have to spread the stays for the SRAM? It would seem wider than the iriginal hub.

Raleigh used two different styles of handlebars that I know of. Some were adjustable (probably yours) and others were set at a fixed angle of attack like mine.

The rear stays will need to be spread and then realigned. I've got a local shop here in Sacramento that will do it for me (whew). My new wheel is set to arrive this Tuesday via UPS from Maine. I'll drop off the bike and let them do the hard stuff.

I need to figure out a better brake for the front end also. There isn't nearly enough stopping power. I may end up going with a different fork with mounts for Vee-brakes. Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks for the information. I have been using a couple of web sites for referrences. There is a web site where a fellow modified a MTB fork and used the break bosses for newer brakes. The article is "Guy's Twententy" at the bottom of a site describing many folding bikes and projects is: htpp://home.istar.ca/~marker/folders.html. Some BMX forks could also have the brazed-on V-brake bosses. I just noticed that the system doesn't let me enter the URL for Guy's article properly, so if you'll have to use two steps to get to it.

I dug mine out of the shed at the weekend and have been using to get to the station - I'm growing more and more fond of it. I'm on a course in London and didn't want to leave my main bike locked up all day, but now I'm thinking I wouldn't want to risk losing this either...

The big question is how much do I restore it - it's all original including uncomfortable white saddle and silly plastic grips (one of which acts like a primitive gripshift). The paints not terrible but not perfect. Would it be a crime to respray it and update? It's hardly a rarity, but is in original condition with chrome work that's cleaned up nicely...

The question of how much to update or change is easy to answer if you can honestly decide if you are a collector or a rider. As a rider, there are many items that you'd want to update. A collector on the other hand wants the bicycle as original as possible.

For those of you who are collectors, I have two original wheels, both in good condition. The front hub has been thouroughly cleaned and rebuilt and the rear Sturmey Archer hub is in good working order. If someone is interested in them get in touch with me. I also have the original brake levers. I haven't decided if I am going to remove the rear rack though. If I do, it will be available.

The question of how much to update or change is easy to answer if you can honestly decide if you are a collector or a rider. As a rider, there are many items that you'd want to update. A collector on the other hand wants the bicycle as original as possible.

For those of you who are collectors, I have two original wheels, both in good condition. The front hub has been thouroughly cleaned and rebuilt and the rear Sturmey Archer hub is in good working order. If someone is interested in them get in touch with me. I also have the original brake levers. I haven't decided if I am going to remove the rear rack though. If I do, it will be available.

Good point - I think I'll go the route of changing bits but store them for now. The respray is something that needs further thought...

Funny that the Raleigh Twenty discussion should turn up. My wife and I were given one of these at our place in California. Condition of the bike is original and very good, except needing new inner tubes and replacement of a missing nut on the front brake caliper (Good job I checked it over...). I did the bare minimum to get the bike running, plus polishing up the chromework and it is great. It was funny to find something made in my home town of Nottingham all those thousands of miles away. It brought back childhood memories of the way bikes used to be. I especially like the nuts with the red R inset into the head.

Cheers,

Ed

I lived in Nottingham years ago, actually Carlton. I had a room in a boarding house right next to a fairly busy intersection and a rail line. Every night the trains would rumble by at 1, 3, and 5 AM. For the first two weeks it woke me up every time. When I moved away, I woke up at those times because nothing was happening and my subconscious was waiting for the noise. Go figure.

In the mornings we'd go outside and invariably there were some turnips on the ground that had fallen from trucks as they rounded the corner. And each day we'd pick one up and point out that this one "had just fallen off the turnip truck!" (We were pretty short on real humor back then. . . )

If you choose to put new tires, etc. I highly recomend the Schwalbe Marathons. They hold a higher pressure and give a great ride.

Take care and enjoy.

I lived in Nottingham years ago, actually Carlton. I had a room in a boarding house right next to a fairly busy intersection and a rail line. Every night the trains would rumble by at 1, 3, and 5 AM. For the first two weeks it woke me up every time. When I moved away, I woke up at those times because nothing was happening and my subconscious was waiting for the noise. Go figure.

In the mornings we'd go outside and invariably there were some turnips on the ground that had fallen from trucks as they rounded the corner. And each day we'd pick one up and point out that this one "had just fallen off the turnip truck!" (We were pretty short on real humor back then. . . )

If you choose to put new tires, etc. I highly recomend the Schwalbe Marathons. They hold a higher pressure and give a great ride.

Take care and enjoy.

I'm not sure the Marathons will fit - mine has 20" wheels, but they're not the BMX size they're a different ERTO size. I run Marathons on my MTB (well Marathon Plus's to be precise) and like them.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

I'll get a photo up later today. I have the smaller wheel (American BMX size). I got the ideas for the upgrades from reading Sheldon's accounts (and a few telephone conversations with him regarding part suggestions, etc.)

I've toyed with the idea of a new paint job but I like the original decals, etc and would hate to lose them. I've recently acquired a second Twenty and have done some minor tweaks on it for my sister. She's keeping it mostly stock.

Photos to follow soon.

Looking at the photos on your web site your frame paintwork is in better condition than mine was as well as having classier decals (mine was unlucky enough to be early 70's metallic olive green with far less tasteful decals). I've bought some black paint, a new black saddle and grips, and a set of cables. Stripping the frame is underway. Wheels will be the stock steel ones for the time being, and I might try and fit a bottle dynamo... I'll try and post pics soon. If you get a chance to post any of your sisters I'd be grateful.

Read Sheldon Brown's excellent article on Raleigh bearing/hubs. I took my old front one apart and cleaned it up and put it back together. What an amazing difference it made! Smooooooth

But, that wheel is now in storage. If you go the bottle dynamo route I highly recomend the Dymotech S6. I've got one on my mountain bike and it works great. Quiet, and no perceptable drag. I think SJS Bicycles has them on their web site. (I got mine from Peter White here in the states. I'll get some more pictures and post them soon. Take care

Not sure if I'll stay with these handlebars but it is comfortable to ride.

@LET: You do know there's a pretty healthy Raleigh Twenty community going on in the Folding Bikes forum? Come on over and share your wisdom!