Pimp my Kingpin

[belgiangoth]

I got a Dawes Kingpin (it's like a Raleigh 20, non-folding, but with better compatible parts), originally to use for teaching adults to ride as it offers a good long wheelbase for stability and the seat can go right down.
Not done much/any teaching and thinking that I could quickly and not too expensively upgrade the bike, making it usable as a shopper bike for the mrs (she has a heavy step-through).
Can anyone reccomend what to upgrade/change and any decently priced place to buy 20" wheeler kit? I'm thinking going Single Speed, but view the replacements in cost/difficulty to source sequence:
* Modern Q/Rs for stem and Seatpost
* Seatpost - need to find a long enough one
* Handlebars and brake levers
* Chainring (SS) and BB (current is cotterless)
* Wheels and Tyres (though should I go with Big Apples or something punchier?)

I have got saddle and brakes.



Any thoughts?

[Tom Richardson]

Whats wrong with it bg? Can't you just clean it up, oil it and use it as it is?

I though the only specific requirement for a shopping bike is a basket (or pannier rack). Otherwise, so long as it works, the grottier the better.

[[XAP]Bob]

Unless your Mrs has explicity asked for ss I'd at least go down to the local tip and rescue a 3spd SA

[belgiangoth]

Wheels are heavy, I don't like gears and my wife doesn't use them. Brakes could/should be improved. Which leaves me with changing the half-working QRs and the seatpost and stem for more modern/lighter upgrades out of pure "making life easier" (oh, and the cottered crankset which is an upgrade for upgrade's sake).

Why does one pimp anything?

On a total side note, I have a front rack, same design as a rear rack, on the (wait for it) front of the bike. Any ideas whether I could put a rear child carrier on it, facing backwards towards the driver?

[byegad]

I had a Proper Raleigh 20 Shopper and there was a wire basket that clamped onto the front rack (Which had a sprung slide on it to securely lock the basket on.) and a Rack Pack on the rear in matching colour. Brakes were hopeless in the wet, due to the steel rims and I changed the rear sprocket on the SA 3 speed to give a top gear of under 70", 64" IIRC, in order to climb the hills in Durham City in the lower gears. Frankly as a bike it was merely a bike and not a joy to ride but it certainly useful in town.

[belgiangoth]

Whats wrong with it bg? Can't you just clean it up, oil it and use it as it is?

Also forgot to mention 500a tyre size, not 406 or 451. Any advice on this?

[hubgearfreak]

AASHTA whether it's worth the effort for a dawes, he doesn't say.
i'm also intrigued by the fact that your gf doesn't use gears, has she been counfounded by 3x9, with up and down on both levers? that and the constant maintainance is enough to put many off, including me. but you should fir and AW in there, the trigger's a delight and real easy to use
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/raleigh-twenty.html

[belgiangoth]

Mrs Belgiangoth (technically Dr Belgiangoth, but that's both of us so it gets confusing) has a 3-speed step-through, but cares not for gears. To be fair, the Kingpin is something that is simply an easier project than others but could also double as a backup commuter for me and a replacement for my wife's bike (which is heavy and rarely used) - hence why I'm considering it.

[belgiangoth]

AASHTA whether it's worth the effort for a dawes, he doesn't say.

I'd assume the dawes is the same as the Raleigh, but with different size wheels and non-proprietary BB (etc.)
Sheldon recommends:

The stock steel rims are very heavy and don't provide very good braking. The most valuable upgrade to these bikes is to replace the rims with lightweight aluminum ones, and to install better tires.

[hubgearfreak]

I'd assume the dawes is the same as the Raleigh

not in my mind. i've seen three dawes whose frames have cracked, and no raleighs. and i've seen more raleighs in total.

i realise it's anecdotal and not a proper survey, but it's turned me right off 'em

[hubgearfreak]

for small wheels & tyres...
http://www.cyclechat.net/forums/showthread.php?t=61739

[hartleymartin]

Sheldon might have the answer with the Raleigh Twenty...

But I've got the authoritative web resource on upgrades and technical info:

http://raleightwenty.webs.com

Yes, it's about the Raleigh Twenty, but I'd be very interested to see what you come up with your Dawes Kingpin.

By the way, I personally think that the Sturmey-Archer 5-speed hub is a good choice these days 256% range is plenty sufficient for a shopping bicycle. In fact, you could probably still get by on the old 3-speed hub.

[Russcoles]

With my Kingpin I had braze ons added for V brakes and front mech, had the rear stretched to take new wheels (the old 500A wheels are too much hassle to get tyres for). I then used 406 wheels (in hindsight 451's would have been better for ground clearance) and a 7 speed freewheel and new cranks and BB to make a 14 speed set up. I used modern stem and Trekking handlebars and a modern aluminium seat post. Just to see if I could do it, I made wooden mudguards by laminating 3 layers of balsa over a wooden ring, then adding cherry veneer.

Before

After (a brooks saddle and rear rack have since been added)

[[XAP]Bob]

With my Kingpin I had braze ons added for V brakes and front mech, had the rear stretched to take new wheels (the old 500A wheels are too much hassle to get tyres for). I then used 406 wheels (in hindsight 451's would have been better for ground clearance) and a 7 speed freewheel and new cranks and BB to make a 14 speed set up. I used modern stem and Trekking handlebars and a modern aluminium seat post. Just to see if I could do it, I made wooden mudguards by laminating 3 layers of balsa over a wooden ring, then adding cherry veneer.

that clearance advantage from 451 over 406 is not worth the insane difficulty in getting decent tyres.

[Russcoles]

451 tyres aren't really difficult to get. There is admittedly less choice in 451's and the cheapest 451 tyre is twice the price of my michelin diablo's.
With 406's my toe clips tend to scrape on the ground when cornering so that little extra height might make all the difference. I'm not saying that its such a severe problem that I am going to change my wheels at the 1st opportunity, but anyone doing up an old Kingpin may want to balance out the pro's and cons of the 2 wheel sizes.