Dawes Kingpin

General cycling advice ( NOT technical ! )
ANTONISH
Posts: 2956
Joined: 26 Mar 2009, 9:49am

Dawes Kingpin

Post by ANTONISH »

Dawes Kingpin 001.jpg
My partner recently resurrected this from the back of the shed.
It was bought second hand forty years ago and not used for the past thirty.
She has cleaned it, got the 3 sp Sturmey gears working, inflated the tyres which have remained inflated and is now using it for shopping.
The front hub dynamo and light both worked.
We were wondering as to it's actual age - nothing on BB to help.
Dawes Kingpin 003.jpg
Dawes Kingpin 003.jpg
rjb
Posts: 7183
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 10:25am
Location: Somerset (originally 60/70's Plymouth)

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by rjb »

The sturmey rear hub will have a date stamped on it on the barrel. Month and year. :wink:
If you put kingpin in the search box there's lots of info available plus pics of mine. :D
search.php?keywords=Kingpin&terms=all&a ... mit=Search
Last edited by rjb on 20 Jan 2022, 1:52pm, edited 1 time in total.
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
Carlton green
Posts: 3628
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by Carlton green »

It looks lovely and, yes, I am jealous. At some point I’d like a Kingpin.

I can’t date it for you but as above suggest that the hub gear date (month and year) will be near. If you are a Facebook user then there’s an enthusiast’s group there. The front fork seems to have a lamp boss, I suspect that that’s unusual and might help date the bike / provide more information.

The brakes are probably poor. New modern inners and outers will help and Brucey recommended some particular BMX brake blocks for steel rims. The lights might work better for a bulb change, drop in LED’s are available but they’re not particularly cheap (say £20 for a front and rear set). Some of the Kingpins had front racks, I suspect that one would be a handy addition.

I hope that your partner enjoys her Kingpin.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
tatanab
Posts: 5030
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by tatanab »

Here is mine. Sturmey hub suggests this from 1973. I have lowered the gearing (hilly area) and uprated the braking.
100_1147.JPG
Carlton green
Posts: 3628
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by Carlton green »

tatanab wrote: 21 Jan 2022, 7:29am Here is mine. Sturmey hub suggests this from 1973. I have lowered the gearing (hilly area) and uprated the braking.
Another lovely looking Kingpin. I’m curious about the brake upgrade and, please, would like more details.

Where I live is hilly too and setting an AW’s gear range is a skilful compromise. The AW that I use (on my larger wheel bike) has a top gear in the mid / low 60’s” and it gets me about surprisingly well. With just three gears I selected top to be low enough to retain (after having already ridden for some miles) whilst cycling up a slight incline and that gives me a bottom gear that gets me up the majority of hills. My objective is to make good time by simply rolling along at a steady and sustainable pace - works for me.
Last edited by Carlton green on 21 Jan 2022, 9:02am, edited 1 time in total.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
tatanab
Posts: 5030
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by tatanab »

Carlton green wrote: 21 Jan 2022, 8:35am I’m curious about the brake upgrade and, please, would like more details.
Simply a modern dual pivot brake with decent brake blocks on the front. I left the rear sidepull because a rear brake is not so important , although I changed the brake blocks.
Where I live is hilly too and setting an AW’s gear range is a skilful compromise. The AW that I use (on my larger wheel bike) has a top gear in the low 60’s”
I changed the sprocket from 16T to 20T which gives me a top gear of 65" and a bottom gear in the low 30s so that I can winch it up the hills. The 65" gear is ok on the flat, but any little gradient and I drop to middle gear. This is because the riding position is cramped which restricts comfortable pedalling effort. I use it only around town and don't think I have ridden more than 10miles at a time on it.
Carlton green
Posts: 3628
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by Carlton green »

Thank you for those details, a good idea to try the dual pivot brakes.

My mixte bike has reasonable alloy side pull calliper brakes and a similar rear brake cable run (a better run eludes me). Braking improved with different blocks and improved again when I fitted modern cables and outers. Those changes were well worth the effort involved and particularly so for the (‘less efficient’) rear brake with it’s difficult cable run.

