sauze

Hey folks, I may be better off posting some of this in the Folders section but seeing as this bike is both classic and vintage I thought I'd try here.

I'd like to upgrade / restore the bike but of course raleigh proprietary threading and extra wide bottom bracket shells are in my future.

The main issue is the crankset which is bent and the fact I'd really like to NOT use cottered cranks.

* Sorry for the iffy pictures, just used my phone











If the Sturmy Archer hub is to be believed than it's a 1969.

Anyone else done these conversions? Is it a fools errand?

I don't have any measurements on it but I assume the BB Shell is going to be about 76mm wide. Is my best bet to try and remove some of the shell and possibly use a velo orange threadless BB?

I have access to lots of BMX wheels / tires and I should be able to work something out for the brakes. The cranks / bb is where I'm going to have trouble.

mparker326

I have stopped trying to modify bikes like this and just ride them as is. I modded a couple of them and didn't really like the result any better than the original version. I also tend to ride bikes for a while and then sell them when I find something else interesting. You will then have to then explain your modifications to a potential buyer and convince him/her that it is better modified than original.

I would just get an unbent cottered crank and tune up the rest and be done with it. These bikes are quirky to begin with and you may hate the ride after you put in all that work to modify.

noglider 

Lots of people have put cotterless cranks on Twentys. They're all over the web. Let's hope @Sixty Fiver weighs in here. I think he has a few.

Interestingly, a few days ago, I saw a guy riding down Broadway in the Bronx on a Twenty. And yes, 1969 is a very plausible year for your bike.

Sixty Fiver

I saw the bike signal...

I have converted a lot of Twenties to cotterless by re-tapping and facing the bb shell to 73 or 68mm to accept a modern cartridge bottom bracket with no issues... my P20 has been rolling like this for five years and countless thousands of miles.

It also lets me roll a road double with that 9 speed rear... the modifications to this bike are extensive and include a new rear triangle and custom fork along with more braze ons for v brakes and cable guides and powdercoating.

bjt0055

Check out raleightwenty.webs.com or Sheldon Browns pages on the Twenty, much info on all aspects of these bikes including bottom bracket. One of the first things I always did was replace the steel wheels with aluminum improves ride and braking quite a bit.

noglider 

There is also a Facebook group for the Twenty.

gna

Sure, it's a fool's errand. But everybody plays the fool sometime. Nice looking Phillips BTW; I like the blue. I'm fixing up a Lady's Phillips Sports the same color blue for my sister-in-law right now. Do you have the chainguard and front fender?

Aluminum rims and tires are common in this size, so you can get junk wheels off a 20" bike for a few bucks. I bought two for $10 at a bike recycler and laced them to the old hubs. I used the old spokes, though I did have to file down some spokes that were poking through the nipples a bit after I trued them. Aluminum rims lightened the bike a bit and greatly improved the braking. Probably the best thing you can do for the bike if you want to ride it.

You may be able find a crankset off a junked Twenty, but I've straightened a few bent crank arms by use of a cheater bar. (May as well change the pedals as long as you're at it.) Of course, if you want to get away from cottered cranks you pretty much have to get the BB refaced. I'd try to straighten the cranks, ride it, and see how much you like it before you go that far. I should warn you that Twenties are super fun to ride.

Sixty Fiver

The Phillips is nice because the bottom bracket is 73 mm and can be re-threaded without refacing, the Raleigh 20 has a 76mm bottom bracket shell.

If re-threading is not an option then a threadless bottom bracket can serve you quite well.

sauze

Thanks a ton for the input everyone!

I know this will be a bit of a fools errand but I'm looking for a fun and challenging summer project.

Luckily I work at a bike co-op and have lots of access to alloy rims and tires so dealing with the wheels shouldn't be too tough. I may even try to transfer the Sturmy hub to a new rim.
@Sixy Fiver Your 20 was an inspiration for wanted to tackle this project! That and after riding it around the block, bend crank and all, it was clear the bike is a ton of fun.

I'm going to measure the BB shell this week I really hope it is indeed 73 mm and not the extra-wide 76. If none of the shops around here want to re-thread it (the one I spoke with was hesitant) I'll try a threadless cartridge.