Cyclespanner

Thank you, cb400bill

It seems to me that the '20's are so different in layout to 'regular' cycles both here and the US that folk have trouble identifying what is in practice a well designed, sturdy 'do-it-all' bicycle.

As we all know, a real MAN cherishes size in all things and would be embarrassed admitting he has a small......of anything.
(not sure what the ladies think, though if they should behave like a man, why not behave like a nice man?)

The '20' is a remarkable utility machine which can be adjusted to fit almost any rider.
The modern view of anything 'utility' is to regard it as cheap and disposable.

In truth it means an item is eminently usable.
As is the '20', in all it's guises.

A great survivor in many numbers, I regard this machine and the growing number of appreciative owners/collectors, is a mature, rounded 'gentleman's' cycle, with qualities anyone with a modicum of discernment, will thoughtfully recognize.

A true gentleman has no truck with feeble snobbery, and strives to encourage and educate the ignorant.

Which is why they are such rare individuals.

It would seem I'm now entitled to post photographs, which I intend to do, once the sun comes out and the rain abates here in 'good old 'blighty' and I can venture out to flick a duster over my machine.

Trakhak

As a Yank, what little I know about cricket I gleaned from a Kinks song, sung in the person of a vicar warning his flock against the blandishments of the Demon Bowler. The song is named, aptly, Cricket. "He'll baffle you with googlies, with leg breaks and off-spins!"

(Impressive: the Bike Forum spell-checker didn't balk at "googlies.")

Cyclespanner

Ah!
The kinks were the original 'Muswell Hillbillies'.

Cyclespanner

Fool that I am, I couldn't resist a bunch of utility bikes on ebay today, at a very good price.
Couldn't help myself.....looks like I'm clearing a recently diseased guy's collection filling his dry shed.
Two Dawes Kingpins, three different versions of the R20 (Raleigh, BSA,Triumph).plus two Raleigh 'Compacts' for want of a better description.
Not one folder among them!

So all of a sudden, I'm an R20 collector. LOL

Is there a dedicated R20 (Twenty) thread here?.

Cyclespanner

The Dawes machines turn out to be the 18inch wheel 'junior model.
I can find next to nothing online, so I'm wondering if they are worth keeping/preserving?

JanMM

Big Kinks fan and bought that album when it was new. Lived in Chicago then and hadn’t yet taken up cycling, which happened a couple of years later in 1973 after moved back to Indiana. Southern Indiana countryside much better for riding than Big City.

Cyclespanner

TA DA!

My Raleigh 'Twenties', the bronze one is a 1978 'Shopper', the red one is a 1980 'Solitaire'.

All I've done so far is give them a preliminary wipe down with a wet rag. Both in incredible condition for their age.

Yesterday did 100 mile round trip to collect 7 bikes, four of which are of the 'Twenty' type, including the bronze one above.

Five in total, so I recon I became a collector overnight.....does that make me an ACE or what?

Whatever others think, 'I'm dead chuffed' as we say in Yorkshire.

Thatboy

hi!

Cyclespanner

Hello, you clearly are thatboy!