Saw this 1974 Raleigh 20 machine on ebay recently looking a bit neglected/unused for a while.
Looked original & complete & so it was. A nice, sunny day out to collect from Hay on Wye was just a pleasure. Pete moaned a bit, but...
These common machines are great for customising.
Mostly dismissed as 'Shoppers' but having a strong, durable, one size frame that'll fit a 12 year old, or a 6' adult. That's why I bought it anyway: ) Check Sheldon Browns site to see what he did with R20 frames many years ago.
Googling 'Raleigh 20 customising' will get many more examples.
My intention is to build it up as 'Standard' to begin with, & then modify it as time & finances permit.
Here it is now, a week later. Out for a ride & photos this morning. All good so far... Rides very nicely.
Now has NOS Pirelli cream tyres (try finding them; ) & an adjustable stem with Allrounder bars, & Turbo saddle. Gears are good, brakes are just normal Raleigh with steel rims... Not brilliant in the dry, non-existent in the wet.
So, the first major upgrade for R20s is alloy rims.
It'll get a longer, alloy, micro adjust seat-post & long reach stem (to fit me at 6' 1") soon: )
The adjustable stem is there currently to figure out where exactly I need the bars. (A little higher & further foreward is my current opinion)
I'll keep the mudguards & chain-guard, bars & stem, saddle just in case a later owner wants to revert to original spec.
I just think they look better, (not so dated perhaps?) without the guards. A bit lighter too: )
When I finally found a pair of alloy rims for it they were anodised green.
These are 457mm compared to the Raleighs steel 451mm rims. I can only find 47 tyres for the alloys so I went for this brown pair that goes well with the green to my eye. (Camouflage? )
The green rims don't suit this brown bike though: (
So it gets built up as I found it.
Shortly after I came across a really nice green Raleigh 20 Folder. With no wheels, would you believe?
Serendipity.
