# New project



## skudupnorth (28 Jan 2013)

I have been given this Elswick Folder to play with even though i have enough bikes in my garage ! I do not know much about them other than it's quirky,folds and has Czech made wheels and tyres which floats my Skoda boat ! 
It needs a bit of TLC,but in general it looks complete and ridable ! Any info on the breed will be appreciated
Enjoy


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## Rafferty (29 Jan 2013)

skudupnorth said:


> I have been given this Elswick Folder to play with even though i have enough bikes in my garage ! I do not know much about them other than it's quirky,folds and has Czech made wheels and tyres which floats my Skoda boat !
> It needs a bit of TLC,but in general it looks complete and ridable ! Any info on the breed will be appreciated
> Enjoy


I've just acquired a Dawes Kingpin, so I'm in the same boat as you. I want to change the wheels for 406 size instead of the 451 size as ther is more choice with tyres and rims. The seat-post, stem, bars, chainset, saddle and mudguards will all be changed, as will the brakes. A respray is also a must, and I might change the front forks if I can get any info on what options I have. I've already made a start, so maybe we can swap ideas/info when your refurb gets underway.
Raff.


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## skudupnorth (29 Jan 2013)

It will make a great hack bike for short trips to the shops


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## Hacienda71 (29 Jan 2013)

I think my brother had a similair bike in a metalic brown back in the 70's , no idea what happened to it . Loving the proper dynamo and Stumey Archer 3 speed.


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## skudupnorth (29 Jan 2013)

The dynamo works but the gears need a bit of love !


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## Teuchter (1 Feb 2013)

Love those old sturmey archer gears... we've got two bikes with them in our household including an old (non folding unfortunately) Raleigh Twenty of my wife's. You should be able to date the bike from a year stamped on the hub. Often all the hub needs is some oil and proper adjustment.

Check out some of the examples of work on other similar bikes for an idea of what's possible...
http://raleightwenty.webs.com/

I keep suggesting I take on my wife's bike as a modernisation project but she's dead against any changes that go beyond fitting a front wicker basket


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## skudupnorth (1 Feb 2013)

Teuchter said:


> Love those old sturmey archer gears... we've got two bikes with them in our household including an old (non folding unfortunately) Raleigh Twenty of my wife's. You should be able to date the bike from a year stamped on the hub. Often all the hub needs is some oil and proper adjustment.
> 
> Check out some of the examples of work on other similar bikes for an idea of what's possible...
> http://raleightwenty.webs.com/
> ...


I will have a look tomorrow on the rear hub for the date,cheers for the advice.........might hang fire on the wicker basket though


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## Radchenister (1 Feb 2013)

Think my mum had one of those; might want to tackle those window sills as well  .


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## skudupnorth (2 Feb 2013)

Radchenister said:


> Think my mum had one of those; might want to tackle those window sills as well  .


Ha,Ha they've been like that for year and they are only my den/garage !


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## skudupnorth (2 Feb 2013)

Found the date stamp,it's an 83 model


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## EltonFrog (3 Feb 2013)

I have a Dawes Kingpin very similar to that, which I'm doing up. It's going to be finished in the spring. It's a bit of a folly amd extravagance but I sent the frame off to Mercian to be resprayed and to have the headset and bottom bracket to be serviced. The rest of the parts I'm going to do up my self and refit, I'll post a thread when I start. 

I didn't know about the date stamp on the gear hub, I'll check that out too.


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## skudupnorth (3 Feb 2013)

I never knew about date stamps until Teuchter told me ,this forum just keeps giving  It's on the bench now ready for pulling apart,not sure if the old girl will get a posh respray,but i am looking forward to riding it .


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## EltonFrog (3 Feb 2013)

skudupnorth said:


> I never knew about date stamps until Teuchter told me ,this forum just keeps giving  It's on the bench now ready for pulling apart,not sure if the old girl will get a posh respray,but i am looking forward to riding it .



Financially it does not make sense for a proper respray, I don't know why I did it really, I'll never get my money back if I decide to sell it!


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## skudupnorth (3 Feb 2013)

CarlP said:


> Financially it does not make sense for a proper respray, I don't know why I did it really, I'll never get my money back if I decide to sell it!


At least you can enjoy it though,great stuff


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## Rafferty (3 Feb 2013)

I'll be respraying my Kingpin myself. So far I've changed the seatpost, stem, bars and crankset. Not sure about the wheels though, as going for the more common 406 size will cause braking issues. The steel rims have got to go and I'm unsure whether or not to go single speed.


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## skudupnorth (20 Feb 2013)

Mines fully stripped down ! I was even more amazed at the cotter pins coming out with just a light tap.......i have never,ever had that with the old bikes i used to own,they either required serious forceor drilling out !


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## thegravestoneman (20 Feb 2013)

has anyone seen sheldons raleigh twenty to see what can be done?


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## thegravestoneman (20 Feb 2013)

heres mine btw not a folder


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## skudupnorth (20 Feb 2013)

thegravestoneman said:


> heres mine btw not a folder


Still the same basic shape as mine but without the hinge. What does this Raleigh look like ? I'm thinking of a new paint job for mine.


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## thegravestoneman (20 Feb 2013)

http://sheldonbrown.com/org/raleigh-twenty/


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## skudupnorth (20 Feb 2013)

thegravestoneman said:


> http://sheldonbrown.com/org/raleigh-twenty/


I like that ! Time to raid the parts bin !


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## currystomper (17 Mar 2013)

I fixed up a Raliegh twenty - if you just do one thing, change the tyres for a set of high pressure tyres!! You'll be amazed at the difference (ps high pressure 451 tyres come up on ebay regularly!!)

(http://currystomer.blogspot.co.uk/)


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## skudupnorth (23 Mar 2013)

currystomper said:


> I fixed up a Raliegh twenty - if you just do one thing, change the tyres for a set of high pressure tyres!! You'll be amazed at the difference (ps high pressure 451 tyres come up on ebay regularly!!)
> 
> (http://currystomer.blogspot.co.uk/)[/quote]
> Sadly the old Barum Czech made tyres are goosed ! I would like to replace them with the same but i guess that is going to be impossible.


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