Dawes Kingpin Refurbish Update

Dawes Kingpin Refurbish Update 2021

It has been a few years since I updated this blog, so I thought it about time to post some more photos and add some more information.

In 2019 I wrote on another forum: 

“Some fettling today, I have swapped the wheels from KP2 to KP1 so I now have Dynohub on my bike. I also swapped the front mudguard over and removed the dynamo lights, the cable clips are missing from KP2 and the cables were held on by zip ties, they looked messy I need to source some clips. I cleaned re-set lens on the front light and polished the chrome on both, not much of a job really they are in really good condition.

Just remembered years ago l had a couple of

KP donor bikes that I removed the cable clips from, took me over an hour to find them, then I couldn't find the little one for the fork, just when I was about give up I found two under a pile of screws! Re-feckin-sult.

A tip I picked up on the Kingpin FB group Swarfega rubbed in really works on the Whitewall tyres.”

As mentioned in an earlier posts the original version of the Kingpin I had in 1970 had a Sturmey Archer Dynohub and lights, in 2019 I found another Kingpin on eBay with the correct lights and a working Sturmey Archer Dynohub from more or less the correct date year (1968). I collected the bike from Birmingham for £50 and stripped it of the hub, lights and front mudguard, seat post and swapped them with the those that were on my original Kingpin. I then sold the latest Kingpin for what I paid for it. 

I now have a bike that is pretty much how I had it in 1970. (except for the Brooks Saddle, the original white Mertens saddle was an instrument of torture). 

I have changed the rear carrier bag too for one that is a better colour match than the one mentioned in a previous post. 

Dawes Kingpin with Matching Tartan Bag