Lugnuts001

After missing a couple local craigslist finds here in Florida and losing an ebay auction, I finally got one! I picked it up at a moving sale. It was my first time riding one. That thing is the sturdiest folder I’ve ridden! It rides a lot better than it looks. It looks it’s age with a lot of pitting in the chrome. The brake pads are toast. Here are some side-by-side photos with a Giant Halfway that I returned today at Revolution Bikes in St. Pete. They have a good return policy, it was easy and they just charged a nominal 5% restock fee.

edwong3

Congrats Phil!

You finally got one, and at the least likely place too! The bike looks in good shape overall. The frame is what matters. And it's good that you find it sturdy on top of that.

Keep us posted. OK?

Ed

Pocko

Tell us more about your R20... what year is it?... are you going to restore it fully?... are those things collectibles?

The Giant looks well engineered... but the seat tube angle looks a bit too slack though, to a point where at the same ride height as your older R20, the saddle is practically on top of the rear wheel!

.

EM42

congratulations
if you liked the test ride that you did on it now wait til you put narrow lightweight alloy rims, new tires on it. you will be hooked.

i started with a dahon years ago and sold it. got a bike friday but im not using it, then an unknown 5 speed 20" non folding and eventually an R20. I never looked back...and acquired 4 of them 2 for me and 2 for my brothers and convinced a friend to get one too and got it craigslist san diego just last week.

let us know your progress on it if your keeping it stock or upgrading.

check my flick site for photos and see if these were the ones your were bidding on...cheers !!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/2867537...7610922741080/

Lugnuts001

Thanks guys. I'll update this thread as I make progress and need help. I can't tell what year it is yet, the hub is hard to read. I don't plan on restoring it to original. I plan on making a very simple single speed with coaster brake and skyway wheels. Roughly it'll look something like this one from someone named "bryanster". Imagine black Skyways and shorter handlebars, and that's pretty much it.


It reminds me of my last restoration/build, a 1982 Jeep Scrambler, but on a smaller, much more manageable scale.
Before:
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After
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I sold it in 2006 because it got bad gas mileage and emissions and it wasn't practical to keep. It was fun while it lasted though!

EM42, it'll sort of be like the single speed you have. Thanks for the link, I'll have to go through all your photos, but right now I have to start tinkering!

edwong3

EM42,

Thanks for sharing that album. I enjoyed looking through it. It's really cool that you guys have you own "small wheel bike group". I'd like to belong to a similar group here in Central Florida if there were one.

I think it's funny that your expensive Bikefriday hardly get's any use, in light of the fact that you seem to enjoy your R20s, and other vintage "small wheelers". Those older bikes have a certain "charm" to them. I guess part of it because they remind people of simpler times.

Regards,
Edward

edwong3

Phil,

It'll be interesting to watch the progress you make on your R20 conversion. Once you're finished, maybe one day you can bring it with you to Orlando, and we can go riding through Baldwin Park, and the Cady Way Trail.

Cheers,
Ed

Lugnuts001

Dissambled...
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LittlePixel

Sweet Twenny!

Lugnuts001

The Skyways came in a week ago. I placed an order almost two weeks ago with BikePartsUSA and it was all supposedly in stock at the time and was going to be shipped the next day. I've contacted them several times since and each time there was some kind of problem. They said I'm going to get it tomorrow. I can't wait, so here's a photo with the Skyways on:

100_4054r.JPG

parcoju

After much delay, I have finally taken pictures of my pair of Twenties. The link should be in my signature, but if it doesn't work, then tell me! =]







There are some teasers...

parcoju

Hmm.. I don't see my signature, so here's the link to my album:

https://flickr.com/photos/juddparco/s...7612985004428/

Sixty Fiver

I love the side by side shots of the 20 and the Giant...

Being a bike mechanic I have had the opportunity to work on and test ride a lot of folders but at the end of the day I find that there still isn't anything better than my (Phillip's) Twenty... when I set out to modify my bike I went the route of building up a simple commuter / tourer and went with a fixed drive and have another stock Twenty here that I purchased for the girl.

