Bicycle with Side Car

Painted with Epoxy enamel (Cottage Green)

Front wheel 26 Inch

Rear wheels 20 Inch

Bicycle can be used with or without the side car

Overall length 2000 mm that's 2 meters

Width about 950 mm that's less than 1 meter

Weight bicycle 21 Kilo

Weight Side Car 10 Kilo

18 gears

Alloy wheel rims

V brakes Front And Rear

Bike stand for use without Side car

Swivel Stand Lock when using Side Car, plus hand brake lock

The side car frame has a swivel attachment to the bike

This allows the side car to be detached from the bike

by removing the swivel bolt.

 

Long Tail_Front and Rear Suspension

,Long tail Cargo/Touring / Beach cruiser

26 Inch alloy rim wheels

V brakes front and rear

Overall length 2150

18 Speed / Twist grip

Front suspension

Foot / Pannier rests 700 mm long

Painted with Kill-rust / Wilderness/Epoxy.

Rear stand

Weight 24 Kilo

Cargo bike Load over front wheel

Overall Length 2 Meters
Steering has a little under steer to prevent linkages going past the return point.
6 gears with twist grip, 3 gear ranges, giving a total of 18 gear ranges.
Took 17 days to build
Parts List:
1 x 24 Inch bike
1 x 20 Inch bike
1 x old 26 inch bike frame, seat post to steering tube.
front and rear rack made from fencing material 16 mm OD tube
8 mm fencing rod for steering
40 mm OD tube off trampoline for steering tube
1 x bunk bed tubular 50 mm main frame
2 x rear stays for rear rack off babies wash stand about 10 mm OD tube
4 off brackets for front rack 200 x 30 x 3 mm flat
2 x brake cables
1 x gear cable


that's about it.

Note_1

I really do need somewhere to keep my notes , I usually write things down on pieces of scrap paper and then lose them.
Anyway My friend picked up a folding bike from the local council trash and treasure shop "yard"
for four dollars $4.
And then tried to sell it on E bay for $40 now this little bicycle is in a pretty sad state.
needs new tires, tubes, brakes, very much a complete overall maybe even replace the steel wheel rims with
alloy ones. wheel size is 20 x 1.75.
I told my friend that I would like the bicycle, so it looks like I am going to have another one to look after and  fix up.
I am quite excited about this has I love working on these projects.
I have now spent a couple of hours Information on this bicycle has it was un_branded the only mark
on it was Marken Rad so at first I thought it was a German made bicycle and that's where I started  to look for information has Marken rad means "Brand bicycle" in German.
here are some of the leads I chased:
Wienora Marken Rad 1
Mars Marken Rad
Mars space brand bike
Rekord Marken rad
Markenrad Fahrrad Klapprad 
All to no avail I then stumbled onto the words "Bianchi nealeco"
This made me change direction and start to search for Italian leads
The fist one got me to Italian Vintage "Barbarilla" Folding bike with 20 Inch wheels
Too easy now, then the next one was "Amica"
Here we go, Amica by Carnielli  1960s by the factory ( Teodoro Carnielli )
Located in Vittorio Veneto, Italy
Also Graziella  1964 ( the above factory )
I will post pictures has soon as I have the bicycle here.

Picture of A Modified Raleigh Twenty Designe

Here we have a modified (Improved Design) this is more suited to the larger person, Longer Arms and Longer legs than a child. Not with excessive weight I would rate this as being suitable up to 100 kilo

After all it is still basically a child's bike, Now getting down to basics or modifications to the original Raleigh Twenty design:

Brakes originally had canter lever type which I personally never had any problem with, but a lot of people seem to find them inferior to V brakes.

Head Post steering changed to incorporate front suspension, and a longer raised handlebar

Top Tube lengthened for extra knee clearance from handlebar

this also gives more clearance from pedal to front wheel

Gears 3 speed improved to 6 speed with a derailleur changer  

This gives a basic Idea of the possibilities and Improvements that can be made.

The Raleigh Twenty Bicycle item1

Was one of the greatest bicycle designs ever developed, That is the H frame design whether they are fixed top tube or folding top tube, the U frame was a different thing all together but non the less it should rank in second place. Getting back to the Raleigh Twenty which are in great demand even today. The basic bicycle is or was a child's bicycle. So even though Adults still ride them (with usually quite a few modifications)
Some of the mods Include raising the seat on a longer seat post and also raising the handle bar to suit the Adult rider who most often has longer arms and longer legs.
TBC... In item 2

Testing Time

So he said to me ? How do you test time, My answer had to be subtle and not quite obvious that I didn't have a clue at this point in time.
Well I said to him by way of a reply, do you have the present time on your watch?
Yes he replied I do. And would you like me to tell you the time now.
Oh yes was my quick reply, I didn't want this opportunity to vanish.
Well it is exactly! Stop I shouted, Lets just assume that I have just tested time?
TBC...

Extension

I didn't like the original handle bar extension I made so I have made a new one, Looks a lot better

Three Piece Crank

I removed the single gear crank which was a 44 tooth one with 145 mm crank arms.
I believe the original Raleigh one was a 43 tooth on the Twenty.
Anyway I have used a Shimano Deore FC-MT60 with 175 mm Crank arms
Funnily enough this I took off a Aluminum Frame Raleigh Road bike, the gears on this triple are
48_38_28 which I feel gives a pretty good all round drive train.

