Sound advice.

Yes, SWAT is sure looking great. What a lovely roadster. I have to admit, I've owned one for years before I really developed an appreciation for them. I got my '73 from a newspaper ad. That gives you an idea how long ago it was. I did notice the Rolls Royce ride but it was geared impossibly tall for me and the brakes barely worked, so it was a short ride, very occasional type bike for me. If I really wanted to ride anywhere much, I took my road bike or a Sports. It wasn't until last year that I finally swapped the 16T cog for a 22T so I actually had an underdrive to help with hills and headwinds. It wasn't until this summer that I took the time to learn how to get rod brakes to work properly. This summer I got my rescue case '72 DL-1 on the road with new Conti Tour Ride tires, geared down and I've found it to be an excellent all road type bike. It's smooth and pleasant on paved roads and handles unpaved and sandy roads that would be misery on the Sports with ease. Modern manufacturers just fit their regular utility bikes with fatter tires for this purpose. I now think the ultimate all road type bike would use roadster type frame geometry, 28" wheels and dispense with things like sprung seat posts and front suspensions. I'll never spend the money, but I'm thinking a Pashley Govner with a short reach stem, north roads and a rear carrier might just be the perfect, all road townie.

I really want to find a suitable roadster frame (i.e., non-Raleigh) to put some modern-ish components on, with drop bars, and have sort of a roadie-roadster. I think it'd be great fun on rougher/potholed roads.

for folks with dough, it's all done for you. A 531 frame too! I really would like one of these. But...lunch is over...time to ride. I love this weather.
Guv'nor | Gents Classic Path Racer Bicycle | Pashley Cycles

I'm very familiar with the Guv'nor and the Speed 5, but this isn't quite what I mean. A friend owns a Guv'nor, and I've taken it for a spin...while it's not bad, you only have the one hand position, and I mean real road drop bars with levers that give the rider a "hoods" position, and possibly the 3-speed hub controlled by an STI lever (yes, it's possible - I've done it before)

A few weeks ago, my boss brought me this rusty '52 Sports. It came with its original but badly cracked-but-not-torn Brooks B66 (which I don't trust enough to attempt riding) and functioning DynoHub. My plan for this bike is to have it as close to mechanically perfect as possible, while keeping as much of the external rust/patina as possible, so that it's less attractive to potential thieves. The idea is to have a bike that I'm comfortable leaving locked up outside in questionable areas for a whole day. I've already got it pretty rideable...overhauled the BB, got the wheels trued and brakes adjusted. I did have a weird issue with the left pedal suddenly locking up on me the other night on the longest ride I've done on it so far, but I haven't overhauled the pedals yet. I've also got a source for a full chaincase in similar condition to the rest of the bike, so I might put that on it as well.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...016_144942.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...016_144957.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...016_145009.jpg

For those of you looking for "roadster" tires in the 26 x 1 3/8 English 590mm size, Kenda/Sunlite now has a mini-version of the DL-1 style tires:

https://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Stree...1%2B3%2F8&th=1

I recently put a set on my 1946 Hercules Model C.

The Bike Shed: Another Offering in 26 x 1 3/8 Tires (ISO 590mm) For English Bikes

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y0Oe2TBR3...015_124807.jpg

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iha6cqMYz...015_133502.jpg

https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NSj8aoUvE...015_171658.jpg

I have those Kenda tires on my wife's E3S. I like them okay. They are noticeably more narrow than the no longer available Bell tires on my E3S. Being as we live on a gravel road, they are also noticeably less stable on gravel. The seem to have an oval profile. The Bell tires are round in profile.

J

Ah, I see what you mean. A lot depends on where you ride. Where I am right now, the nicest rides are the out of the way town roads. Very pretty countryside, no traffic, but generally unpaved or very poor pavement. You don't need a real off road type bike, but the surfaces are too rough to be fun on a regular road bike. The DL-1 has opened up a lot of nice rides for me that I wouldn't take on my Motobecane or even my Sports.

Yeah, the Boston area has some pretty rough roads, and the Tourist is great for that...but being stuck in the super-upright position with only one hand position and no ability to stand on the pedals can get old on a longer ride. So basically, I think it'd be nice to have something with roadster geometry and 28" wheels, but with a bit of fun cognitive dissonance, and a position more like a cross/touring bike. Could be interesting to work derailleurs into it, too....

I think the Col de la Vie tires are the better bet for substantial riding on gravel. These Kendas did alright on the loose stones and sand on the local roads, but the Col de la Vie tires are better on the rougher stuff.

What I am saying is that my NLA Bell tires are 34mm wide and the Kenda 103 is 30mm wide, actual measurement. Same wheels, same inflation pressure. It is a fairly narrow tire and looks small on the E3S. But, on pavement and firm surfaces it rides nice and is attractive.

J

@SirMike1983, I noticed these "Sure Grips" on your `52 Sports. Do you know who made them, and whether they are still available? They look just perfect for another bike I'm building. Thanks!

If you're talking about my pictures, they're just the "Sunlite Kraton Rubber Grips" that any shop with a J&B account should be able to get.

Oops, sorry. I meant the ones in agmetal's photos! Reading too fast, the photos all sort of blended together. This is the grip I was talking about:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...016_145009.jpg

They look much more cushy and "ergonomic" than the generic Kraton grips that Sunlite sells.

So I direct my question to agmetal, if you will please: Where can I get these grips?

Thanks again, and sorry about the confusion.

They're exactly what I said they are! :thumb:

http://www.jbi.bike/web/checking_pro...t_number=31605

:p Thank you, sir.

That's what I get for trying to read the forum at work... rush, rush, rush. :twitchy:

Speaking about appropriate three speed rubber grips, I really like the ones offered by Curious Velo. Alas, their webstore is currently "under construction".
{I am** Curious Velo
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8025/2...18740a62_z.jpg

I have a pair of these on my '37 Tourist...they're nice, but the material leaves black specks on my hands after a ride

This is the problem with any rubber grip, unfortunately. (At least the ones I have used.)

Back in the days when I spent more hours on my bike, I preferred cork grips over any kind of rubber or plastic.

Make mine cork.

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b3...psvvjjqfca.jpg

J

The Robin Williams Bicycle Collection
 

Up for auction
https://m.paddle8.com/auction/robin-williams/

:eek:

And these are all Bicycle Blue Book prices...I need to start my own charity.

How about the ferrules that help join the shifter to the cable? Seems most of the English bikes I find are missing those. The pics attached was from the Harris site. Thanks dweenk.