Folding Bikes - Raleigh Twenty Project

Well, I'm taking a break from the tedious task of stripping the paint off a frame, I have no yard or garage and rent an attic apartment with a pyscho landlord on the first floor. Anyway, taking a break, thought I'd post a few shots of its progress (or lack of)... stripping it - planning on gettin'the girl (?) powdercoated ... actually would cost more for the guy to strip the paint than to paint it, so he advised I strip it myself (just time and a few bucks of sandpaper and wire brush attachments).

When my hosting service fixed my server (slow as a dog right now, dunno if they're under attack or what) I plan on making a category in my... "phlog" pertaining to its slow progress.

Hey that's the same colour as my twenty-in-progress... I kinda like that green! Maybe the process might speed up if you used some paint stripper? I hear brake-fluid is very good to get paint off. Saying that- I doubt it's easy doing it all in your appartment. Patience! You'll get there. So what are your plans for the bike? Restoration or hot-rod? Mine seems to be on hold till my SRAM hub arrives. Version one did come but the thing was damaged and had to go back to the manufacturer. Pffft!

Hot Rod! Yeah the green was nice, but in poor poor condition... I was going to leave it, but one morning I woke up and just decided - meh, get it painted. The front fork I have chosen is black... so I'm thinking of going real basic scheme and having it powdered white. I got my SRAM hub (5 speed) a couple weeks ago and built up its wheel. So far I've got the two wheels built (not quite true though), seatpost and a suspension fork - its far from being done (need BB, cranks, bars, etc). Once I get it stripped I'll bring it down to get painted, then its off to have its fork threaded and installed, then its waiting for more money hey.

Oh, as for paint stripper - yeah, not so much. As it is, I have to turn my stereo up in the back room and turn on a loud fan to try and mask the sound of my drill because I know the drill would send the land...hag... err lord into a frenzy. I do occassionally use some goof-off actually it worked pretty well ... just apply some to a cloth and rub it into the frame - loosens the old paint up pretty quick like. I actually got pretty far on the rear of the frame by last night, now its mostly the little areas around the BB, hinge and seat tube top. I reckon the front piece of the frame and the chain guard will go pretty quickly in comparison - as there are no tedious spots on them.

How about white from the head tube to the seatpost and then black back from there with black fenders and the word POLITE on both sides of the top tube.

I'm but a poor city worker and I want to keep the frame painting cheap. But good suggestion ;)

If I knew where to get stickers made I might do it myself with my single speed.

cafepress.com, stickerguy.com... actually I might make some today and have them sent! I have a 50 minute render going, which means no work for me for... 50 minutes. Why oh why won't they get me a G5!!!

The first Polite sticker design people, albeit in an odd thread... a run of 250 4.25"x1.38" black and whites would be 20 bucks. a run of 250 5.5"x1.42" would be 25 bucks - the 2nd image is the stretched 5.5" but the text is the same height... the stretch I think contributes to the illusion.

It seems now i am stuck and have to do it.

Put this in another thread but thought I'd mention it here too... just found a raleigh 20 TANDEM!!! on ebay for sale...

http://i16.ebayimg.com/03/i/03/02/d1/3a_1_b.JPG

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=7298&item=7120319777&rd=1

Who'd have thunk it? (very very tempted)

left-sided drive? or reversed image...

I'd guess that because a Sturmey 3 speed has it's sprocket on the right that the drivetrain between the front and rear chainsets has to be on the left hand side so that the drive from rear to the back wheel can be on the right as usual... It's cool though isn't it?

Ah right right right.

Hot Rod! Yeah the green was nice, but in poor poor condition... I was going to leave it, but one morning I woke up and just decided - meh, get it painted. The front fork I have chosen is black... so I'm thinking of going real basic scheme and having it powdered white. I got my SRAM hub (5 speed) a couple weeks ago and built up its wheel. So far I've got the two wheels built (not quite true though), seatpost and a suspension fork - its far from being done (need BB, cranks, bars, etc). Once I get it stripped I'll bring it down to get painted, then its off to have its fork threaded and installed, then its waiting for more money hey.

Here's a pic of a white '20. Nice and simple.
http://www.bikexprt.com/bicycle/mytwenty.htm

I'd love to find one of the old electric blue frames to build up.