Dawes Kingpin

Not quite sure what I'm doing with the Dawes Kingpin. Some last minute impulse buy on ebay saw me win her for £10.60. Wasn’t quite expecting to win but hey ho, the bike wasn’t too far away so I went and picked it up. Actual pictures will no doubt come but to set the scene I’ve never seen feathers on a bike before, old tired and rusty, to be honest exactly as advertised.

Or was it that I simply had to buy the bike after playing and loving Kingpin on the PC...careful with the below, not child friendly!

"...get back to me when you got a dollar"

I like the Dawes Kingpin, it’s a well put together frame that’s built to last, the 20” wheels also make it good for dealing with the lumps and bumps on the road. Rather than a restoration to something like this on folding.tv

...I’m thinking renovation to something similar to the following (courtesy of heaed909 on retrobike.co.uk).

Other options include the following, not really for me though.

I was after a Dawes Kinpin or Raleigh Twenty...Dawes won, I believe I can use a modern BB on her, we'll see.

This wont be a quick build!

BSA Wayfarer turns Orange Guv'nor / Path Racer part 5

A quick flip around and...

I simple had to, and frame size for those that pm'd me on the forums is 23 inches from centre of crank to very top of seat post.

As for the ride as a Pashley Guv'nor clone...the same comfort but slightly more purposeful position. All good, will leave well alone and eBay after my holiday....unless someone has something of interest to swap?

BSA Wayfarer turns Orange Guv'nor / Path Racer part 4

Ok, so its obviously changed but the orange project is finished. Maybe its my age but I think it worked best as a roadster. Either way its quite a simple operation to turn it into a path racer Guv'nor type clone.

The cash

£14.40 for the graphics and three spare copies should I want
£66 Brooks honey Saddle
£44 Brooks honey grip

Total spend £671.57 (red for pain/danger) and project finished. Bit more than I would have hoped but the cost was spread over a good year or so.

The Pictures

The BSA text looks a bit wonky in this photo, it isn't in real life and the image below, the bike is tilted slightly.

Urm, ding but no dong.

...ohh comfy!

Before...

After...

Think she's come out nicely, I might play one day flip the bars and make it Guv'nor like, just for fun.

The Ride

How does she ride? Very well, nice and comfy with those big wheels and tyres. The frame is very solid and sure, saddle comfort is obvious with the Brooks number and the grips have a lovely feel to them. I'm sure when the leather has worn in this would be a bike for life type affair, I saw some old boy cycling a 1960's type BSA today in fact...BSA's, built to last and win wars!

The Sturmey Archer SC2 Duomatic hub is perfect for roadster cycling. From start to 12mph sort of speed in low and then kick back for a good 20+mph in high. Obviously the front brake is vital for emergency reaction type braking but using the rear is good too.

Thinking of selling her to be honest...no doubt be on eBay soon...or offers welcome. Eight bikes is a bit too much, it wouldn't get ridden, best it goes to a good home where it does.

What project will be next...maybe this one. Dawes Kingpin, much love!

BSA Wayfarer turns Orange Guv'nor / Path Racer part 3

Not much to report, the final nuts and bolts have finally turned up just as I noticed a little scratch on the down tube, thankfully she's not fully built so its time for a quick strip down and touch up with the powder coat. After all this effort and cost she's going to be perfect!!!

Watch this space. Hope to have her finished for Easter...the resurrection!

Too much orange will make you blind!

...i'm getting all orange'd out. Check out the link from Dutch Art Events

Not far off what could look like if I go down the roadster route...hmm, mudguards.

The Orange Flying Merkel

Wow, look what this crazy guy is doing over at Rat Rod...

From this...

To something like this...

We obviously went halvsies on the paint, saved us a bucket load ;)

BSA Wayfarer turns Orange Guv'nor / Path Racer part 2

Oh I say, had the call from Pauls Bikes on wednesday. He's finished building the wheels and putting the old bottom bracket together. First thing this morning I popped off, got my hair cut and then picked up the frame and wheels. All looking quite good once thrown together (the bike not my hair-cut).

Front Wheel built around a Strumey Archer X-FD hub, an ebay item for about £30 ages ago.

