Folding Bikes - My Royal Enfield Revelation

So. I got my Revelation home, and it's pretty decent. I would way a set of tyres would get it running right now, but the bars and stem are a little speckled, the seatpost is rusty, and the rims are messy too. The paint is much better than I'd thought, but hardly a lovely colour. I think that I'd like to make it a really useable bike, but I also want it to remain period appropriate. What I'm thinking is that alloy rims would be in order (better stopping, rather than light weight), so I'll need to find 451 allows, and that instead of the AW 3 speed it has at the moment, either an FW 4 speed, or the S5 twin chain 5 speed that was destined for my other Moulton Mini would be nice. Such a rare bike should have a bit of luxury about it! I'd stick with the SA dynohub on the front, but I need to see if there's a way I can make it power a juicier light set, and ideally, if I can disguise that lightset as the old one. In order to get comfortable, I'm going to need a nice long seatpost, so I might stray from the vintage recipe a bit and have an alloy micro-adjust post. A sprung Brooks would be nice, but I don't want this bike to be stealable, so maybe I'll just look for an old Brooks mattress saddle in good condition. Aside from that, I'm thinking a respray, but what colour? I like the contrasting mudguards, so maybe deep red/burgundy with black fenders? Give me your thoughts on this people! Given the rotten state of the rear bag, I'm thinking I'll strap a nice big wicker basket on there.

Sam,
My wife's RSW-16 deluxe model has a SA Dynohub that's caused a lot of trouble. Every time I fixed it (finding nothing wrong) it would stop working again, usually when she was riding home from work late at night; and even when it was working, the light was pretty dim. Recently I opened it all up and soldered a bridge rectifier into the wires inside the headlight and replaced the incandescent bulbs with LED bulbs, and added a couple wires to bypass ground connections where, in theory, no wire was needed. The whole thing has now decided to be reliable, and it puts out quite a bit more light. Momma is happy (which is good because, as they say, if Momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy).

I have a rear dynohub on an FW, which is 100% reliable, but that's my only experience. I know they don't put out as much juice as a modern dyno, but I'm wondering whether I couldn't bodge some sort of LED into the casings to get better light output. I guess I'll always want to keep my Dinottes to hand, but it's nice to know you've got the alternate!

RHM - you didn't give any view on colour scheme....

I vote for burnt sienna... with cream fenders. :)

--sam

That's a beaut. I love the gussets on the frame!
(Doesn't know anything about electrickery so bypasses those questions)

I think you should go all out (budget permitting) and get chrome bits redone, get a shine on any alloy with a buffer and rouge and generally get her going as a modern classic. If you're going with alloy rims they'll need some polish too :)

I think if you're keeping it original in spirit you could upgrade to a modern dynohub and just retrofit it into the lamps. Maybe find a second set so you can keep the originals original.

Colours? Dark and marroon sounds good, though I have to say I do like the current duck-egg blue. If you go dark, I think it's almost compulsory to have the rear of the back mudguard in white for night visibility - it just looks classy!

Colours to go with black guards? The ubiquitous British Racing Green? Burnt Sienna would be nice as would a pale hospital grey-green with holly green mudguards.

Looks like a great project bike. I hope it brings joy in the transformation!

Polish the old paint and see what it looks like.

No dice. I hate the colour.

I like Dyno hubs

got one on my Blue Falcon

Its on normal Dynomo lights, with no switch. Run the wires through the frame and BB shell. That was fiddly. Theres a cup and cone BB, as wires wont fit with a cartridge.

Hey I blew the head light buld in an RSW going up a steep hill. So dyno hubs are good.

BLACK metallic with a cool green fleck looks...well, COOL, however, any colour will do, Sammyboy, as long as you don't go NAKIE again...PLEASE.

...

RHM - you didn't give any view on colour scheme....

Guilty as charged!

But may I remind you that many moons ago you requested color scheme advice on a beautiful blue Raleigh Twenty? Not only was it in excellent condition, but it was a lovely color. Indeed, if I were painting my Twenty (which is a horrid green) I would paint it that very blue. But you were planning to repaint it, not liking it! Clearly you and I do not see eye to eye on matters of color.

Wait, scratch that, I have an idea. How about a two-tone finish, the colors of Guinness advertisements? One is a dark brown, like the beer; the other is a light cream like the foam.

Ooooh. Now that I rather like....

what about smoothing the gussets with body filler. look a bit better.
What about looking at Royal Enfield motorbikes and taking the colour from them.

Ooooh. Now that I rather like....

Excellent.

Extra points if you can capture the effect of waves of beer cascading down through the rising bubbles like on a freshly poured pint! It would almost have to be a photographic transfer... but how cool!

Yeah, I'm tempted by the sort of red that Enfields used to come in, for sure. Smoothing the gussets is not a bad idea - I thought they'd be smoother than they are.

I know it's an odd reference, but I'm quite tempted by this old railway livery....

Very nice find, you lucky bastige.:thumb: I wants one bad now.

I like the duck egg blue but if you are after multi-toned railway colour schemes, what about GWR's.:D
Either the loco or carriage scheme would look good.

powder coat it a light mint green.

