Looks like the last post is over a year old so I hope nobody minds me digging up an old thread - I wish I had found this earlier because all of my bikes are hi-ten (unintentional).
Let's get started ... My first "real" bike, a 1958 Raleigh Sports. 2030 Hi-ten with original dynohub. I rescued it from the dump in fall '13, gave it new tires, tubes, brake pads, lubed it up. At this point, I was looking for a college bike and was not "into" bikes but knew how to tinker. In the process of finding out what it was and what it needed, I became addicted to bikes which isn't a surprise since I have been a car guy since day 1. Rode it around in as-found condition till Summer '14, gave it a full restoration because I loved it too much and wanted to keep riding it but didn't want it to rust any more than it already had. Currently running gumwall Schwalbe Delta Cruiser tires, kool stop brake pads, new stainless cables (finally), and a nicelite LED in the dynohub. Threw on a '56 shifter i found because the original was long gone anyway. I rebuilt the original SW hub but am temporarily running a '79 AW on it just so it can stand up to the daily abuse in this city. This bike is still my favorite - such a delight to ride and accelerates like it weights half as much as it does.
NEXT. '79 Raleigh Superbe, 2030 hi ten. Canadian model - I painted on the english white tail. Came with Dynohub, fork lock, and AW 3-speed. This was an exercise in seeing what I could build - I bought new Sturmey Archer drum brake 5-speed (X-RD5 W) and dynohub (X-FDD), laced them into Sun CR18 rims. Schwalbe Delta Cruiser tires, reflectalite halogen bulb, other goodies. 1953 Raleigh stem and bars, flipped upside down. Comfy rider but not light. The drum brake hubs + alloy rims weigh the same as the old steel rims and old hubs so this weighs 45 pounds just like my '58 does. I ride this one a lot, too.
But wait, there's more! '75 Raleigh DL-1 Tourist. 2030 once again. Bought it in July for a relative bargain - on top of that, it had hardly been ridden. frame still had its factory-fresh shine in some places. Tires were original but dry rotted. I gave it Schwalbe Delta Cruiser tires once again, kool stop rod brake pads, a Steco rack, dynamo driven lights, Brooks B67 saddle and leather Gyes handlebar grips (not pictured). It's probably funny for some kids, seeing a college guy Mary-Poppins-ing it all up on this beast. I know of only one other DL-1 being ridden in Ann Arbor.
Last but not least, my '79 Ross Professional Gran Tour. It may be 1020 hi ten. The later ones were chromoly, I heard. I'm not sure. Either way, It is my dependable beater that lives outdoors. Crankset is the only original part to the frame, the rest have been slowly swapped out for junk or cheap parts by me as they died. Alloy 700c rims came to me with the bike. Continental Tour Ride tires. Rigged up a "brifter" setup with mtb shifters so I wouldn't have to finagle with the stem shifters while accelerating in this pot-hole-ridden town. It's the lightest bike in my stable (35 lbs). Doesn't look good but it's a nice rider. It handles a rear pannier load very well. I recently participated in a race with it surrounded by carbon and aluminum bikes that weighed half as much. Here I was in my jeans, t-shirt, and steel frame beater with fenders, rack, and lock still attached. I had to go to work right after. I there for the giggles and still didn't finish last!!
All of these bikes are being well-loved by me. I don't beat them up, I treat them well, but they never sit for long. I ride the heck out of them because they're just too nice not to ride!
I don't think I have any special attachment to hi-ten but I do respect and appreciate it. It's just that all of the bikes that I have and love up to this date happen to be that. I haven't really tried to find anything "nicer" because I see no need at the moment. I don't have anything against hi ten either. It's smooth riding, durable, and cheap.