Fitted a luggage rack and bell also fitted reflectors.But still needs hand grips on the handlebar, these will be fitted when I finish the painting,  

My New Modified Twenty

Yes Its a Modified Twenty, Anyone that has owned or ridden a Raleigh Twenty will quickly realise that it is not the greatest ride, that is until it has been modified in some way. The basic H frame design is in my opinion one of the greatest bicycle designs, OK may not be the strongest or the safest but still a pleasure to ride,the caliper brakes leave a lot to be desired when it comes to stopping, especially in the wet.And yes there are quite a few other things that many people modify to improve a great little bike. Not forgetting the fact that these little bikes are basically a Child's bicycle, 20 Inch wheels with three speed hubs, low seat, low handlebars, all these things need to be modified for Adults, This is where the fun begins has most of these bicycles are used and ridden by Adults and Larger than normal children.
Anyway Here are some of the specs of the bicycle I built has a copy of the Raleigh Twenty.
The head tube on the Raleigh is 185 mm long mine is 100 mm long to take a front suspension fork with a Disk brake, I lengthened the head tube to seat post tube from 490 mm to 575 mm this is to allow more clearance from knees to handle bars, the seat tube on the Raleigh is 405 mm mine is actually reduced to 370 mm the reason for this is that I have moved the seat post to the rear more, this makes for easier pedaling for people with old stiff knees (mainly me) The wheel axle centers are the only thing that remain the same at 1000 mm.

The handle bar goose neck has been lengthened, and I shall be fitting a luggage rack and drink bottle holder soon.   

Surprise

Yes it was, I thought my blog was private and then I see I have a follower? Hello there, I am not that good at blogging and was just playing around with them not thinking that anyone else would be looking at them,

But I like bikes, All types big small crazy ones just about anything you pedal. Being retired and an avid bike builder

I have problems keeping this updated, I will endeavour to Improve.  

Picture of the penny fartjhing type bike

Ironic

 

Yes it certainly is, there I was trying too sell one of my tandem bicycles on E bay and I only got a low bid Like about $40

Anyway has I was searching E bay I saw an old vintage small kids penny farthing type bike

it just sold for $325

Looks like I need to build some look a likes and see how that goes.

A B B

 

A broken Bicycle

My bicycle was in a sorry state

Wasn't my fault I hit the gate

Just because I was riding fast

I didn't want to be the last

And now I find the race is done

I am the last and the race was Won

A broken bicycle is not a sight to see

Or my bruised and aching bloody knee

There's a lovely young lady by my side

And the tears and pain I try to hide

Then with a smile and tender hand

The pain is gone, I'm in wonderland.

MiSt 15 6 11

The Blue Bed End Tandem

Latest project was built using a Tubular bed end, and a few bicycle parts.

Green tandem Bicycle

This one has 24 Inch wheels,

5 speed,

Front and rear brakes,

and rides very well.

The Bicycle

 

It was lying at the side of a dirt track In outback Australia, that's strange I thought funny place to find a bicycle? it was old, very old and it was complete there where no missing parts that I could see

Picking the bike up and standing it on its wheels I gave it a complete look over, yes it was ok.

A little bit of rust here and there and the chrome bits where tarnished with being outside but it was still rideable. Being a linesman is a lonely job at times, we can go weeks without seeing another person, living in the bush in a truck with very little in the way of amenities would not suit most people but I personally find it suits me, now getting back to the bicycle it had obviously been abandoned, and I was trying to figure out how it could possibly have got here?

I was still looking at the bicycle and thinking it looks like a H gone on a lean, the badge on the front

said The Raleigh and I remembered these where old English bicycles then brushing a little mud of the frame I see its got what appears to be twenty actually it says wenty the s is missing still its not a bad find out here. We do find quite a lot of stuff that's been left, usually old cars that cant handle the outback, but not often bicycles.

TBC..............

Tandem with 24" wheels.

 

Tandem with 24" wheels.

With this one I decided to lay back the seat posts, so I cut off and shortened the top wheel stays,

then I cut a vee in the seat tube just above the bottom bracket, I then bent the seat tube backwards

and left about 50 mm clearance off the wheel I then welded the shortened top wheel stays back in position, and welded the seat tube in place.

The next step was to set up the front bottom bracket and seat tube I decided to do the bottom brackets at 560mm centres I then cut and set the rear top tube between the rear seat post and the front seat post. So with the frame sitting on the bench I measured up from the bench 250 mm

and this is the height of the top tube. I used the original front frame and removed the top tube

I then made a gusset tube triangle to weld into the corner of the head tube and bottom tube

which gives it additional strength and improves the head tube appearance, this was then set up on the bench with the front forks in position to set the height and welded to the front bottom bracket. The next step was to put in the front top tube, I had a problem here non of the spare pieces of bike tube where long enough.

So I used a piece of ERW tube the same diameter as the rear top tube set and welded into position.

Then all the welds where finished. This completes the basic frame, and is ready for clean up.

I still need to fit wheels, cranks, timing chain to weld on adjuster sprocket bracket.

Then I can etch prime the frame.

Next One, Another Tandem

The next project has started, its another tandem Instead of moving the bottom brackets, I am changing the angles
mainly the seat tubes which will be laid back towards the rear wheel allowing about 45 to 50 mm clearance for the tire.This has the same effect of moving the bottom bracket forward, I personally like the bottom bracket about 160 to 250 mm forward of the seat centre verticle line. Knees are not as flexible when you get older.
then the centre seat post will be set on the same angle as the rear one,  the crank centres will be approximately
500 to 600 mm apart this is still to be decided.The front bottom bracket to head tube still needs setting, and I think a horizontal top tube between the head tube and seat posts will just about complete the basic frame.
TBC........

part 5

This was a very Interesting project, I used a Vintage Malvern star frame for the Rear and a Modern frame for the front half,

Then chopped and modified the whole thing, I moved the bottom brackets forward, made the seat post for the rear to move it backwards, then I made the centre seat post and used this to mount the rear handle bar.Similar handlebar for the front.

The chain drive adjustment was done using a kids Crank and modified it.

Rides very well and carries two 80 Kilo adults without any problems.