Originally Posted by
Doohickie
Not true. If you wanted to fix up a Model T, no one would expect you to put in air bags. The point of this bike is that it is an antique; the more original you can keep it, the better.
not to mention that properly adjusted rod brakes can stop the bike as effectively as similar vintage side-pull rim brakes-- not great, but adequate (in the dry, at least). modern drum brakes are more robust, naturally, but vintage ones aren't that great, either. my sturmey-archer drum brakes on my dutch union are not really any better than my DL1 rod brakes in dry weather, but they are much better in the wet.