Raleigh Twenty
Encyclopedia
The Raleigh
"Twenty" is a small-wheeled bicycle
which was introduced to the market in 1968 as a competitor to the original Moulton
bicycle. Raleigh already had a more direct competitor in the RSW-16 (Raleigh Small Wheel 16") bicycle. Initially it was not aggressively marketed, but it was a much better bicycle than the RSW-16. The "Twenty's" larger 20" wheels made it smoother and had less rolling resistance.
was released under an old Moulton name the "Stowaway" (anecdotal evidence suggests that they were available in Canada since 1969). In 1974 the RSW-16 was discontinued and the "Twenty" became Raleigh's main small-wheeled bicycle in production. In 1975, 140,000 were manufactured in the UK alone, which nearly equalled the entire sales of the Moulton from 1963-1974. It was Raleigh's biggest seller in 1977, though sales tapered off after this, its final year of production was not until 1984, giving the Raleigh Twenty a 16-year production lifespan.
(ISO 35-451), but most export versions were sold with 20" × 1.75" wheels and tyres (ISO 47-406) - the same as BMX bicycles
.
Many were sold as either single speed
with coaster brake or fitted with a Sturmey-Archer AW three-speed hub. The New-Zealand-manufactured version was offered with a duomatic two-speed hub, which shifted gears by kicking back the pedals and also had a built-in coaster brake.
A number of major variations exist, including different styles of handlebars, different hubs and different carry rack arrangements. Most of these were just the same basic "Twenty" marketed (for example) as the "Shopper" with a front basket to increase carrying capacity.
and folding bicycle
s, and it is often compared to the Raleigh Sports Roadsters
. It is claimed that the frame is strong and so stable that it is possible to ride it without the fixing bolt in place (though the practice is not by any means recommended or encouraged). The late Sheldon Brown
owned a number of them and performed many modifications to improve the base model. The design of the folding mechanism is not as quick and convenient as modern folding bicycles, which makes this bicycle less practical for mixed-mode commuting
. The style of folding is best suited for indoor storage, such as for people who live in apartment, or for taking the bicycle somewhere in the back of a car. One Sheldon Brown "Twenty" was heavily modified and is capable of being disassembled and shipped in a standard air-line suitcase.
The sturdy frame of the Raleigh Twenty has made it increasingly popular as a "project bicycle" with various modifications made to produce bicycles with different purposes. They have been kitted out as small-wheeled road-racing bicycles, as collapseable touring bicycles, and several other types.
Typical owner modifications and upgrade challenges include the following:
, "Poppy" during the title sequence
of the 2008 film "Happy-Go-Lucky
". It also appears in several scenes in the 2008 film "Son of Rambo"
. It is mentioned in the chorus of the British Sea Power
song No Lucifer
.
Raleigh Bicycle Company
The Raleigh Bicycle Company is a bicycle manufacturer originally based in Nottingham, UK. It is one of the oldest bicycle companies in the world. From 1921 to 1935 Raleigh also produced motorcycles and three-wheel cars, leading to the formation of the Reliant Company.-Early years:Raleigh's history...
"Twenty" is a small-wheeled bicycle
Small wheel bicycle
Small wheel bicycles are adult bicycles which have wheels of 20 inch nominal diameter or less, which is smaller than the 26" or 700c sizes common on most full-sized adult bikes. While many folding bicycles are small wheel bicycles, not all small wheel bicycles can fold...
which was introduced to the market in 1968 as a competitor to the original Moulton
Moulton Bicycle
Moulton is an English bicycle manufacturer. The company was founded in 1962 by Dr Alex Moulton, who designed the "Hydrolastic" and rubber cone suspension systems for the BMC Mini motorcar, and the later "Hydragas" system used by its successor companies....
bicycle. Raleigh already had a more direct competitor in the RSW-16 (Raleigh Small Wheel 16") bicycle. Initially it was not aggressively marketed, but it was a much better bicycle than the RSW-16. The "Twenty's" larger 20" wheels made it smoother and had less rolling resistance.
Background
In 1970 the RSW-16 was selling rather poorly, so Raleigh decided to market the "Twenty" more heavily. In 1971 a folding versionFolding bicycle
A folding bicycle is a bicycle designed to fold into a compact form, facilitating transport and storage. When folded, the bikes can be more easily carried into buildings and workplaces or onto public transportation or more easily stored in compact living quarters or aboard a car, boat or plane...
was released under an old Moulton name the "Stowaway" (anecdotal evidence suggests that they were available in Canada since 1969). In 1974 the RSW-16 was discontinued and the "Twenty" became Raleigh's main small-wheeled bicycle in production. In 1975, 140,000 were manufactured in the UK alone, which nearly equalled the entire sales of the Moulton from 1963-1974. It was Raleigh's biggest seller in 1977, though sales tapered off after this, its final year of production was not until 1984, giving the Raleigh Twenty a 16-year production lifespan.
