stevegor

Please don't laugh, but......

A properly modded and fitted R20 would have to be one of the strongest frames ever made, and it can handle anything you throw at it.
Not everyone's cup of tea, but they're still going strong after 40+ yrs.... just ask Jur

AEO

the only thing that concerns me about R20 is the amount of modding required to make it modern (tour gearing) and decently serviceable when things break. To make it really touring worthy, we're looking at spreading the rear to 130 or 135mm, adding a derailer hanger, adding canti bosses for modern 406mm wheels, swapping the fork and chasing and facing the BB to 68mm or 73mm and english threaded.
otherwise, yeah, it's a nice frame to build around.

randya

I would have to agree. New bikes from BF, Brompton, Dahon, etc., etc. are nice, but an R20 is still the standard they should all be judged by.

randya

I'm just talking about the overall durability. Plenty of threads here about other frames cracking, my Dahon makes creaking noises I can't ID, SA8 hub on my DT is unreliable, Strida 3 had is own unique problems....R20 platform is still the standard. Certainly, brakes and whatnot need to be upgraded, but still...

stevegor

Been contemplating a Rohloff hub for my R20 tourer rebuild...... now that would give me enough range when touring.
But as I am SO poor, I will try to make my SA 8 spd work with a chain tensioner and 2 chainrings.

My three R20s are non folding, I can't fault them for carrying heavy loads, there's no flexing.
I admit they are finnicky little so and so's at times with the BB and fork steerer, but that's half the fun of doing it.
Once that's sorted out, they may be a bit heavy, (but a tourer isn't meant to be a light weight bike), they will still outlast all of the modern folders so far mentioned.

AEO

now, if only someone made a modern version of the R20...

I would change...
1-1/8 fork steerer, slightly shorter head tube, 406mm wheels with plenty of clearance for fat tires and fenders, 135mm spaced rear, disc or canti bosses, 68mm BB shell and replaceable RD hanger, updated bosses for racks and fenders and kick stand mount.

but retain...
all steel, same latch, same 28.6mm seat post size and same silhouette.

jur

When touring Tasmania on the R20, at one stage after a steam train leg, the R20 felt like a wet noodle. Very unnerving coming down the pass at Queenstown. That evening I found the hinge nut was loose. Happened when we folded the bikes to be put on the tour bus while we went on the train. Even though it is a self-locking nut, it becomes loose when swinging the frame around the hinge. But yeah, other than that, the R20 was as good as the Moulton - no flex, period. Whatever flex there was was in the luggage rack stays.

stevegor

Quote:

Originally Posted by aeo

now, if only someone made a modern version of the r20...

THEY do make a new R20....

If LittlePixel would chime in, he's posted links to the new R20 a while ago.

snafu21

"
1-1/8 fork steerer, slightly shorter head tube, 406mm wheels with plenty of clearance for fat tires and fenders, 135mm spaced rear, disc or canti bosses, 68mm BB shell and replaceable RD hanger, updated bosses for racks and fenders and kick stand mount."

Then you'd have, almost to a tee, the steel Dahon Speed D7, apart from the disks and the Rd hanger. It is remarkable how the R20 has hung on as desirable, they turn up in my recycling centre frequently, and used to moulder there, but now are snapped up by dealers and flippers.

wahoonc

I am waiting on the recently announced Shimano 11 speed...then I will build up an R-20 for some heavy duty touring. I do some short trips on my current Twenty with the AG hub, does just fine, but have to stay out of the deep mountains.

Aaron

AEO

well, actually, dahon frames have a very short head tube. R20 requires a 9" steerer, which has limited options. Might be nice to be able to use forks readily available on the market.

stevegor

Agree with that.
On my current R20 project I'm using a solid BMX fork with V brake bosses with the R20 steerer brazed into it... MADNESS?
Yes, but it's the cheapest option for me and I couldn't find a fork with a long enough steerer.

jobtraklite

First of all, I offered the MuP8 and Speed P8's for consideration based on experience and the fact that tomtri's style of touring appears very similar to ours. My wife and I, both 68 years old, completed the 350 mile tour described in the above link with only one mechanical problem, a flat tire. If you don't believe that link, how about the 450 mile Erie Canal, Buffalo to Albany. The only issue there was one tightening of the frame hinge.

Secondly, it would have been more helpful if your two posts were combined. Whether someone offers a positive or negative opinion, it helps to provide context. With the second post, it is easy to see that the P8's don't fit you and that they are uncomfortable for you, things Tomri needs to take into consideration, but both highly subjective aspects of a bicycle. Simply saying "no way" doesn't provide much useful information.

A further comment. We have traveled with both bikes in airline legal suitcases (62 total inches), although this did require removing the wheels. Note: I was travelling on Amtrak. I haven't flown since the airlines started charging $$$ for bikes, nor do I know how the TSA guys would treat them.

PS. I agree that riding out of an airport is the a great way to go; and we've done it in Amsterdam, Zurich, Salzburg, and Vienna.

AEO

oh, and my dahon creaks in a few spots, but I can't really solve it.

one is the saddle itself and the other is the handlebar stem clamp.
Neither of which are solvable as the bars are nitto 115, and I don't want to use flat bars.
the saddle is comfy too, so no way I'm going to switch that.