Rear wheel built around a Sturmey Archer SC2 Duomatic hub giving two gears and a brake all controllable by the power of ones mind the back pedal, another ebay item for around £79 delivered.

Frame and wheel build set me back £127 for spokes and labour...again another good job from Pauls Bikes.

Assembly Time!!!..."The 2p trick" posted by David B suggested a good scratch free way to get the North Road Handlebars  set in the stem, worked a treat, cheers David B. Another £29 blown on the bars tho...

The wheels and crank added...starting to get somewhere, hopefully a ride today then!

A few cracked knuckles later and she's ridable, using a temp saddle, I'm thinking of going with the Honey B17 Brooks saddle and grips or bar tape like my Guv'nor Plus Four. Warning, an original part was used; the original seat post was polished and used for demonstration purposes only. Normal blogging to resume!

Mind you it works just as well as a roadster, probably even more comfy too.

I had to take it for a ride, thankfully I live on a quiet street so if there was any drama I'd be fine especially as I haven't fitted the front brake and I'm relying on the duomatic for braking. How did she ride, quite well actually, lots of rubber so comfy and the 46T crank and hub gave some fair gearing too. I'm still not sure whether to go path racer or roadster but that's a quick flip of the handlebar and I'm done.

As for the duomatic she'll take some time to get used to on her own, its not natural for me to brake with a back pedal but I did enjoy the gearing, a simple deliberate kick back and I got a higher gear that felt solid and reliable, I'd happily stand up and give it some...what more could you ask for, I'd recommend!

A few jobs to do and a few bits to source but finally getting there...and she does look lovely in the sunlight.

Time for a quick beer and the maths...extras not mentioned, MKS pedals (ebay £24,70 delivered), cotter pins (ebay £2.45) and SRAM chain (included in the £127). Total spend now a heady £547.17, would have been cheaper to buy a new Guv'nor by the time I'm finished, but how many orange ones are there...thankfully non I hear you cry!

Ratrod Bikes

I've been following this thread over at Rat Rob Bikes. I'm liking all the different looks on there, some proper love has gone into one or two.

Highlights for me. The pictures dropped in by member Combat_Butler I think.

...and obviously DeadBolt89's post showing this jobbie.

A good website to check out, some crazy builds on there.

BSA Wayfarer turns Orange Guv'nor / Path Racer part 1

Back in 2009 I bought a knackered BSA Wayfarer from  ebay, a second chance offer got the thing delivered to my house for a princely £50. Without the tools I had it stripped down to frame for another £15 by the lovely guys at Pauls Bikes; Hitchin, Herts (UK) ready for some loving. She first looked like this...

Unfortunately time passed and the once proud bike lay in the box until recently. Equipped with a new house, a garage and "the will" I started to think about the old girl and what I should do with her. I'm no bike mechanic but recently I've loved getting greasy and taking things apart primarily so I'm not stuck in front of a computer or TV screen when I get home after work and I find it fun, relaxing and rewarding.

All sorts of ideas passed, I'd like to do a proper resotration one day but right now I thought I'd turn it into a Path Racer type, more a renovation I guess. I already have a Pashley Guv'nor but still quite fancied having a go and do one for myself. Anyway I bit the bullet, chose the Path Racer direction and off I went.

First job was the paint, the friendly gents at Full Range Finishing Ltd; Letchworth, Herts (UK) finished and I picked up the frame and forks on 26th Feb. Hmm, did I chose the right colour, we'll see!

26" 1 3/8 Westwood rims (£25.52 x 2 = £51.04) from SJS Cycyles were also ordered as where CREAM Delta Cruiser Schwable tyres following the Guvnor theme (they use 28")...£12.99 x 2 = £25.98

Westwoods close up

Not looking too bad...painted frame and rims £70 cash...done!!

I slapped on "Gunn & Co Complete Chrome Traditional Fork Head Set" (£17) and "Gunn & Co Quill Handle Bar Stem" (£26) from The Old Bicycle Showroom. The headset is a bit low rent to be honest but the quill looks nicely made. Headset stays for now.

This might just work; mind you £255.02 so far, this is not going to be cheap!