King cycle and PDQ

[nobby]

I haven't ridden much in the last couple of years but I've started again and I am not enjoying my uprights.
I was talking to D'Tek Kev about a PDQ without wheels (I have a spare Alfine 11 and a couple of 20" rims) and after committing to buying it I was given a Kingcycle.
The Kingcycle needs some basic rebuilding - brakes and headset - but is other wise all there, however, the last one I had I found to be very twitchy.
So, I am wondering which one to build first for day rides at very moderate speeds and maybe B&B/YHA overnights. I used to ride for the pleasure of being out in the countryside and being a part of everything around me.

I'd appreciate any input from people who know anything about either PDQ or Kingcycle to help me decide which to rebuild first.
If it all works out, and I haven't just got too old for enjoying cycling again, I'll probably buy another Giro 20 because I liked the last one a lot.

Thanks for any input.

[Mr Larrington]

Twitchy (adj.): More responsive than I'm used to
Sluggish (adj.): Less responsive than I'm used to

The main argument in favour of the PDQ is that it doesn't use unorfadox wheel sizes (assuming the KC is standard-issue 390/541).  I frequently regret selling my Kingcycle but it was one in, one out back then instead of n+1 chiz.

[nobby]

Twitchy (adj.): More responsive than I'm used to
Sluggish (adj.): Less responsive than I'm used to

The main argument in favour of the PDQ is that it doesn't use unorfadox wheel sizes (assuming the KC is standard-issue 390/541).  I frequently regret selling my Kingcycle but it was one in, one out back then instead of n+1 chiz.

Yep, more responsive than I would like/was used to at the time. It does have the standard 390/541 wheels and some iffy tyres.
Do you know if there are alternative wheel sizes that fit, please? Especially in the rear box?

[Mr Larrington]

Some people have squeezed a skinny 559 in the back (and indeed a 406 in the front) but clearances can be very tight and faffage with brakes is called for.  540 wheelchair tyres are interchangeable with 541 rims and the supply situation looks better now than it was when I had mine.  There doesn't seem to be much alternative to the piss-awful Hutchinsons in 390.  Fortunately mine was an early model which had a 369 Moulton front wheel but tyre choice for that size was looking a bit iffy the last time I checked.

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Some people have squeezed a skinny 559 in the back (and indeed a 406 in the front) but clearances can be very tight and faffage with brakes is called for.  540 wheelchair tyres are interchangeable with 541 rims and the supply situation looks better now than it was when I had mine.  There doesn't seem to be much alternative to the piss-awful Hutchinsons in 390.  Fortunately mine was an early model which had a 369 Moulton front wheel but tyre choice for that size was looking a bit iffy the last time I checked.

Schwalbe Kojaks are easily available in 369. Not much use for the OP of course...

[Quint]

                                                   and I haven't just got too old for enjoying cycling again,

       Nobby, you are never to old for cycling (trikleing), I really hope you rediscover the pleasure of a warm summers evening, or a cold  sharp frosty morning.
       Keep well and best wishes.

[nobby]

                                                   and I haven't just got too old for enjoying cycling again,

       Nobby, you are never to old for cycling (trikleing), I really hope you rediscover the pleasure of a warm summers evening, or a cold  sharp frosty morning.
       Keep well and best wishes.

Alright Quint, how are you keeping? Don't think I will tricycle again. I've got the bulk of my camping kit very low now and all that tricycle luggage space isn't necessary.
Otoh, I haven't camped for ages

[Quint]

I'm reasonable thank you just the age creeping on but as Miles Davis once said about getting older "The alternative aint good", I fancy a solo bent but it would have to be a low one in case the balance goes again 

[nobby]

I'm reasonable thank you just the age creeping on but as Miles Davis once said about getting older "The alternative aint good", I fancy a solo bent but it would have to be a low one in case the balance goes again 

I've realised only recently that the end game for old age is death.
Not a rosy prospect, is it? 
Ntw, maybe we will do better!

[Mr Larrington]

Some people have squeezed a skinny 559 in the back (and indeed a 406 in the front) but clearances can be very tight and faffage with brakes is called for.  540 wheelchair tyres are interchangeable with 541 rims and the supply situation looks better now than it was when I had mine.  There doesn't seem to be much alternative to the piss-awful Hutchinsons in 390.  Fortunately mine was an early model which had a 369 Moulton front wheel but tyre choice for that size was looking a bit iffy the last time I checked.

Schwalbe Kojaks are easily available in 369. Not much use for the OP of course...

