Vintage 1969 Raleigh Twenty Bicycle

Description

This one’s been in my wife’s family since new back in 1969 – she actually bought it fresh off the shelf. We’ve never really ridden it much, mostly just stored it in sheds over the years, so it’s seen a fair bit of neglect. It’s a solid early model Raleigh Twenty, bronze metallic green (a bit faded now, lots of patina), with the original painted mudguards. The Sturmey Archer 3-speed hub is dated 1969, and it’s the early type rotary handlebar gear selector – those are pretty rare. There’s the original hub dynamo on the front wheel, though it’s not connected up right now. All the original white accessories are still there, and I’ve got the original Raleigh R nuts stacked up – they’re still in mint condition.

I’d probably fix it myself, but I’ve got a few other projects going on, so it’s not something I’m planning to dive into anytime soon. It’s not a chopper yet, but the market’s been climbing for these, especially early ones. I know what it’s worth and how much work it’d take to get it back to riding condition – so if you’re thinking of offering, don’t go overboard. I’ve seen Sheldon Brown’s Raleigh 20 site and know how much these can actually do when restored.

It’s from billingham, Stockton-on-Tees – just a quick note in case you’re local. I’ve got photos, so take a look if you’re interested. Honestly, it’s a real gem, just needs a bit of care to get back on the road.