I know it's an odd reference, but I'm quite tempted by this old railway livery....



Uhm... isn't that sorta kinda "burnt sienna and cream" ;) :P

--sam

I have a rear dynohub on an FW, which is 100% reliable, but that's my only experience. I know they don't put out as much juice as a modern dyno, but I'm wondering whether I couldn't bodge some sort of LED into the casings to get better light output. I guess I'll always want to keep my Dinottes to hand, but it's nice to know you've got the alternate!

RHM - you didn't give any view on colour scheme....

This should help with the LED conversion.
http://www.sciencemonster.net/machines/rudgesports/lights.html

I like the Guiness color scheme as well, with maroon and cream a close second. Any color would look good as long as it is from the older time period. I'm not a fan of the super bright neon/dayglow racing colors.

Hi Sammy I bought a Revelation last week. Still to collect it. I would like find some 451 alloy rims but this has proved difficult also tyres that are 1 3/8 are also hard to come by. Do you have any leads on tyres and rims? Seatpost?

http://shop.vendio.com/benscycle/ite...935/index.html

These look good.

http://shop.vendio.com/benscycle/ite...060/index.html

Let me know if you can source anything.

Thanks Gary

Hi Gary - don't I know you from Bikeradar? Seatposts of all possible sizes are available cheap from www.wiggle.co.uk, I haven't measured the post on the Revelation yet. Your links don't seem to go anywhere?

451 tyres are here:

http://www.foldingbikes.co.uk/tyres_20_451.htm

And here:

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/category-20-(451)-Folding-Bikes-etc-195.htm

But the options appear to be Stelvios (too skinny and uncomfortable), and cheap £5 granny tyres. What I really want is Marathons, but they're not made in that size. Primo Comets in 451 are available in the Yoonited States, so maybe I can hunt those down here.

does all the bits come off ok.
looks kinda rusty.

...
I like the Guiness color scheme as well, with maroon and cream a close second. Any color would look good as long as it is from the older time period. I'm not a fan of the super bright neon/dayglow racing colors.

+1. An ivory or cream or other off-white, combined with almost any color, will give a nice vintage look. On a lugged frame it's pretty easy to decide where to do the light color and where to do the dark; on the Revelation that will be more difficult. I'd suggest you get creative, and be sure to have it properly pinstriped!

Check out the cream and gold paint scheme on this old bike. It's terrible paint, but I like the pattern.




Sammyboy, is there any chance you can get the rims painted and pinstriped as well?

Yes I am normally on Bikeradar and forgot I was a member.

The links did work but now they don't.

So here is what I found 2 silver alloy Velocity Glider 451 rims 36 hole $17.99 (for a pair) downside is the shipping.

http://shop.vendio.com/benscycle/item/926103060/index.html

They have other offers.

The route I took was to Google Ben' Cycles Vendio Shop, get to the shop and on the left hand side get 20" rims you should find the rims in there.

I want the Comet tyres 1 3/8's is better than the skinny jobs.

Hey do you think non eyelets is an issue?

$17.99

NEW AND NEVER USED!



Velocity Glider 20” Rims



This Velocity rim is a great recumbent rim. Auction is for TWO Rims!



20x1.5 - 451 BCD - Color: Anodized Silver

Non Eyeletted

Weight – 440 grams

Symmetric Drillings: 36H

The links now work because the full code is there. I left off the 'l' on HTML.

http://shop.vendio.com/benscycle/item/925979680/index.html

These look too narrow?

I think that the Revelation only came in 3 colours. Flamboyant blue and flamboyant bugundy as well as a green which is so dark it almost looks black this is not in the catalogue.

Too narrow, too modern looking, and if we need another strike against them, they're in America. They'd be ideal for a hot-rod Revelation, but not for what I want. I want some ordinary square section alloy rims, I think. I'm not going to try to replicate any of the original colours I don't think, just go with a scheme that "feels" right.

Have you seen a hot rod revelation?
Quite like the idea of a fixed/free stripped down Revelation but the ride may be too harsh on narrow rims. The Comet tyre appeals and would sit well on the economy rim which looks plain enough to me.
I know what you mean about colours this is an opportunity to get something unique and fitting.
Where will you get your rims?

how do you find all these bikes :roflmao:

By chance on the dreaded bay and always keep an eye out!

Hey Sammyboy, you got yourself a proper find there!
I just got my first RE recently too (a wartime Sports Lightweight, nothing like yours!) and checked Hadlands Revelation article in the process of researching it..

Colourwise I'd go for dark, BRG maybe?
Lights, I'd keep the dyno-hub for originality and have clip on LEDs for temporary needs.
Rechargeable battery packs can give you cheap usage and plenty of light.
I got a 8/10 watt one (I think, can't find it just now!) and even with my poor eyesight I can see for miles!

Smashing bike though, and different!
I never wanted to be one of the sheep.

For extra light, I've got a set of Dinottes, I just like the idea of lots of light on demand without remembering anything.

Just in case you hadn't already seen it - some great background on Tony Hadland's site, along with some nice hi-res blueprints of the bike (Should anyone ever fancy building a replica... in Ti say ;) )

http://www.hadland.me.uk/revelation/revelation.htm