Dawes Kingpin Vs Raleigh Twenty; Shopper Bike Showdown

I compare 2 1970s Shopper bicycles from my collection. For decades it has been debated whether the mass-produced Raleigh or the hand-made Dawes takes the crown of the ultimate 20-inch wheel unisex bike, so I'm here to decide for myself which is the best.

[@whitecompany18]

I'm a lucky boy, I've got an almost mint condition 1975 original kingpin in a beautiful metallic bottle green with all green grips and cables for my daily whip, wicker baskets front n back , she's a real head turner👌 , since I got mine I've seen a couple other gangsters on the estate trying to flex on vintage whips but they aint no kingpins 😂👍

[@bobalinga]

I had the raleigh back in the 80's. Great bikes

[@10OZDuster]

I started with Raleigh twenty and a Kingpin.....I like the Kingpin....not a fan of the weight of the Twenty and the proprietory Raleigh threading....plus the Kingpin fold mechanism is better in my opinion

[@davidpalk5010]

When choosing a base for a high-performance small wheeler project a few years ago I looked very carefully at both - and plumped for the Kingpin due to what initially looked like superior construction quality - and the conventional BB threading. That was a big mistake! The finished bike was "soft" to the point of being unrideable when pedalling out of the saddle or seated and "stomping" up a hill. The Kingpin's downfall is a weedy 1 1/2" (38mm) main frame tube, which is insufficiently stiff. Adding a top tube to the frame would solve this, but I wanted to retain, for aesthetic purposes, the original "step-thru" format. Second attempt was Twenty based. The Twenty conversion was more involved due to the unconventional BB. However, it rode beautifully and felt as stiff and efficient as any decent, coventional steel road frame. The Twenty's 1 3/4" (44mm) main frame tube is way stiffer. I've done many successful "R20 performance" conversions since then and the go-to bikes in my stable are all R20 based. Twenty is the hands-down winner in my book. Of course, for a 5'3" lady to do the daily shopping on in 1964 (no weekly supermarket loads in those days!), as was originally intended, the Kingpin is probably stiff enough! It's also worth mentioning that Raleigh rushed out the Twenty as a "parts-bin special", based on RSW and existing stock compnents, to counter the Kingpin's sales success and their recently launched RSW's poor reviews. The Twenty was an instant hit (initially with Triumph branding so as not to eclipse the Raleigh branded RSW) and went on to be Raleigh's biggest seller, with 2.2 million produced between '68 and '84. So yes, the R20 is just a "bitsa" copy of the Kingpin, but in my estimation it's the better bike.

[@davidharriman679]

I am fortunate enough to own one of each; a 1985 Raleigh Stowaway, and a 1989 Dawes Kingpin. They are both great bicycles, but I have to say that I am 60/40 in favour of the Kingpin, because overall it just seems to be more well made, it handles better, and has a bit more finesse about it.

[@carhuntinganglesey5603]

I've ridden the Kingpin a bit more since the video, and I must say that I agree. Something about it feels more refined. 1985 and 1989 must be very late examples though! I have a 1987 Raleigh, but it's a Compact rather than a Shopper. Thanks for watching

[@davidharriman679]

I am going by the dates on the Sturmey Archer hubs, but the Stowaway had work done before I bought it, so it could have had new hub or wheel. I'm pretty sure about the Kingpin though because it still looks fairly original. My first Dawes kingpin was a 1985 version which I bought second-hand for £15 in 1987 when I started my Nurse training. I wanted something with no street-cred, because no-one wanted Shopper-Bikes back then, they all wanted Mountain Bikes, and I wanted something reliable which I could leave all day and overnight outside the Hospital when I was on-shift, and know that it would still be there when I finished; It worked, and I rode it literally for many thousands of miles for over thirty years with no problems, then about four years ago when it was getting a bit tired, a bloke offered me £50 for it outside my local Sainsburys. So I sold it, and later came to regret that decision, so I've just bought another, little-used one off eBay for £40 and it rides like a dream!

[@sevenzarc7]

Did you notice the wheel sizes are different?

[@forthandbargy]

Thanks , very interesting. I like both equally , but on the folding versions I think Raleigh has a stronger folding mechanism.

[@seanrickell9306]

How do you remove the lens on the blue bikes rear mudguard light. I have one but it doesn't screw off or prize off

[@carhuntinganglesey5603]

If I remember correctly, it's just held in by the surrounding rubber. If not, it might have a screw on the back somewhere. Hope this helps

[@thomasroberts2869]

Good video. I have just restored a Kingpin and love it. Never been on a R20 so cannot compare however spare parts do seem easier to get for the R20. Both great bikes I am sure. Does the SA trigger shifter click when moving position? As I am not sure if my shifter is faulty, i have to slide it into the position (where the numbers are).

[@carhuntinganglesey5603]

Mine clicks quite nicely. I re did the whole gear system on the Raleigh as the twist grip system is a bit hopeless

[@mrp5494]

I have a dawes kingpin with a 80cc 2stroke engine straped to it and I also have 2 Raleigh 20s a twenty and a nova lovey to ride

[@rhianjones1058]

Very interesting 👍👏

[@peterevans4369]

Audio poor 😢

[@jonathanthorpe1653]

Try a Raleigh RSW 16, they are brilliant little bikes.

[@another3997]

For a certain definition of "brilliant" 😉 Definitely interesting though. Designed to compete with the Moulton bikes, which had suspension, the RSW used fat tyres instead. Which didn't offer the same ride comfort, made the handling worse and also added a lot more rolling friction. Both the 14 and 16 inch wheel versions of the RSW sold poorly, whilst the Twenty and it's variants sold like hot cakes for many years.

[@jonathanthorpe1653]

@@another3997 I do have a Raleigh RSW mk1 and three. You can see a big difference in quality between the years. I’ve also got a Raleigh wisp Moped which rides like a Raleigh chopper with an engine. I have been on the lookout for a good condition twenty to go in my collection. There’s something about bikes from that period they just have character and individuality. If you ever want to have a unique riding experience. Try riding the chopper sprint GT

[@robingriffith5303]

Gwych! Fedri di gael rhiwbeth fel wireless mic pryd ‘ti oddiwrth y camera? ‘Na’i helpu os ti eisio 👍

[@carhuntinganglesey5603]

Oeddwn yn defnyddio wireless mic o Coleg, ond dwin ama fod o yn chwara fyny ar adega yn anffodus... Diolch 👍

[@MrDyfedjones]

Da iawn, diddorol iawn

[@kyle8952]

It's too hard to hear what you're saying, you need a lapel mic.