cudak888 

It's amazing what a die grinder can do.



I'm a bit concerned though, for it looks as if Raleigh's method of reinforcing the headtube was an internal brass pad for the back of the tube itself. This got gouged during the grinding, and since one side is not brazed in, it's rather difficult to keep it flush. I'm guessing that we might have to braze this piece in place, shape it, then braze the headtube in place:



I already spread the tube for the 1-1/8" headstock, but haven't tried tightening it up lest it be off plane from the rest of the frame or off-center.




At any rate, it'll be reasonably easy to tap it into alignment when it's hot. I'm certain this thing is going to wind up filleted together - the tube ends are a bit thin at the tips, and with that rear plate doing what it does, I'm taking no chances that this headtube will separate on me one day.

-Kurt

noglider 

Wow.

cudak888 

Kinda my thought when I finally got the tube removed. My left ear is still giving me on and off pounding from the die grinder's shriek

-Kurt

cudak888 

I could really use the custom Twenty right now.




In other irritating news, the suspension fork for the new build has wound up in shipping hell:

cudak888 

Shot was too cool not to share.

cudak888 

The full extent of my madness is being realized. Obviously, nothing has been brazed in or fitted yet, so everything is really loosy-goosy up front.

@RobbieTunes, any word on that 1-1/8" headset in trade for my FSA 1"?







A part of me wants to extend the seattube, but that'd mean extending the seatstays, and there's a limit to how many modifications are sensible here.

One issue did crop up though:




Apparently, the fork is designed with V-brake mounts for ISO 406 rims, so I'll have to run those Mavic stud relocators (or Paul brake levers) to get the pads where I need them.

-Kurt

RobbieTunes

It’s 1-1/4 to 1-1/8 tapered. So I have the top half...

RobbieTunes

You can be the camera man for Tour de Liberty City. Just keep moving.

cudak888 

Oh well. Looks like it's the Grand Cru for me then...

It ain't done yet

-Kurt

cudak888 

Drillium is a good thing, right?

cudak888 

Still a little bit to go on this, but...I present to you the world's first Raleigh Twenty with a 1-1/8" headtube.






-Kurt

clubman 

You know, Sheldon would have loved this.

cudak888 

There's nothing like a quirky Twenty build.

-Kurt

cudak888 

Had some time to test fit some parts and clean up a few areas that are done getting braze-ons (though a few remain to be installed).

Chainring bash guard fit looks good. There's enough room to run the 36t inner ring on triplizer bolts (can't get 36t in the smaller BCD) and the bash guard will hide the silver teeth:







Back of the guard is a bit of a tight fit with the brazed-on mount, but I'd rather have a snug fit than a phantom rattle.



Also finished up that derailer hanger; looks a lot better. I hit the chainguard mount with a flap wheel for a second, but didn't really get around to it.



Still a lot to go...




-Kurt

cudak888 

Thanks to @qcpmsame and his friend Doug, my VAR headtube reamer/facer now has a custom spacer/bushing, along with a Cyclus centering cone recommended by @gearbasher - which means I could finally prep the headtube on this Twenty:





Also had some time to clean up the brass globs up front from tacking the tube. I think I've also discovered the world's stickiest flux too; nothing seems to get this stuff off after a few weeks.



-Kurt

pastorbobnlnh 

This is going to be one hella of a 20! We need to come up with a righteous name for this re-worked Raleigh!

cudak888 

I'm pretty set on "20/20," given that it is basically going to be a platform for lenses and sensors. I think that'll look good on the maintube too (even though it'll be on top, and not the sides like it was originally).

-Kurt

cudak888 

Yet again, I was a few braze-ons short today, but here's the progress so far.

There's been zero prep here except for knocking off 95% of the flux. FD mount is just tacked in place for the meantime. I'll let the photos tell the story:

3speedslow

How do you know there’s not a Brompton design team stealing your creation?

cudak888 

I'll know it if it gets released before this thing gets finished

-Kurt

cudak888 

No silver soldering today (yet), but finished up what I hope are the last of the modifications for the remaining braze-ons:




-Kurt

cudak888 

I think the braze-on additions are done (in regards to brazing, that is - not finishing). The fork centering spring loop may be one braze-on too far forward though; need to check.




-Kurt

Chris_in_Miami

Very entertaining thread Kurt, it'll be fun to see how this turns out! This info might have been more useful in your project's earlier stages, but here's another take on a full suspension frankenbike on the cheap:



My buddy Glenn has built these out of kid's "x-games motocross" type bikes that he finds at yard sales & thrift stores. Disc brakes, rudimentary but squishy suspension, and endless hackability...

cudak888 

Believe me, no knowledge lost. I wouldn't get within 10 feet of one of those things with the intent of making anything I'd ride with them

How's the Moulton?

-Kurt

Chris_in_Miami

After welding on a new seatpost mast, they ride surprisingly well for something that costs about $20, maybe a bit better than the Moulton (I think the latter cost me twice that amount )