While I am not a regular commuter anymore, I wanted my own Raleigh Twenty to go anywhere I or my other folding bike-the Brompton-goes. So I modified my own Twenty just a bit. This thread gives a bit more details about my little device I developed & the type of kickstand I use to approximate the more modern folding bike: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/759187-My-Strapped-Together-Raleigh-Twenty-For-Storage-amp-Traveling. While I never did or will expect my "folded down" & locked together Raleigh Twenty to ever be exactly like a more modern folding bike, it does come close. I have taken it inside a restaurant and the light rail train for it's maiden test, but have not taken it yet on city buses. The older buses here have too many steps to climb up and down. I am looking for a more modern one step up bus to take the bike right on inside with me. The packaged up bike is far more balanced, but it is still quite heavy for me. Those three step buses are hard even when I lug the Brompton up and down the steps. That is something I would also keep in mind.

My R 20 just arrived yesterday evening, and I took it to the bike shop to have it tuned up and worked on a bit. In case I need some extenders for the seat post and handlebar post, how would I go about looking for that? I am around 5'11" with about 34 endseam, and I certainly want good leg extension and good height for the handlebars. Many thanks.

The seat post can be swapped out for a longer model, which will also reduce weight. I use a Kalloy 400 mm one. Handlebars aren't quite as easy to extend, the post is proprietary, depending on which handle bars you have, you might be able to put on a set of riser bars and get some additional reach.

Got pictures?

Aaron

Italian actually. Legano Autocamping

That chain ring cover looks familiar...FWIW 1967 Columbia Commuter II built by Magneet in Weesp, Holland.

Aaron

Aaron, the bike being worked on now (and another one to come) have handlebars like your Twenties. In the shop, I pulled the handlebar stem to its maximal height, and that might be OK for me, but it's hard to tell (is there a limit line there as well?); once the bike has been tuned up, I can see by getting on the bike with someone holding it. I know I'll have to get that seatpost up very high, as long as I mind the limit, right? If I need to order a longer seatpost, you would recommend the Kalloy 400mm with 28.6 mm diameter, correct? Would that be readily available, typically? Can one order a replacement handlebar stem for a Twenty that could bring the handlebars higher? If so, what length and diameter would that require? Many thanks!

The seat post on a 20 is 28.6 which is now a common size although someone with a 34 inch leg could probably ride with the stock post... higher rise bars can be used if the stock bars are too short. Every stem has a safety limit of 2.5 - 3 inches of insertion and if it has not been altered there is a wire harness inside the stem that works as a safety to ensure the stem is not raised to an unsafe height and prevents one from removing the stem without removing the fender bolt in the fork crown.

I am in the process of building a replacement stem for my 20 as I would like the option of setting my bars higher and the stock stem does not allow this and I would like a little more reach.

If you want to keep foldabiliy you have to stick to the stock bars and stem. The stem diameter is common but not the clamp diameter and the handlebar. AFAIK, there are three different stock handlebars. The one piece, stem and bar do not separate, two, the S type bar sort of like brompton, and three the chopper style as pictured on wahoonc near the top of the thread. I think the third type is highest. I have heard of people undoing the wire loop curl and gaining a half an inch or so. That is the wire that loops around the brake bolt and limits you from having too little stem set in the tube.

Sixty Fiver and Shwinnsta have it pretty well covered. I have both the lower rise bars and the high rise bars on the two twenties I have. I normally ride the one with the high rise bars. I have a mostly up right riding position, but my hands and arms are down rather than straight out. IIRC the clamp diameter on the stock bars is slightly less than what something like a Wald bar would be 15/16" versus 1". I have opened up clamps in the past to get Wald bars on a Raleigh stem with good success.

Re: the little stop wire, I disconnected mine and marked the post at 2.5" insertion for maximum rise. But I am aware that I did it and am will to take the chance. Get the Kalloy seat post it is well worth the money IMHO. I eventually will upgrade my wife's bike to the Kalloy, not because she needs the length but to increase saddle choice, adjustment and to shave a few ounces of weight.

Aaron

Just got the Twenty back from the shop, and it's fun to ride. The handlebars aren't that high, but they're OK. About the stock seatpost: if it is inserted so that the whole word "LIMIT" is barely obscured in the seat tube, I have very poor extension. But if you can extend the seat post so that the whole word "LIMIT" is seen but no more, is that the true level of length you can get away with safely? Just want to make sure before I order the Kalloy (but I'd rather not, of course). Thanks.

Um, I think I have the answer. The R20 assembly instructions off the net say not to adjust beyond the LIMIT mark; you see the word LIMIT and no more of the seat post under it/inferior to it.

On my steel seat posts there is a line under the word Limit so I take that to be THE LIMIT.

Aaron