Classic & Vintage - Which Direction to Take my HR Bates

Many of you will be familiar with this Bates, which I picked up last year. It's a 1940 Bates BAR, with Cantiflex Tubing (531, but specially drawn for Bates, thicker in the middle, thinner at the ends) and Diadrant forks (gimicky, but cool). It's a little small for me (22.5, and I prefer a 24), but I can live with that on a long seatpost. As you can see, it's in need of some love. Things I will certainly do are the following:

Repaint, probably red with a cream headtube
Rechrome fork and stem
New Brooks B17
Rebuild the Sturmey Archer FM 4 speed close ratio hub (and whatever the front is) into better rims with new spokes.

The question is, what to do with the rest of it. My initial plan had been to build it as a retro fixed gear, with the sort of track bars that you see in my sig, and when I decided I'd keep the FM hub, I still thought I'd go that way. What I'm wondering now is whether I might be better to go for some Randonneur bars, which would make it more comfortable for longer distances, or whether I might take this more radical route. I'm wondering whether I might not make it the coolest "townie" anyone's ever seen. I'm talking about staying with North Roads, or maybe putting Priest bars, or Nitto Promenades on, Honjo hammered fenders (or something equally classy), a porteur front rack (something like either the Velo Orange one below, or the other, which was put together from a Wald newsboy by a forumist here, I forget which), and a rear rack. How cool would that be?

Here's the bike as is:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Samuelw72/DSC00183.jpg

Here's the Velo Orange porteur

http://us.st11.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-84224226242177_1968_10469

And the modified Wald:

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Samuelw72/Porteur4.jpg

I woudn't turn the Bates into a truck if it were mine. The rando bars and the small racks front and rear seem fine - as do the fenders, but I'm not so keen on the porteur concept with this one. Those forks scream to be noticed!

I think a fresh, stately, color scheme with shellaced cotton tape on a set of rando bars would make it look quite dandy. Build it up like something Philip might have taken out when he was courting Elizabeth. :)

I like your townie idea. How about some Belleri porteur bars and inverse brake levers from Velo Orange?

Is the saddle supposed to be like that?

That woody porteur is mine, and I've since put the Soma reverse levers from VO on it (and those are Belleri porteur bars from VO). I also have a pair of Michelin tires to put on it (though they're not made in France!) to try and keep to the French theme (the frame is a St. Etienne; the current tires are Panaracer Paselas).

At any rate, I don't know how the Bates would handle with a front load, as opposed to a big old Carradice saddle bag. Personally, I'd keep it as a club bike but a bit more of a go-fast version (less chunky tires, AM hub).

Neal

Why would an AM hub be faster than an FM? Surely I'm better off with the close ratio 4 than the close ratio 3?

I wouldn't go for a front rack - how are people going to admire the front forks that way.

I'd go for the clubman look; Radonneur bars, lightweight fenders and a small rear rack or seatbag.

Either way it will look very nice when it's repainted.

Or you could go for option C; I'll take it off your hands so that you don't have the dilemma of what to do.:p

We all have our personal biases. Mine would be a traditional English club racer, with drop bars and either a top tube mounted Sturmey-Archer gear lever or a Sturmey-Archer trigger mounted inside one of the brake handles to form a "retro brifter."

I wouldn't go for a front rack - how are people going to admire the front forks that way.

I'd go for the clubman look; Radonneur bars, lightweight fenders and a small rear rack or seatbag.


I agree.

Forget the damn four speed hub...I'd pimp it out and make it a fixie with that unique fork...Think powder coat it blue and get a set of non machined blue Deep V wheels...A set of Sorcher bars and off ya go! Or if you are going to get it quality paint job done, why not just add some braze ons and make it a roady?

Why would an AM hub be faster than an FM? Surely I'm better off with the close ratio 4 than the close ratio 3?

FM is good, too! I should have read the original description more carefully.

Neal

I'd say a front aerospoke and a top tube pad would give that old thing the "flair" you're looking for. ooh! and a matching

Or you could go the tried and true club-man route. Maybe Major Taylor shallow track bars, a chopped and tied Brooks (or just a reglar one), and plain unhammered fenders, something racier than Honjos or Berthouds if you can find em.

As for the fixed gear, i think I hear a path racer calling out your name

I'd do up the bates like a classic club racer with drop bars and fenders. The honjos would be a nice choice, or for a little less cash you could do those Velo Orange fluted fenders.

While a classic looking drop bar might be more period appropriate if you want something really versatile, and comfy for long rides, I might consider a set of WTB Mountain Drops. I know it might look a little anachronistic, but that is one place I'd sacrifice if it were my bike.