Technical information
The Raleigh "Twenty" was originally fitted with 20" × 1-3/8" wheels and tyresBicycle tire
A bicycle tire is a tire that fits on the wheel of a bicycle, unicycle, tricycle, quadracycle, bicycle trailer, or trailer bike. They may also be used on wheelchairs and handcycles, especially for racing...
(ISO 35-451), but most export versions were sold with 20" × 1.75" wheels and tyres (ISO 47-406) - the same as BMX bicycles
BMX bike
A BMX bike or BMX is the name of a popular bicycle used for both casual use and sport, and designed mainly for dirt and motocross cycling...
.
Many were sold as either single speed
Single-speed bicycle
A single-speed bicycle is a type of bicycle with a single gear ratio. These bicycles are without derailleur gears, hub gearing or other methods for varying the gear ratio of the bicycle....
with coaster brake or fitted with a Sturmey-Archer AW three-speed hub. The New-Zealand-manufactured version was offered with a duomatic two-speed hub, which shifted gears by kicking back the pedals and also had a built-in coaster brake.
A number of major variations exist, including different styles of handlebars, different hubs and different carry rack arrangements. Most of these were just the same basic "Twenty" marketed (for example) as the "Shopper" with a front basket to increase carrying capacity.
Marketing
Raleigh owned a number of former competitors and the "Twenty" was sold under many of these names, including Triumph, Sun, Hercules and BSA. The "Twenty" was also manufactured in New Zealand due to local trade laws requiring 40% local content. The New Zealand-manufactured version is most readily identified by the lack of the extra bracing struts at the bottom bracket found on he UK and Canadian-built versions. An early-1980s advertisement offers a two-speed automatic (kick-back) hub, not found on other versions of the Raleigh "Twenty".Commentary
The Raleigh Twenty has been praised for having more stable handling than other small-wheeledSmall wheel bicycle
Small wheel bicycles are adult bicycles which have wheels of 20 inch nominal diameter or less, which is smaller than the 26" or 700c sizes common on most full-sized adult bikes. While many folding bicycles are small wheel bicycles, not all small wheel bicycles can fold...
and folding bicycle
Folding bicycle
A folding bicycle is a bicycle designed to fold into a compact form, facilitating transport and storage. When folded, the bikes can be more easily carried into buildings and workplaces or onto public transportation or more easily stored in compact living quarters or aboard a car, boat or plane...
s, and it is often compared to the Raleigh Sports Roadsters
Roadster (bicycle)
A roadster, aka English roadster, is a type of utility bicycle once common in Britain and still very common in Asia, Africa, Denmark and the Netherlands, however, during the past several years, traditionally styled roadster bicycles have gained considerable popularity in the United States and...
. It is claimed that the frame is strong and so stable that it is possible to ride it without the fixing bolt in place (though the practice is not by any means recommended or encouraged). The late Sheldon Brown
Sheldon Brown (bicycle mechanic)
Sheldon Brown was an American bicycle mechanic and technical authority on bicycles. He contributed to numerous print and online sources related to bicycling, bicycle mechanics and maintenance, including his own website — and received numerous awards for his contributions.-Biography:Brown...
owned a number of them and performed many modifications to improve the base model. The design of the folding mechanism is not as quick and convenient as modern folding bicycles, which makes this bicycle less practical for mixed-mode commuting
Mixed-mode commuting
Mixed-mode commuting refers to the practice of using two or more modes of transportation. The goal of mixed-mode commuting is often to combine the strengths of various transportation options.-Mass transit:...
. The style of folding is best suited for indoor storage, such as for people who live in apartment, or for taking the bicycle somewhere in the back of a car. One Sheldon Brown "Twenty" was heavily modified and is capable of being disassembled and shipped in a standard air-line suitcase.
The sturdy frame of the Raleigh Twenty has made it increasingly popular as a "project bicycle" with various modifications made to produce bicycles with different purposes. They have been kitted out as small-wheeled road-racing bicycles, as collapseable touring bicycles, and several other types.
