stevegor

Well, what do you guys reckon?

I have a another non folding R20 frame, (to match the Wasp), just waiting to be built and most parts as well, here's my problem, (ok, one of my many problems )

1: I have a set of Velocity 406mm wheels already laced, the rear has a SA 8spd hub and I'm looking at welding on Vbrake bosses to upgrade the brakes. This would be a lovely bike, but everyone is doing this size rebuild.

2: I also have a set of 24" Velocity rims, a new Shimano XT front hub, I could use the SA 8 spd for the rear, I have a 24" threaded fork which is slighty shorter in the steerer than the Raleigh but I can shave a bit of the head tube to make it fit. The rear of the frame only needs the brake bridge moved up and as I will be using narrow tyres clearance shouldn't be too much of a problem. I would be using Shimano road calipers for brakes.

I'm thinking, black frame, seat post, head stem, bar tape, saddle, fenders, pannier racks and spokes to set off the shiny metal bits.

Any opinions welcome.

phatatude

Do it! Dare to be different!

R-20's - When being different isnt enough ...

check the progress...
https://web.mac.com/phatatude/Green_S...enty_Blog.html

LittlePixel

Go large! (It's all Guyretreau's fault)

I'm in the market for a 650c rim to see if that will squeeze in the rear of my non-folding twenty that's hiding in the shed. It looks like it will...

Sirrus Rider

Go Large or go home! (Sorry, watching "Deadliest CAtch") GLOGH is a Hansen Bros. expression.

jur

Blasphemy!

alecw35

I got a 559 mountainbike 26" wheel in the back of my other 20.
No brake bridges on it at all.
But didt build the bike up completely.

LittlePixel

I wish there was photo evidence of this Alec!

alecw35

I'll dig the frame out and take a pic.

I found another R20 in my garden...so being doing some experimental development work on it.

as soon as I can remember where the other one is I'll take a pic of it.

LittlePixel

That'd be cool but don't go out and do it specially on account of me. I love the idea of a garden where you can just chance upon bikes you'd forgotten about!

I took a tip out of Jur's book today and bought a butane blow-lamp to get the battleship-thickness paint off my non-folding Twenty - What fun - point; wait till it bubbles, then swoosh with a wire brush and it's all gone! Now all I need is an angle-grinder for the kickstand, pump hooks and bridges...

alecw35

My newly found Raleigh 20 doesnt have a stand mount.

Is there any reason for that.
Whats the dating from the frame number.
Its got curly lettering on the 20 sticker.

Think my modded 20 is in the silver shed. was battling with all the wheels in there.
Found a Raleigh Mixte...well it fell on me.
So I went to play with that.

stevegor

"If you go down to the woods today, you're sure of a good surprise,
If you go down to the woods today, you'll find one of alecw35's bikes"


Serioulsly though, if I have to cut the head tube to fit the 24" fork, should I cut from the top or bottom, or equal amounts from both and why?

alecw35

Id measure the height of the bearing race on the fork crown.
So you can get the same height with the new front end.
Is likely that youll need to cut the bottom of the headstock.

Also Ive managed to fit a 26" MTB wheel into 24" forks

LittlePixel

I think from the bottom so you don't end up lifting the front up too much and increasing the rake.

The rear of the bike will be elevated only by as much as the wheel is bigger - as the axle is still placed in the same spot whatever the size of rim, but a bigger wheel on the front in a longer fork will be raising up the front of the bike; Technically - if you are using 520 rims instead of 406 then it's rising up 57mm. (114mm divided by half the wheel height)

That would be the optimal amount to remove from the bottom to retain a similar geometry, though there isn't enough tube protruding below the downtube to allow this much trim; A quick look with a ruler on mine says you'd be good to remove maybe about 28 mm from the bottom; any more and you are intefering with the junction of the head-tube and down-tube.

alecw35

I looked in my silver shed.
Theres only 5 or so frames in there and a whole lot of wheels.
Nothing thats Raleigh though
Heres some of the wheels outside it.

Looked in my main garage. Couldnt see the R 20.
But thats no reason it wont be there.
Might be in the old green house. There is a complete R 20 in there.

LittlePixel

Hehe - that takes the hoarding shed to a new level! Thanks for the pic!

alecw35

There was still a dozen or so alloy wheels still in there. Along with a few mag wheels.
Also on my shelving was a bunch of computer stuff...Zx Spectrums mostly..proper computers.
Have to move all my other wheels into there too.

jur

Wow Alec. *mouth hangs open*

Phrases like "found another R20" and "couldn't see the R20" almost tell more than the photo! My garage's a mess but I know where everything is.

alecw35

One day I went in my back yard and there was a R 20.
Didnt know where it came from.
It was a newish one.
Had flat tyres and a broken rivet in the alloy brake lever.

I pumped the tyres and pushed the rivet in a bit.
Was riding it a few times. Did a couple of 25 mile rides on it.
Turns out it was my neighbours old bike.
He gave me other bikes. A pair of RSWs and a Raleigh Burner Mark 1 with fancy bits on it.

Its now in my old green house.
theres 4 complete bikes in there and loads of frames.

Then out in the yard theres at least 20 complete bikes. And loads of frames.
Got about 20 bikes in the main garage too.

alecw35

I tried a 24" mtb front wheel in the front forks.
but there just a little bit short.

same for a 24 X 1 3/8 wheel.
tried them in both ends. Would have to change the forks and move the bridges on the rear stays

alecw35

hey I found my 20 in the old green house.

been doing some work on it today.
will take a pic when its smartened up a bit.

R 20s look cool with nothing on the rear stays.
as it has no brake bridges.

Guy Retreau

For WeePix: I'm impressed that you are now tooled up for this sort of metal work. Good luck with your modifications. Re: the headtube and for the record: I took about 3/4" off the bottom of the head tube. Without getting out a measurement device, I took just enough off to remove the fork steer limiting tab. I may have taken twice that much off the top. Driven by appearance, I was trying to get good proportion above and below the existing headbadge.

I boxed up a 24" lightweight fork from a Terry bike sometime ago and never shipped it. Do you still want it? best regards, -- Retro Guy

LittlePixel

I would love it if you still have it [somehow my swiss cheese brain totally forgot you had a spare...] PM me about details...

stevegor

Hmm, it seems like this is going to be a race between LittlePixel, Alec, myself and anyone else who wants to build a R24 to match Guy's bike.....and the level of modding and quality of components is increasing all the time.......

Gentlemen, Let the race begin.....







btw, I have too much money tied up in my other bikes, so mine might be a bit of a clunker

alecw35

hey I was thinking about my bike having no brake bridges.
And the duff welding I do.

Ive got a 26" stainless steel roadster rim on a AB 3 speeb drum brake hub.
That would probably fit.

Sixty Fiver

Count me in too.

I'm thinking the 24 inch wheels are the way to go, it has to be a folder, and think I have a solution to the rear brake issue too... now I just need a folding Twenty frame that is unworthy of restoration.