Project SuperShopper

Right now I have this bike and I love it. It does everything I need my bike to do - 7 mile slow commute, light to medium carrying duty, frame mounted rack for better handling, tidy through-the-frame cabling and a comfy walk up the hill riding posture. It's easy to store and I can lock it with one d-loc because no one wants to nick it.

At the same time it's not perfect. Heavy steel rims with rim brakes that don't stop in the wet, battery lights, lumpy saddle and although the rack is functionally fab it's fugly. But I don't want to stop riding it to upgrade it because it's just so much darn fun.

Enter this bike. Same model, knackered paintwork, knackered cables, bit of rust and missing the saddle.

So the plan is to strip the second bike, powdercoat the F&F and get a matching rack done at the same time, upgrade the wheels with a dynamo hub and coaster rear, add a new saddle and possibly also replace the headset and bb.

Then I'll run them both for a while and decide which one to keep :)

I like that rack. Is it custom made or off the peg?
I have got two Raleigh Twenties and agree re dreadful brakes.

It's OTP. Any colour as long as it's black

http://en.hollandbikeshop.com/bicycle-basket/willex-bicycle-basket/willex-transport-carrier/willex-front-rack-wide-matt-black-40-45x30/

Thanks

the axel diameter of new wheels may not fit in the drops of that second bike. you will have to file the drops.

(do not buy a wheel with coaster brake, buy one with a thread for freewheel)

I'd relace the hub gear myself. A fair chance that it needs no servicing, maybe an oil bath? Its not a BMX, gears are good.

Also as its a cheap slow bike why not just get an el cheapo bottle dynamo. Cost pennies.

Then a cheap BMX front wheel or similar with dropouts filed. Maybe even a MAG!

You may find its an odd sized BB or headset. Some Raleigh 20s had odd BBs and many Raleighs use non-standard Headsets. I know its not a Raleigh but will share many shared parts etc...

Its a Dawes so headset and bb are standard sizes :-)

All the easy bits are stripped without too much grease on the carpet. I'm leaving the BB and headset races til the weekend, along with a rusted in mudguard bolt that will need the dremel on it.

I got to use my favourite bike tool, the cotter pin press :) It does one job really really well. mostly I keep it out as an ornament so it's nice to use it again.

Apart from the mudguard bolt everything has come apart really smoothly. Despite the rust it hasn't spent a lot of time rotting away. This is the worst of the rust - hopefully a wire brush will show nothing worse than a bit of pitting.

This is the fork with the slotted steerer for the adjustable stem height. I'm not bothered about having an adjustable stem so thinking of cutting it down and using a standard headset with a quill stem. The wedge will have to sit well below the end of the slot but I'm pretty short so that should work ok.

This is the fork next to an extra-long stem I have knocking around. A quick fit up put the bar somewhere between my elbows and my shoulders so reckon I'm not going to have any problems - probably fine with a shorter stem.

I'm planning on building the wheels using 451 rims, so a tiny bit bigger than the stock ones (can't get 440 alloy rims). I am definitely going for hub gears. I actually have a NOS 5 speed coaster hub knocking around from a project that turned into a ss part way through. It'll mean spacing the rear by about 10mm through which seems a lot on a tiny frame. Looks like a AWC SA 3 speed coaster would only need about 3mm more so might go that way. Or just go for rim brakes instead of course (ask me again when it's not raining!)

Front spacing is about 94mm so a little too tight for standard 100mm modern dynamo hub. SP do 74mm dynamo hubs but QR only - don't yet know if the axle will be too short. The other option is a vintage front dynohub from a RSW or similar. It would be a big step up for me to build a wheel with mismatched flanges though.

I actually tried a bottle dynamo on the red bike but couldn't get a steady light without massive drag (pretty sure the dynamo is a better brake than my brakes). I've got a new roller coming so will see if that helps.

Dibs the shunned one :)

Subbed.

My old Raleigh twenty

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Nice! Not granny enough for me though ;)

Almost stripped today but defeated by the BB fixed cup. I tried the bolt and washers method but ended up tightening the bolt so far it stamped the shape of the BB hole into the top washer! Probably going to ask Armoutex to remove it when I go for powdercoating.

The rusty chainstay is a bit pitted but intact

Dropped the frame, forks and rack off at Armourtex on the way to work this morning...bike rack stack

Bump! Will be keeping an eye on your choice for a front rack. Am thinking of getting a beam rack for my Kingpin. https://www.dropbox.com/sc/nnu45su1xwy5noa/AADXQ0NNSQ75zPxgbC0XKIIwa

@dsalmon whappun I thought you sold your Kingpin?

Mk2?

I have exactly the same bike, I replaced the wheel with a cheap alu 20" one, and got a rear 20" coaster wheel built, then put fat tyres on (biggest I can get with the clearance).

This make it so much more fun to ride, seriously worth getting coaster.

ScobleShopper

That looks so dangerous.

I know, I got so wet without mudguard.

Couldn't part with it in the end so now have a functional tourer and the kingpin for when I want something a bit more fun!

@dsalmon good to hear. Which shop did your frame spacing and wheel build again?

Micycle in Stroud Green (they have another shop in Angel I think). Need to pop in soon and get them to have a look at a front rack off a Twenty I picked up off eBay that's missing the bracket for fitting to the handle bar stem.

http://www.micycle.org.uk/

Alex who works there has a nice moulton that he showed me last time I was there.

@brokenbetty Look forward to seeing pics after the powder coating.

That looks GREAT fun!