Blue Twenty

I just picked up another Raleigh Twenty via craigslist (Thanks Jerome!).  These are the pictures Jerome sent along of the bike in it's "pre" condition.  I have already started to tear it apart.  It is in pretty rough shape, but not as bad as it could be.  The frame paint is OK condition, with a few nicks and scratches.  The decals are a bit faded and chipped, but overall, the frame is straight and will clean up fine.  The bike wouldn't even roll due to the front wheel being frozen.  The bearings in the front hub were locked up with rust.  I filled the axle shaft with WD-40 and very carefully rocked the adjustable cone until - crack - I thought I'd broken the axle.  But the bearings had freed up and I was able to remove the axle shaft.  Bearings were rusted and the cups were pitted, but not horrible, so I steel wooled them the best I could and put the wheel back together packed with grease.  It rolls now!  I don't even notice the pitting in the cups.

I thought it was missing a rear brake at first, but then realized later (when I got it home) that the rear hub is a SA 3-speed COASTER BRAKE!!  This is what I was trying to build up in the modded R-20 I've been working on. I won't have to mess with this one at all.

Much work to do, but I think this little coal miner's daughter of a bike will clean up pretty nice...

Jerome, if you read this, I'd love to get a little more of the "back story" on this bike.  You mentioned that your buddy was going to toss it and it was his mother's bike.  Where did they live?  Was she the original owner?  Any other details?  Can you post them in the comments here??

More to come as she cleans up...

~charles