First off, all purists be warned before entering! (Can't believe I'm saying that).
**** EDIT: IT ROLLS, IT RIDES! - see last page in thread ****
Let me preface this build: I've been using my '70 Twenty for shooting work-related Bike to School events. This is usually done with a GoPro mounted front and back, and these have done well enough for now:
But it's not good enough. I usually shoot 2.7K video so I can re-crop the footage, and the bitrate on the GoPros (I'm using 4 Silvers now) with that video size is terrible; worse with motion. As a result, the ride footage always tends to look soft and mushy. Color depth is also a bit iffy.
Since then, I've acquired a gimbal and a Panasonic GH5, and I've got it in my mind to finally merge gimbal with bicycle. For the meantime, I've designed a 3D printed plate that'll sandwich the Pletscher rack and hold a cheese plate above it. In turn, the plate will hold a camera mount.
It has yet to be printed; I'm hoping I get the word next week that it is done.
But I don't want to modify my '70 Twenty any further than that. I like it original, even though the brakes are abysmal, the wheels are heavy, and the cotters catch my pantleg every second.
Obviously, this is a serious situation of variable "N" in need of "+1." And since I have access to some brazing equipment and other doo-dads over at Mike Terraferma's shop, I figure this was an opportunity to pick up a decidedly
bad Twenty so I could do some serious modifications to the frame itself to turn it into a single-purpose vehicle: An all-around, gimbal-equipped camera bicycle.
I don't have much to share at this point, except that the victim has been acquired. I dug up a suitably ratty Twenty - this one also a '70 - on OfferUp. It is essentially identical to my existing Twenty, with exception to being one of the lone oddballs with brazed-on bolt ears on the seattube. In reality, it looks worse than it is with its home-brew paint job...though the AW hub won't engage and most of the chrome is covered in silver paint. (Ok, I take it back - this thing is a turd).
With the guardian of the fleet:
Since I need little more than frame/fork/handlebar, this Twenty should do nicely, and I won't regret putting the brazing torch to it.
This said, I'm envisioning something along the lines of the following (honestly, posting this list is mostly so I just don't forget:
- Steel racks designed to accept camera cheese plates brazed directly to the frame, front and back.
- 26TPI BB threads filled in, tapped to 24tpi, BB faced to 73mm for a square taper or Hollowtech crank, whichever comes first for cheap
- Sun CR-18 ISO 451 rims with Primo Comet tires (possibly a bad idea for smoothness, even with the gimbal, but I'll be able to check this against the 406's on the other '70.
- Modern Sturmey AW so I can stand on the pedals if need be - already have this.
- Drum brake up front - or if possible, convert the fork to disc and shove a set of proper dropouts in the cheap-o Raleigh blades in the process
- Tektro long-reach dual-pivot in back
- Removal of the factory kickstand for a kickstand plate; installation of a double kickstand
- Possible integration of a Pelican case to hold camera/gimbal in stora
- Braze-ons added for a rear wheel lock (like an Abus Pro Tectic)
- Planet Bike Cascadia ALX fenders
- Some other stuff I can't remember at this late a time at night.
Feel free to PM if you happen to be parting with any of these bits I need.
It's decidedly not really a C&V build, but the starting point of the build is. Sure, there are other folders, but I believe in the Twenty and am familiar enough with it that I'd like to start with it as a base.
I've got the rear wheel torn off it in the meantime, but not much else. Cranks come off tomorrow, and I need to touch base with Mike TF to see when I can spend some time modding this thing.
-Kurt