Yet another Dawes Kingpin project.

[Rhythm Thief]

I don't know what's wrong with me. I have three Dawes Kingpin shopper bikes already, then someone donated this one to Enviroability tye other day and I immediately fell in love with it. To be fair, it would have gone straight to the tip if I hadn't accepted it, and I could not let that happen!
It's a reasonably sound early 1970s bike (the hub is dated August '73) under a coating of neglect, surface rust and cobwebs. I paid a fiver for it and rode it home with no back brake and the left hand crank flopping about like a landed fish.
So far, all I've really done is partially strip it and gently rub some of the paintwork down with steel wool and WD-40, and I'm quite pleased with how it's coming up.
I'm not quite sure what to do with it. I have had in mind for ages the idea of building a sort of mini road bike - build a pair of 451 rims onto 9 or 10 speed hubs, fit derailleur and a 2x chainset and drop bars, that sort of thing - but that would be pricey for what would basically be a novelty bike. (Fun though, and it would make a nice pair with my fixed wheel Kingpin.) Other options include cleaning it up as best I can and rebuilding it as original (I've already got a 1974 bike in original condition) or modernising it with alloy rims, and external BB and chainset and maybe even an 8 speed hub. But for the moment I'm happy just to have rescued it. Pics show it "as found" and after the minimal amount of work I've done so far

 

[EltonFrog]

Congratulations, that’s a great project for a fiver. It may interest you to know that dealer sticker is W.G. Hoar High Wycombe and Marlow. There’s still a bike shop at the Marlow address, but different owners.

I’ve had three KPs with that dealer sticker on them. The best head badge too.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

They're properly good bikes, and surprisingly comfortable over longer rides. I've done 25 mile rides on my fixed wheel Kingpin with no issues.

 

[EltonFrog]

They're properly good bikes, and surprisingly comfortable over longer rides. I've done 25 mile rides on my fixed wheel Kingpin with no issues.

I’ve had a few, my first one was in 1970.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I’ve had a few, my first one was in 1970.

My first bike was a Kingpin Junior, with the 18" wheels. My grandad bought my cousin and I one each from Chevin Cycles in Otley, West Yorkshire: mine was green and my cousin's was blue. This was just before BMX bikes exploded onto the scene, so we used to do all kinds of things our mates were doing on BMXs but that our Kingpins were never designed to do. I broke the frame of mine eventually, landing a particularly heavy jump. I think this might help to explain a) why I have a soft spot for these bikes, and b) why, 40+ years later, I'm still using them for things they were never designed to do.

 

[FrankCrank]

Nice find, especially for a fiver. Got my latest Stowaway for a fiver, but so far a KP remains elusive to me.

The previous Stowaway, via @EltonFrog, was a tenner. It now resides here in Thailand awaiting reassembly, but that's for later on in the cool season. So Mr Frog, that bike has done some serious travelling now

 

[Rhythm Thief]

More stripping down. Someone has looked after this in the past! The bottom bracket felt very smooth and this is why.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

I've noticed this before on previous Kingpin rebuilds. Oddly, the fork crown race seat is 27mm, rather than the more common 26.4mm. The crown race was loose on this fork so I might take it down to 26.4mm and fit a more modern headset.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

The time honoured "drinks can shim" method of fitting the crown race. Lipton's lemon tea, since you ask.

 

[FrankCrank]

The time honoured "drinks can shim" method of fitting the crown race. Lipton's lemon tea, since you ask.

Was about to suggest shimming, but you're one step ahead