mconlonx

Sounds like a deal is pending and hope it works out.

If it doesn't...

Part the sucker out and ebay it. Seems like a crime to take apart a bike that you just got together, but I bet you'd find more people willing to pay more for two key parts apart rather than together: the frame and the 8sp 20" wheel. There's them what want a 20 and them what want an 8sp rear wheel, and sometimes they are not the same people. Consider selling the fork eparate, too, along with any specialty parts, like the stem and seatpost... although if you're emotionally attached to it and want to see it on the road, consider leaving as many critical items on the bike as possible, like the BB, headset, stem, seatpost, fork, etc.

I bought a '90 Schwill Paramount and turned it around for about 150% of the original purchase price by parting it out. (Got it, loved it, rode it, but not the commuter I was looking for, so it got reluctantly parted out to build a dream commuter bike.)

juan162

This is true. You'll probably get more money for the parts...although it will really hurt to take it apart!

Juan

sahadev

I seriously considered the parting out route, but decided to try selling it first. The great thing about having put it all together is that if needed I can disassemble the bike entirely in 15 minutes or so. It's a piece of cake now.

werewolf

Well, as per our PM's and emails, I'm ready to complete the deal, Sahadev. I'm just waiting for you to get back to me with the shipping info, and figuring out how to get PayPal to work again. I just called PayPall again, and they told me that my original account is still open and that's why I can't open another one, and all I need to do is update my credit card info with them...except I can't...so I've got to call them yet again! As I said, I f'ing hate PayPal. I always pay for stuff by credit card or cash and both are painless and instantaneous, opposite of this thing.

werewolf

Sahadev -

I'm getting nothing but a runaround with PayPal, but they just told me that I do not even need a PayPal account to buy something from a merchant who has a PayPal account. They said that the merchant, you, can choose the option, "Send money request", and then I can pay by credit card. So, if that's correct, I'm ready to go, pending shipping info.

Maybe someday I'll sort out my PayPal account, but right now I'm just getting completely frustrated dealing with them.

sahadev

Moderator,

This thread has become more of a sales thread than I ever intended. I recently upgraded my subscription(BTW,where's my star?) and in the process made myself more aware of the BF policy about sales in the forums.

So I apologize if this thread is over that fuzzy line. The buyer and I have agreed to conduct the balance of our transaction via PM.

After all is said and done I will post the outcome.

kraftwerk 

Sahadev,
Buying your bike would've saved me a lot of work and time. You did a good job. I like the front forks, Are they thread less? Must be. Anyway just throw some 5$ grips on there and a saddle. You can sell it to someone who knows the work work which goes into such a project. If you add the parts to the cost of the original frame/ bike (that SA 8 hub must cost something!) You should get in the ball park. Just don't expect to be able to charge for your hours of research and wrenching , alas! Good luck!

Sixty Fiver

The stock weight on R20's is about 37 pounds... through upgrades and a fixed gear conversion my Phillip's Twenty had lost 10 pounds prior to the installation of a new Brooks saddle.

The biggest appeal of the Twenty is how rugged and versatile a bike they are.

My other Twenty is more utilitarian but is still lighter than stock as you just have to lose those steel wheels.

werewolf

Steel wheels were also the worst feature on the good old Raleigh 3-speeds ("English racers" as they were called here in the old days...I guess they were "racers" compared with the heavy balloon tired coaster brake bikes that prevailed in the USA prior to their arrival in the '50's).

Sahadev's bike is in transit to me, someplace in California, according to FedEx.

I am trying to decide what handlebar I can put on it when it arrives. It will need to accommodate the 8-speed twist-shifter. I got a couple of good suggestions posting the query on the Bike Mechanic board. I'm thinking of putting on the contemporary equivalent of the old Raleigh handlebar. Perhaps those old things were more comfortable and naturally positioned than anything before or after. I haven't rode one in a very long time, though. Here's a link (but why are two different bars shown?)

https://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?ID=411

Handlebar ideas or suggestions?

werewolf

Steel wheels were also the worst feature on the good old Raleigh 3-speeds ("English racers" as they were called here in the old days...I guess they were "racers" compared with the heavy balloon tired coaster brake bikes that prevailed in the USA prior to their arrival in the '50's).

Sahadev's bike is in transit to me, someplace in California, according to FedEx.

I am trying to decide what handlebar I can put on it when it arrives. It will need to accommodate the 8-speed twist-shifter. I got a couple of good suggestions posting the query on the Bike Mechanic board. I'm thinking of putting on the contemporary equivalent of the old Raleigh handlebar. Perhaps those old things were more comfortable and naturally positioned than anything before or after. I haven't rode one in a very long time, though. Here's a link (but why are two different bars shown?)

https://harriscyclery.net/itemdetails.cfm?ID=411

Handlebar ideas or suggestions?

Sixty Fiver

Some of my old steel wheeled bikes are decent in the braking department and I would never call an old 3 speed a racer unless it was something like my 1954 Raleigh Sports 3 speed road bike.

I can ride my 78 Superbe in the rain and she stops well, my '57 Peugeot has excellent braking, and the '54 Raleigh should also be okay...if they had alloy wheels they would be lighter and faster and stop better biut that would really affect their vintage appeal.