Her '74 is in fabulous shape and my winter project will be to build up new wheels, fit it with a Brooks B66, and further improve the brakes.

His...



Hers...

badmother

They are great inspiration. What I like best in this forum are pix and info of old R20s.

Could you plse tell me why you choose the B66 instead of B67 or B72? I would guess that the B66 is the heavyest but maybe also the "softest"? What tyres do you want to use? I ask becouse I am in the progress of buying a seat and tyres for a similar bike. I`ve got a flyer already and I think it is not all that much flex in it. Thinking of buying a B72but fear it is too broad for my riding position (handlebars & seat approx same height). At the moment I am thinking at least 20x1,75 tyres on mine. Advice from the guru plse!!

Sixty Fiver

The girl's favourite saddle is a B66 and I think I will install Schwalbe Marathons on the new wheels... I have already geared down the bike by swapping the 15 tooth cog for an 18 as the bike will probably get used to pull a trailer as well as serve as a spare for friends.

The stock gearing on 20's is really high and seems designed for flatland riding and it now it has a nicer gear range that will allow it to climb better and still have a decent top end.

I am also going to install Marathons on my 20 and will put them on my next parts order... the 20 by 1.75's should roll out a lot faster and be good at preventing flats which is also very important.

PolishGuy

Congrats on your great find. Should clean-up and perform well no matter how you decide to deck it out. I got my R20 a couple of years ago and have kept it as original as possible. I recently bought some NOS Raleigh 20" Red Dot tires that I'm going to put on it in the next few days. You'll be surprised at how nippy the performance of the bike is. Enjoy, have great fun and keep us updated. PG.

badmother

Thank you .

Lugnuts001

Nice R20s guys!

It took over 2 weeks, but I finally got all my parts today! Here's where I'm at now:

100_4072.jpg

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100_4074.jpg

100_4075.jpg

edwong3

Looking good Phil!

How does it ride for you after changing to those wheels (Skyways), and tires? Are you going to add more parts, or do any other modifications?

Good luck on that project. Please let us know your riding impressions.

Ed

jur

Forgive my for saying this... the bullhorns look rather weird pointing up into the sky like that... bullhorns want to be flat pointing forward, with just a little flare at the end pointing up... you get maximum street cred like that.

Lugnuts001

Thanks Ed! Because of the rain I only took it for a very short ride. The biggest thing I noticed was the coaster brake. The last time I had one was when I was 10 I think. It feels weird not having any levers to pull. Eventually I'd like to strip and paint it. I'd also like to change out the cranks and chainring, but I'm concerned with the bottom bracket. Hopefully I can get the cotters out. The way things are going I might just cut the spindle. Ideally I'd just like to get a new spindle and use the original cups like I've seen someone do. Orange Cycle is a Raleigh dealer and has been around since 1972, so maybe they can help and/or have a bunch of extra spindles laying around. There's a real shortage of UN72s.

Jur - I had a feeling someone would mention the bars! I wasn't sure yet on what position would work best. I adjusted it so I'll see how it feels.

Sixty Fiver

With my Phillip's Twenty I re-tapped the bottom bracket (I have these taps available to me) and installed a 73 mm Shimano UN54 cartridge with a 115 mm spindle (if memory serves).

This took all of 30 minutes and the bike is now rocking a Stronglight crank with a 52 tooth ring and I have had no issues with it at all.

I gave up on trying to find a 7 series spindle for the 20.

badmother

But then again on a real bull this is how they would be.
I guess I would put them in the same position for best handposition, but also I know absolutely cero about street cred. I see these things only on the internet, but I`ve been thinking of getting some for more stretched out position on a relatively cramped folder.

Sixty Fiver

I am not a fan of bullhorns but do get some questions when people see how I usually set up my drop bars as I do like to have the slightest of incline which makes things more comfortable for long periods in the saddle. It also feels better when I am riding in the drops to not have the drop parallel to the ground.

In a nutshell... set your bike up in a way that makes you happy and comfortable.

Not all of us have 20 year old backs...

parcoju

You mean a back that would be strained like this?