Your conversion is simply gorgeous! Before I saw this bicycle, I had been contemplating putting those VO porteur bars and inverse levers on my mixte, and wrapping the majority of the bars as you did, so I could grip them at various places. Are you finding this set up comfortable? Also, I am curious where you plan to put your lights as this your daily commuter. will you do a rack and fender mount?
thanks! i love the bars and inverse brake setup because i can place my hands anywhere along the back sweep and still grasp the levers. i have these bars inverted, actually, so that i get about 2cm rise, as opposed to 2cm drop, which is their historical configuration. i can't really use the bars close to the stem, at least it feels awkward. (i only wrapped the entire bar because i didn't like seeing the inverted VO logo, which is laser-etched on either side of the clamp section). the bars are a bit narrow compared with nitto albatross bars, and it took me a little while to get used to that.
yep, i plan to do rack and fender mounting of the lights. i plan to mount one or two headlights underneath the rack. i should still be able to use front panniers with the lights. i will likely do an LED retrofit of some NOS cibie headlights i scored off of the 'bay:
for a taillight, i picked up a NOS soubitez fender-mounted light unit, missing the incandescent internals. i finished the LED conversion, and it'll be ready to mount once i fabricate an internal mounting bracket for it:
i documented the LED retrofit
on my blog, for anyone interested.