It's a hard knock life: My vintage lightweight Tweed Run steed.

Thought this bike looked tip top, admittedly viewed through a haze of Comsoplitan and lager. Also liked that flying gate.

excellent photo's - I can just imagine this feast of the senses, the hum of spokes, the flash of chrome, and the stench of damp wool!

Brilliant thread too - quick, sympathetic build but very individual...
Great story, good craftskills and lots of goodwill/encouragement from the armchair-builders too - everything a decent build thread should be.

Thanks, I've enjoyed it immensely!

Great photos luckyskull. I'm quite envious of your new/old bike. And as for that Walrus... But there were so many lovely bikes on the ride.

thanks again guys, it really was a vintage bike lovers dream. so many amazing bikes. every direction i turned i could see bikes that had had real love poured into them. it was a great day. i would highly recommend it...... i have see some other pictures of the run, but they are mostly of the people.... as i said above, i looked like a right trouser stroker.

I remember that bike, did the guy have a moustache and wear glasses? (I forget his name).

yes, quite an amazing tash........but saying that 75% of the men(me included) had huge handle bar tash's...... bunch of old age hipsters!

Do you only have a front lamp?

If so and you havent used a higher capacity bulb there's a good chance that the it will blow.

Yup, I was going to say this - those old bottle dynamos put out 3w 6v; front bulbs are usually 2.4w and rears are .6w, but if you're running a front bulb only you'll need a 3.0w one to stop it blowing.

this is good to know. maybe that's why the first one blew. i used it on the ride home in the rain after last orders..... it really was not that amazing..... would a 3.0w bulb also be brighter?

Came across these posts by chance having discovered I too own a Pat Skeates. The re-enforced rear bridge you illustrate is identical to mine. And the numbering system is the same - mine's a 54 vintage . Lovely workmanship and very light. Mine has a characteristic round two crown fork with a central spearpoint - as used by Woodrup and Roberts currently (think its a US made crown these days). Did you get any repro transfers - where from? And have you posted a finished picture?

any chance seeing a picture of your bike? i had no luck finding any bikes or pictures with original decals on them.....so have left the paint as it is.

My frame had no decals but H Lloyd have made repros and are sending me some for £20 including postage for 2X headbadge and down tube script decals. Will update when I get them and figure out how to attach them to a powder coated frame. Am enquiring about Skeates working for Hetchins. It seems well established he worked for Claud B and he set up his own workshop round the corner - building now gone. Skeates is a relatively rare name so might be traceable.

any pictures of the decals yet?