They used to do 369 Stelvios but I don't think they carried on when the Stelvio begat the Durano.  I had a cupboard full of Bridgestones so never tried the Schwalbe alternative.

My grate frend Mr Woolrich might be persuaded to part with his Wolber slicks for a suitable consideration (they were seventy quid a piece back in the late 1980s )

[LittleWheelsandBig]

Those Kingcycle folk really did their very best to select obscure (unobtanium!) tyre sizes, didn't they?

[Quint]

I'm reasonable thank you just the age creeping on but as Miles Davis once said about getting older "The alternative aint good", I fancy a solo bent but it would have to be a low one in case the balance goes again 

I've realised only recently that the end game for old age is death.
Not a rosy prospect, is it? 
Ntw, maybe we will do better!

      And taxes Nobby    My doctor whinges about my blood pressure and what I sup but as I said to him, I exercise, eat little salt and lead a celibate life WTF do you want of me, anyway, back to the script, if there is anything I can do to assist in your re builds please let me know.

[jsabine]

I exercise, eat little salt and lead a celibate life

Doesn't actually make you live any longer you know ...


                                                                                 ... but I bet it feels like it.

[nobby]

I'm reasonable thank you just the age creeping on but as Miles Davis once said about getting older "The alternative aint good", I fancy a solo bent but it would have to be a low one in case the balance goes again 

I've realised only recently that the end game for old age is death.
Not a rosy prospect, is it? 
Ntw, maybe we will do better!

      And taxes Nobby    My doctor whinges about my blood pressure and what I sup but as I said to him, I exercise, eat little salt and lead a celibate life WTF do you want of me, anyway, back to the script, if there is anything I can do to assist in your re builds please let me know.

Ta 

[nobby]

I exercise, eat little salt and lead a celibate life

Doesn't actually make you live any longer you know ...


                                                                                 ... but I bet it feels like it.

Oh, it does, it does 

[Mr Larrington]

Those Kingcycle folk really did their very best to select obscure (unobtanium!) tyre sizes, didn't they?

Though back in the Dark Ages when the bike was first produced the now-ubiquitous 406 and 559 scarcely existed with road tread and the only decent 451 was the expensive and fragile IRC Roadlite.  Dog knows what prompted them to switch to the 390

They did make one example with a 700c rear wheel, for a substantial price hike.  Made even more substantial, according to Miles Kingsbury, when the customer rocked up at the factory in a brand new TVR.

[Nethypete]

I exercise, eat little salt and lead a celibate life

Doesn't actually make you live any longer you know ...


                                                                                 ... but I bet it feels like it.

Oh, it does, it does 

Dunbar loved shooting skeet because he hated every minute of it and the time passed so slowly. He had figured out that a single hour on the skeet-shooting range with people like Havermeyer and Appleby could be worth as much as eleven-times-seventeen years.

Joseph Heller - Catch 22

[cycleman]

It is good to see you posting on here again nobby  . I hope to see you sometime in the future for a potter with you riding your nice recumbent bike ☺

[Von Broad]

It's all money and messing about, and depends how much you want to ride the Kingscycle over the PDQ, but I can't imagine it would that difficult to bodge weld some drop outs to take a comfortable 559 or 700c wheel, and replace the front fork with a suitable 406 threaded front fork [assuming it is of the old threaded variety.] You'd have to do the rear first of course [may not even be necessary for a 559 as Mr L says] and see how the handling was with various front forks.
Could be made to look smart. [sorry poor picture]
Bit of a classic really.

[nobby]

It is good to see you posting on here again nobby  . I hope to see you sometime in the future for a potter with you riding your nice recumbent bike ☺

Where else can you get authoritative 'bent information interspersed with philosophical ramblings and quotes from Catch 22, young Chris?

I think I am going to do the PDQ first. I've just had the hub overhauled, rims are easy to get if mine aren't suitable and I have a spare pair of Big Apples. I've long liked the Big Apples.

Cheers all.

[cycleman]

Green or red one's nobby ? .as like to get to the core of the issues here 

[nobby]

Green or red one's nobby ? .as like to get to the core of the issues here 

You stalk(ing) me? 

[cycleman]

Yes 

[nashd]

There was an article in the BHPC magazine a few years ago describing the process of modifying a Kingcycle for currently-available wheel sizes.  I think the article was by Nick or gNick.

[Mr Larrington]

Can't see gNick writing it coz he gnever had a Kingcycle.  Might have been Nick Marshall (who IIRC used to post occasionally as 'harrumph' in here)?