Pimp my Guv'nor - Junkman's Pashley Saga

[Baron von Zach]

Any self respected snob owns a Pashley Guv'nor.

However, I could not fathom tyres made from cheese, hence I replaced them with stylish slugwalls:



Only people in the know will realise that this is no mean feat. 28 x 1 1/2 slugwalls are not exactly what one considers common. But hey, what's common in regards of a Pashley Guv'nor?

The next thing that had to go were those terminally terrible brake levers.
I took the liberty to replace them with some rather sophisticated ware from that Italy:



Please note the chromium plated cable casings, which were imported from Spain at great expense.
In my not entirely humble opinion, they reminiscence the rod brakes of yore.


But it still didn't please me yet.
Those handlebar grips. Yikes!

I replaced them with rope that was subsequently shellacked:



And yes, the end caps are real Champagne corks, harvested from bottles emptied with a delightfully disreputable lady. Also note sophisticated footwear.

So here we go:



The only thing left now is to replace that hideous chainset.
I'm currently saving up for some fine ware courtesy of 1on1 of that London.

 

[flake99please]

Very nice.

 

[Cycleops]

Those handlebar grips show some real originality, don't know how comfortable they might be long-term though.

 

[Specialeyes]

One for the cognoscenti - hats off to you, sir!

 

[Baron von Zach]

Thanks all!

Those handlebar grips are so terrible, I'd rather have none at all.

 

[southcoast]

Good looking bike. What does it ride like?

 

[Baron von Zach]

A dream.

If it had less terrible handlebar grips, that is.

 

[wonderdog]

Any self respected snob owns a Pashley Guv'nor.

However, I could not fathom tyres made from cheese, hence I replaced them with stylish slugwalls:

View attachment 409891

Only people in the know will realise that this is no mean feat. 28 x 1 1/2 slugwalls are not exactly what one considers common. But hey, what's common in regards of a Pashley Guv'nor?

The next thing that had to go were those terminally terrible brake levers.
I took the liberty to replace them with some rather sophisticated ware from that Italy:

View attachment 409892

Please note the chromium plated cable casings, which were imported from Spain at great expense.
In my not entirely humble opinion, they reminiscence the rod brakes of yore.


But it still didn't please me yet.
Those handlebar grips. Yikes!

I replaced them with rope that was subsequently shellacked:

View attachment 409893

And yes, the end caps are real Champagne corks, harvested from bottles emptied with a delightfully disreputable lady. Also note sophisticated footwear.

So here we go:

View attachment 409895

The only thing left now is to replace that hideous chainset.
I'm currently saving up for some fine ware courtesy of 1on1 of that London.

I DO hope you and the woman of delightful ill repute bumped the bubbles off in one sitting. They're getting harder and harder to find - women of that ilk I mean.

 

[Baron von Zach]

That's why we are married now.

 

[Spiderweb]

Not sure about the handlebar grips, the originals looked pretty cool. Lovely looking bike.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Nice to see a proper traditionally made lugged frame. A very rare sight nowadays. Is that a Reynolds sticker I see on the seat tube? I'd imagine that is a pretty light bike compared with a typical 3-speed hub geared roadster.

 

[mjr]

Nice to see a proper traditionally made lugged frame. A very rare sight nowadays. Is that a Reynolds sticker I see on the seat tube? I'd imagine that is a pretty light bike compared with a typical 3-speed hub geared roadster.

It's claimed that Pashley asked Reynolds to make more 531 primarily for the Guv'nor. It's 13kg in a small, so lightish for a roadster but slightly heavier than Gazelle's competing guardless and rackless Van Stael IIRC.

 

[Baron von Zach]

Yes, it's made from Reynolds 531.

None of the handlebar grips pictured are original.
It came with leather grips which only their mother could love. Oh, wait...
The handlebar grip question is hitherto not entirely answered.