Sunday, July 24, 2011

Modernized Phillips

After building up Gilbert, I have a soft spot for modernized English three speeds,  and I found a great example in this copper colored Phillips parked next to the ART (American Reparatory Theater).



Front and rear Sturmey Archer Drum brake hubs (3 speed in back, generator in front)




Fantastic placement of a horn-  I was sooooo tempted to see what it sounded like!


And sparkly red grips!  I wondered if the front light was a stock B&M retro, or if it was "modernized"

I especially like the retrofitted fender stays.  A lot of the original fenders on these old steel bikes fail at the  stay attachment to the fender.  This is a seamless integration of modern stay and old fender (or a VERY good paint job to make the fender look original).


Charming rear light.  I assume it's an LED retrofitted into a vintage housing.  Note what appears to be cat5 cable for the wiring :)

The hubs were built into stainless steel rims which is unusual- I couldn't read the manufacturer.  I am not certain, but from the fender line, I wonder if they're 650B.

All in all a lovely modernization of a classic city bike.

4 comments:

  1. Fenders for British 3-speeds come up on ebay periodically. I scored a pair of NOS Raleigh Sports fenders in root beer brown for something like $25. I got them from a guy who used to own a LBS that sold Raleigh and he was liquidating some inventory. Even sold me a chainguard.
    I like the idea of the drum brakes but have read some criticize them as lacking in stopping power.
    Can't be any worse than the original long-reach calipers on steel rims, can they?

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  2. Love the generator hubs!--thanks for showing this

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  3. Yup that is the B&M Retro light. I have one mounted on my "beer" bike.

    @ Mt cyclist, nothing wrong with drum brakes. They just need to be set up properly with the correct levers and broken in a bit. Called bedding in the shoes. Used to have to that with car brakes back in the day.

    @Cycler...keep your eyes peeled for a old Raleigh Record rocking SA drum hubs in Somerville/Cambridge by the end of the summer, ;-)

    Aaron

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