1978 Raleigh Twenty Stowaway - Show and Tell - Vintage Cycling

[@simeondavey1291]

Very nice bike, looking forward to seeing some others!

[@Shedvelo]

@@simeondavey1291 Thanks very much👍

[@heikkirautanen]

Nice video and lovely bicycle, I like specially that bullhorn handlebar and reverse brake levers. (Years ago I have same setup in my fixed gear bike...)

[@Shedvelo]

@heikkirautanen Thanks, glad you enjoyed this. I've used a similar bar setup on various bikes over the years, and it's worked really well. Especially during a period of wanting to be a bike messenger. Unfortunately, not much call for them in my area, though!

[@woden20]

I wondered how you were doing, I also like bikes with or without engines and you popped up on my recommendations. Great channel

[@Shedvelo]

@woden20 Warmest greetings, great to hear from you. Thanks, had thought about starting a bicycle channel for while. Here goes!

[@ivancho5854]

You look about 7' tall on the little 20! Just a bit of flex. 😉 I love the reverse brake levers. Good bike. Good video. Well done. 👍 All the best from bonnie Scotland. 🇬🇧

[@Shedvelo]

@@ivancho5854 Thanks very much. It's strange how a great streak like me is attracted to small wheeled machines!

[@ivancho5854]

@@Shedvelo Just stay out of tiny cars. 🤣

[@DIY-DaddyO]

Making it fit you is the key to a comfortable bike. Nice solution. That saddle looks nice n wide. I must check out Spa cycles.

[@ivancho5854]

I just did and I'm pretty sure that I've seen those very ones on eBay and AliExpress for between a half and a third of the price, if you're interested. Good luck. 👍

[@benc8386]

Great video! Moulton originally took his small-wheel design to Raleigh. They laughed at him, but then got very worried after BMC started producing his bicycle, and then they undercut him with these (after welching on various agreements they had made with him). All explained in his book.

[@Shedvelo]

@@benc8386 Thanks very much. The Moulton story is fascinating and and has many complex twists and turns. There are very few British bicycle designers that ruffled the industry quite like Alex Moulton. I think Mike Burrows came close, but not on the same scale.

[@benc8386]

@@Shedvelo I think Moulton underestimated how much it was all really driven by fashion. He designed a bicycle that was supposed to be just better in every way. The Raleigh version wasn't (no suspension and slow tyres), yet outsold it, and the next big hit after that was the much loved but frankly ridiculous Chopper!

[@TINGVELL]

great video mate you know how to make them

[@ColonelBummleigh]

A dapper little runabout.

[@Shedvelo]

@@ColonelBummleigh Cheers, it is indeed👍🏻

[@Bikey_McBeardface]

The trick to finding good tyres (as in the small wheel equivalent of a good hybrid tyre) for the stock wheels is look to the BMX world: Michelin do a 451 variant of their Pilot SX tyre that seem popular amongst those that mod/trick these out.

[@Shedvelo]

@@Bikey_McBeardface Thanks very much. I'll check out those Michelins. They could be a good bet, I would hope the quality should be reasonable. There does seem to be a few more options available online that others have tried.

[@andypettitt1344]

I ride a Moulton,which uses the more common 406 size tyre ( BMX size),rather than the 451,as used on the Raleigh 20.Raleigh 20s and similar bikes are readily available and can be picked up fairly cheaply.A very useable bike

[@Shedvelo]

@@andypettitt1344 Delighted to hear from another Moultoneer! Indeed, I was surprised how much I enjoyed using the 20 having sorted the fit. Should another become available locally, I would definitely consider acquiring it. Very keen to experiment further. The 451 20" format seems to have been discounted as regards to tyre choice in comparison to other small wheel sizes. Having ridden f-frames for years, it was a revelation to try Brompton tyres and a little later the Schwalbe range of 349 16" offerings. I've settled on Marathon Racers over the last few years, a brilliant tyre for my purposes. What do you run? Might I guess that you ride a TSR perhaps?

[@andypettitt1344]

@@Shedvelo here in NZ they seem to fetch bit of a premium price,with people often asking $400 ( 200 pounds) for them.We also had locallly made variants,such as the Healing and Morrison.they also used the 451 tyre but also came in a 22’ variant.There was one model that came out in the 70s that had a rear disc brake,these are quite collectible now

[@Shedvelo]

@@andypettitt1344 That's interesting to hear. I do see the prices for any retro 20" wheeled bikes creeping up here too. Even so, there are still bargains that crop up from time to time.

[@andypettitt1344]

@@Shedvelo Ive got a Jubilee,which I’ve toured extensively with.I use Marathons for touring and Continentals for local riding.

