Dawes Kingpin Update June 2014

Dawes Kingpin Update June 2014

Since my last post about the Dawes Kingpin I had put the project on hold over the winter months, but when spring and summer arrived I started to some more work and fettling on the bike.

I've adjusted the gears finally and they are working perfectly now, they were giving me some problems and not shifting properly, and when I rode the bike I seemed to be only able to ride it in 3rd gear. I eventually found out that I had the adjuster too tight once loosened off and tweaked they worked fine. I thought at first it was the gear lever at fault, and I searched eBay for a new leaver, I'm pleased I never found one because the fault had nothing to do with the leaver, you live and learn.

I may in the near future take the Sturmey Archer 3 speed hub apart and give it a good service, but its fine for now and works better than I thought it would. Brakes have been adjusted too and various rattles and noises have been banished from the bike forever! UPDATE: I did completely take the hub apart and service the gears in 2020. 

I have ridden it a few times, not that far, I have three other modern bikes to do proper riding on, but I did ride the Dawes to the Bicester Bicycle Day in August (2014), an 11 mile round trip where the bike got a lot of attention.  

It was fun to ride it and it was interesting to ride it just in normal clothing and trainers, no special cycle gear, no helmet, no lycra. I also rode it to a friends house who had expressed an interest in seeing the bike, when I had got to the door the front tyre went flat, a huge pinch flat in the inner tube, very annoying.

I have decide that the "new old stock" white saddle I bought for this bike is horrid, uncomfortable and squeaky, in fact, an instrument of torture! I am going to change it for a Brooks B17 saddle when I get the chance, I'm also going to put on a leather Brooks Challenge tool kit bag on it, which was a birthday gift a while ago, and instead of the white grips I think I might put on some black grips or maybe Brooks black handlebar tape.

I am still looking for a blue tartan rack bag, I think its going to be a long search.

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