Typical owner modifications and upgrade challenges include the following:
- The original Raleigh Twenty had steel rims and heavy-gauge steel spokes. These can be replaced with alloy rims and spokes to achieve a savings in overall weight. Because most Raleigh Twenty wheels are exactly the same size as modern BMXBMXBicycle motocross or BMX refers to the sport in which the main goal is extreme racing on bicycles in motocross style on tracks with inline start and expressive obstacles, and it is also the term that refers to the bicycle itself that is designed for dirt and motocross cycling.- History :BMX started...
bicycles, spokes and rims are available to rebuild the wheels. The front wheel can often be directly swapped with a modern BMX wheel. However, the rear wheel typically needs to be rebuilt, if the owner wishes to preserve the original Raleigh Twenty Sturmey-Archer AW three-speed hub. - Owners often wish to replace the original cranksetCranksetThe crankset or chainset , is the component of a bicycle drivetrain that converts the reciprocating motion of the rider's legs into rotational motion used to drive the chain, which in turn drives the rear wheel...
, which had cotterCotter-People:*Cotter , an English, Irish and Americanized-German surname*Cotter , a medieval villein-Places:*Cotter, Arkansas, United States*Cotter, Iowa, United States*The Cotter River in the Australian Capital Territory-Other meanings:...
pins to attach the crank arms to the bottom bracketBottom bracketThe bottom bracket on a bicycle connects the crankset to the bicycle and allows the crankset to rotate freely. It contains a spindle that the crankset attaches to, and the bearings that allow the spindle and cranks to rotate. The chainrings and pedals attach to the cranks...
spindle. This is a technically challenging problem, because it involves the proprietary Raleigh threading and size of the bottom bracket shell (the bottom-most component of the frame). Cottered cranksets can be overhauled to run smoothly, and preserving the original crankset also preserves the Raleigh Heron in the chainring. The decision to replace the crankset usually involves weight and, possibly, gearing—an owner may want to upgrade the Twenty to include front and rear derailleurs, which often leads to replacing the crankset. - The headsetHeadset (bicycle part)The headset is the set of components on a bicycle that provides a rotatable interface between the bicycle fork and the head tube of the bicycle frame itself. The short tube through which the steerer of the fork passes is called the head tube. A typical headset consists of two cups that are pressed...
is unusual, because it has loose bearings only on one cup. The upper cup is a hard plastic bushing. - Certain unique replacement parts for Raleigh Twentys are notoriously difficult to locate. These include: a pump to fit the original frame plugs, the rubber cover for the locking bolt for the frame hinge (the bolt, itself, can be replaced from a well-stocked hardware storeHardware storeHardware stores, sometimes known as DIY stores, sell household hardware including: fasteners, hand tools, power tools, keys, locks, hinges, chains, plumbing supplies, electrical supplies, cleaning products, housewares, tools, utensils, paint, and lawn and garden products directly to consumers for...
), and the over-sized seatpostSeatpostA bicycle seatpost, seatpin, saddlepole, saddle pillar, or saddle pin is a tube that extends upwards from the bicycle frame to the saddle. The amount that it extends out of the frame can usually be adjusted, and there is usually a mark that indicates the minimum insertion...
, among others.
In popular culture
The Raleigh Twenty is the bicycle ridden by the main protagonistProtagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
, "Poppy" during the title sequence
Title sequence
A Title Sequence is the method by which cinematic films or television programs present their title, key production and cast members, or both, utilizing conceptual visuals and sound...
of the 2008 film "Happy-Go-Lucky
Happy-Go-Lucky
Happy-Go-Lucky is a 2008 British Comedy-drama film written and directed by Mike Leigh. The screenplay focuses on a cheerful and optimistic primary-school teacher and her relationships with those around her...
". It also appears in several scenes in the 2008 film "Son of Rambo"
Son of Rambow
Son of Rambow is a 2008 comedy-drama film written and directed by Garth Jennings. The film premiered January 22, 2007 at the Sundance Film Festival. It was later shown at the Newport Beach Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and Glasgow Film...
. It is mentioned in the chorus of the British Sea Power
British Sea Power
British Sea Power are an indie rock band based in Brighton, England, although three of the band members originally come from Kendal in Cumbria. Critics have likened their sound to a variety of groups, from The Cure and Joy Division to the Pixies and Arcade Fire. The band are famed for their live...
song No Lucifer
No Lucifer
"No Lucifer" is a 10" single released by rock band British Sea Power on March 10, 2008. It was the second single released from their critically acclaimed third album, Do You Like Rock Music?. The song was written by Hamilton, who also sings on the track...
.
Timeline
- 1968 - First Introduced
- 1969 - Folding Version introduced in Canada (conjectured)
- 1971 - Folding Version introduced in UK and export markets
- 1974 - RSW-16 discontinued - focus shifted to "Twenty"
- 1975 - 140,000 "Twentys" manufactured in UK
- 1977 - The "Twenty" is Raleigh's most popular bicycle
- 1984 - Discontinued