I've found that quick-handling, skinny-tired 80s steel race bikes are a helluvalotta fun with North Road / Albatross / Porteur / other bendy bars. For moderate loads, like a Carradice and a handlebar bag, or a lightweight rack with a zip-out-pannier rack trunk or whatever, and city street rides under 5 miles in good weather, there's not much better. Especially if you've given up on single speed / fixed gear bikes like I have.

The short steering axis and high leverage combine with the racing front end to give the bike really, really quick steering in the hands. Takes some getting used to, even. The lack of eyelets and short wheelbase make big, rack-mounted or basket loads impractical, which means you won't try to carry them, which is good because the bike will suck at it.

It'd be fun to build one up 1x7... use an MTB rear derailleur, a 110x36t Biopace chainring, and the 13-42 7-speed cassette that Riv sells. (It's a Merry Sales part, your LBS may be able to get it for you as well, I dunno.) I had a Schwinn Super Le Tour 12.2 built like this, and I loved it. Granted, that was a sport-touring bike, so even more suited to these kinds of shenanigans, but race bikes are a blast as "city stormers."

--Shannon