I guess that these bikes weren’t intended for longer journeys, just around town, and that the ergonomics could therefore be compromised to suit a large range of rider sizes. They are what they are and ten miles at a time is far far longer than a typical journey on one. If I had one then I’d want to be able to use it on longer rides and would have to see how the ergonomics could be changed to suit my needs and my build, but that’s just me and my outlook.
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
rjb
Posts: 7183
Joined: 11 Jan 2007, 10:25am
Location: Somerset (originally 60/70's Plymouth)

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by rjb »

I agree the brakes are poor by modern standards. It makes you more aware of your surroundings and concentrates the mind to impending hazards. :D
At the last count:- Peugeot 531 pro, Dawes Discovery Tandem, Dawes Kingpin X3, Raleigh 20 stowaway, 1965 Moulton deluxe, Falcon K2 MTB dropped bar tourer, Rudge Bi frame folder, Longstaff trike conversion on a Giant XTC 840 :D
SA_SA_SA
Posts: 2358
Joined: 31 Oct 2009, 1:46pm

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by SA_SA_SA »

The brake blocks are Fibrax Ash297s as recommended by Brucey's LBS:

https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic. ... p1120175
------------You may not use this post in Cycle or other magazine ------ 8)
ANTONISH
Posts: 2956
Joined: 26 Mar 2009, 9:49am

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by ANTONISH »

Thanks for the replies.
The hub gear indicates a 1968 date of manufacture. Thanks for the tip about the brake blocks.
steve.y.griffith
Posts: 642
Joined: 27 Aug 2007, 8:14pm
Location: North London

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by steve.y.griffith »

1968 so quite an early one .Kingpins are regarded by many as the best small wheeled bike of the era. I know a few people who stripped them down and fitted alloy parts . One problem I had with my 70,s one was tyres as it has the old imperial size 20” wheel. I got some white walled Michelin which are ok but won’t take much pressure .It is possible to fit metric 20” wheels with much better choices of tyres .
Re brakes mine has Weinmann centre pulls which work fine with brake blocks in harder rubber for steel rims
tatanab
Posts: 5030
Joined: 8 Feb 2007, 12:37pm

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by tatanab »

Tyres - my 1973 takes 500A (37-440). I have another brand of small wheeler that takes 451 size.
steve.y.griffith
Posts: 642
Joined: 27 Aug 2007, 8:14pm
Location: North London

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by steve.y.griffith »

Yes it’s 440 that are a problem .451 is a widely size and is only 5.5mm bigger at the brake drop
Carlton green
Posts: 3628
Joined: 22 Jun 2019, 12:27pm

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by Carlton green »

The 500A’s (37 x 440) aren’t widely available but they are listed on eBay and SJS sell them too (Michelin and Hutchinson brands), they ain’t obsolete yet. I’ve looked at this in the past and IIRC fitting other size tyres (and their wheels) raises issues that can be avoided by ‘just’ using what’s still available.

The Fibrax blocks seem to sometimes be called SH297 and sometimes ASH297 (the latter being correct, see: https://www.fibrax.org/shop.html#!/Vint ... p/79888734 )

I wonder how the handlebars might be readily changed, altered or have attachments added to give a more ergonomic / power producing riding position?

Whilst sometimes fractionally too tall in practice revising the gearing down to 65” in top gear seems about right to me for this small wheeled three speed bike; doubtless that seems ridiculously low to some folk and at one time I’d have thought so too. Sometimes a bit more oil on the chain and in all the rotating bits, plus a bit more air in the tyres, gives a marginal but still helpful gain.

Wayfarer, the famous cyclist, rode a 63” fixed gear. If 63” was right for him then I’m happy to do similar, but not fixed. https://www.cyclingnorthwales.co.uk/pages/wayfarer.htm
Don’t fret, it’s OK to: ride a simple old bike; ride slowly, walk, rest and admire the view; ride off-road; ride in your raincoat; ride by yourself; ride in the dark; and ride one hundred yards or one hundred miles. Your bike and your choices to suit you.
mattsccm
Posts: 5095
Joined: 28 Nov 2009, 9:44pm

Re: Dawes Kingpin

Post by mattsccm »

I have a pair :roll: Never ridden them.If you are a facebook person have a look there. At least one group dedicated to the bikes
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