Brake pad selection is crucial and the issue with 20's is the long reach brakes that are simply so weak... alloy wheels help a lot in the front (the rear is still the weakest), and new brakes are always a good idea although that takes some work.

I really like the drop bars on my fixed Twenty... I usually stay on the hoods but being able to drop down when one is heading into the wind really helps with aerodynamics.

I am still running the stock brakes and rarely use the rear brake which is still only good for bleeding off speed despite the alloy wheels. The front brake delivers some good stopping power and the fixed drive also has improved the bike's stopping ability.


Updated photo...

werewolf

Some of my old steel wheeled bikes are decent in the braking department and I would never call an old 3 speed a racer unless it was something like my 1954 Raleigh Sports 3 speed road bike.

--- That's what they called 'em back in my old neighborhood back in the old days, though.


I can ride my 78 Superbe in the rain and she stops well, my '57 Peugeot has excellent braking, and the '54 Raleigh should also be okay...if they had alloy wheels they would be lighter and faster and stop better biut that would really affect their vintage appeal.

--- Are there now brake pads that will enable a steel wheel to stop in less than four or five city blocks in the rain? If so, that would overcome a big problem on the old Raleigh 3-speeds and R20's.



Brake pad selection is crucial and the issue with 20's is the long reach brakes that are simply so weak... alloy wheels help a lot in the front (the rear is still the weakest), and new brakes are always a good idea although that takes some work.

I really like the drop bars on my fixed Twenty... I usually stay on the hoods but being able to drop down when one is heading into the wind really helps with aerodynamics.


--- yeah, that is the big advantage of drops, going into the wind. I'm going to try an old fashioned 3-speed bar on my new R20, though.

werewolf

Got my R20 from Sahadev today!

Looks nice. Looked it over briefly. Only problem I see is a ding/dent on one of the dual bars that connect the bottom bracket to the top tube. Looks recent - paint knocked off, but no rust. Not sure how that could easily happen while riding. I wonder if the bike packers did it. I'll paint it. Shouldn't affect the integrity of the frame.

Two different brake levers. Should I change them? I'll change the rear tire and put on 2 schraeder tubes instead of one presta and one schraeder. I'll put a Scwalbe Marathon on the back, I guess.

Who has a good selection of 20X15 tires and tubes for sale? I'm having a difficult time finding places that carry them.

Front wheel needs some truing. Haven't noticed any looseness yet, like you mentioned, but then I haven't rode it yet.

Probably try the old Raleigh 3-speed style handlebars - nitto north wind, i believe they call them now.

Will add on my own peddles and saddle.

Couple of loose rubber seals, not sure where they belong...

Sixty Fiver

ww - I will go and check out the different brake pads I am using for steel wheels (no Kool Stops here) and let you know which ones work with what.

alecw35

I put old style bars on my Hercules compact.
There alloy bars I stripped off a 1980s bike.
There slightly larger Diameter than normal bars.
So couldnt get a twist grip or solid levers onto them
Is ok since Im using old alloy Weimman levers that have the clamp that comes to bits.

Think other modern bars should be a standard size these days

werewolf

65er - I have no steel-wheeled bikes anymore (the wheels on my new R20 have been changed). Just wondering.

werewolf

Here's a photo of the damage that I found on the R20 that I received yesterday. For orientation, bike is upside down on floor. Cell phone photo so picture is a bit blurry. Does anybody have any thoughts on whether this will affect the integrity of the frame? The welds don't seem to be loosened up. There WAS a very hard impact there, though.

Sixty Fiver

ww - The 20 should be okay... the main frame is so tough that I hear that some people have even removed the small support struts...not that I would do this.

PDR

I’m surprised at the interest in these old bikes… I remember them as women’s shopping bikes that any self respecting youth wouldn’t be seen dead ridding!

Here is an original one that might interest you guys:
https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/RALEIGH-TWENTY-STOWAWAY-VINTAGE-FOLDING-BIKE_W0QQitemZ320243263376QQihZ011QQcategoryZ33503QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Sixty Fiver

I'm not a self respecting youth...

werewolf

Same here.

Hey, I just turned the shipping carton over and I noticed that there is a big hole in it. That must be how the damage occurred, during shipping. I also just spoke with my friend who buys and sells a lot of stuff on EBay. She said that I should take photos and then the seller should file a claim with FedEx. She said that if he doesn't do it, or doesn't respond, I can do it, and I can also file a claim with PayPal as the next resort. She said that she ordered something by FedEx and it arrived damaged, and she got the seller to file a claim with FedEx and FedEx just looked at the pictures and reimbursed her for the complete cost with no further ado.

werewolf

Everything old is new again.

Sixty Fiver

Since picking up my Twenty's I just become more and more impressed at how good a bike they are once a few simple upgrades are made. Mine are still pretty much stock although both have new wheelsets and some drive modifications.

I'll be throwing my Twenty in the boot of a car I have to drop off 27 km from here and will then ride it back home... I have a saddle that needs some breaking in.

werewolf

Damage to bike shipping carton.

LittlePixel

Those pylons aren't madly structural - the New Zealand and kids '18' versions left them off so
I think a wee dab of bondo, a bit of a sand and it'll be fine.