[@Shedvelo]

@@andypettitt1344 Sorry Andy, I just realized that you'd already told me you had a Jubilee!🤭 I imagine the Contis are a slightly quicker tyre, but a little less durable on tour.

[@colinwellman9480]

My mother in law had one and it was given away when she died. I wish we'd kept it. I'm guessing the 'reverse' brake levers are because of reach. Are alluminium rims available in the required size? Lots of good stuff goes out of fashion and gets dumped which is a great shame. Thanks for the story on your Twenty.

[@Shedvelo]

@@colinwellman9480 You're quite right, fads and fashions have a lot to answer for. I generally pay little attention to either, especially where bicycles are concerned. The brake levers worked best this way mainly for cable routing. There are 456 (20 x 1 3/8) alloy rims available, but I might convert to the slightly smaller 406 wheelset for which there is better tyre choice. The Twenty's did have this size as standard in some countries. The long reach brake calipers account for this also. I also have plans to double the gear range with an extra sprocket on the standard Sturmey Archer hub to help with my local hills.

[@Timemachine74]

There’s still a lot of these around for little money problem is I can’t resist leaving them

[@Shedvelo]

@@Timemachine74 There is indeed, I was surprised to see so many Twenties and other variants either available or in use across the medias. It is very difficult to ignore these when they appear. For a few years, I have contained my BAD (Bicycle Acquisition Disorder). However, a relapse is always immanent.

[@ttnyny]

I am a shorter cyclist (5'7" / 170 cm) and while I mostly ride 700C-based bicycles (with 50 cm frames), from a standpoint of fit, particularly as it relates to wheels, I am happier on my Dahon Boardwalk with 20-in. wheels. I have also ridden a bike with 24-in. (ETRTO 520 mm) wheels, and that size worked well for me too. But comfort suffers when using smaller wheels on a rigid frame, so it's a trade off.

[@Shedvelo]

@ttnyny This is common on smaller wheeled bikes. Are you running 1.75 tyres?The Raleigh Twenty is reasonably compliant, especially with my extended seat post and stem. I've done some fairly long rides on mixed terrain, and it was great. The bike I use the most is the Moulton. It runs 349 16" wheels with 28mm Schwalbe Marathon Racer tyres. Teamed with the suspension, this makes for a very comfortable ride. Nothing I've tried over the years compares. On rigid framed bikes, bigger tyres are the way forward. There's always a payoff with rolling resistance, but I personally would rather have the comfort.

[@p.istaker8862]

What is the difference between the Twenty and the Shopper ?

[@Shedvelo]

@p.istaker8862 I believe that Shopper is a general term for these bikes. There may well have been some brands that actually used Shopper as a model name. The Raleigh Twenty was available with a front and rear (standard equipment) rack and appropriate bags, ideal for the weekly shop.

[@Shedvelo]

I stand corrected! Raleigh rebranded the Twenty as a Shopper later on. The only difference being the front rack with basket as standard.

[@p.istaker8862]

@@Shedvelo Thanks for that. I thought the two did look very similar.

[@Velocipedium]

There were always several models in the range. The one labeled “Shopper” being top of the range, and equipped with front carrier with clip-on basket, rear tray carrier with slip-in hold-all and dynohub lighting set. The series was also cross-branded as Triumph, BSA, Hercules and New Hudson among others.

[@griftereck]

Back in the 90s I tried extending the seat tubes on some Raleigh bikes. As the Grifter, Wildcat and Burner, were BMX sort of bikes, aimed at kids. I cut up an old roadster frame that had 28.6mm diameter frame tubes. It worked ok. Nowadays, its easy enough to get a long seat post. Im not so long of limb. Ive got a Peugeout Le Tour kids racer. That has a 15" frame and came with 20" 440 ertro wheels. Those were duff, so its got 20" 406 ertro wheels. I think a long seat post wlll be ok. I fitted cut off drop bars in a stumpneck stem with bar end levers from a time trial bike. As for chrome plate. This week I got a couple Ralieghs at the John Milnes auction in Aberdeen. They look nice on the photo. The Twenty is nice. I think its a 1970 acording to Raliegh catalogues. The Nova sport racer. 1985 I believe. Isnt so nice. I'll try to spruce them up.

[@Shedvelo]

@griftereck Those early BMX type Raleighs were really solid bikes. Interesting to hear of your mods. I rescued a Grifter from a brook, years ago. Unfortunately, one of the rear chainstays failed with rust and I couldn't use it. Not long after I got bought a Universal BMX which Dad upgraded with Sturmey Archer 3 speed. I did miles on it, until I became too tall for it. I'm keen to try the more standard 406 size wheels for the extra tyre choice. Best of luck with your latest acquisitions, exciting stuff🙂👍