The reason this thread lives on is because these bikes are like British soldiers, they will never die.
This to me is the perfect "everyday" bike. Mine was found next to a dumpster in grease covered, but amazing condition. I've been doing tons of climbing-training on it and have stretched the chain and busted a tooth, so I'm going to a 13/24, which totally kicks it up a notch. I had a pie-plate freewheel on it originally.
I did a century on my 1974 Notty in October, with panniers in the pouring-ass rain. I love this bike so much I have, uh, conversations with it.
Pic;
click on pic to ENLARGE
http://i268.photobucket.com/albums/j...y/PA290001.jpg
To those restorers who are worried about so called "gas-pipe" frame stuff: these bikes corner like a mule, but they are incredibly stable and comfortable. Yes, this bike is quite slow. I don't care.
The frame geo is perfect for me. The British wanted people to continue to ride, not have stuff break down all the time.
To the guy with the cottered cranks: leave them alone. If your bike is a Notty, the quality of the forging of that steel is unbeatable. I mean just look at it. Nice chrome work also. I remember breaking an alloy crank on my '76 Bridgestone. You don't ever want this to happen, trust me.
So if it corners like a mule, that means it was built to act like one. It's like riding a Harley.