Ellis Briggs Track/Path Racer build - advice sought!

Hi all

After putting together an 80s Concorde and Batavus Professional largely from bits off the forum, I decided that my next build should go in current projects, so... Here she is my c. 1960s (?) Ellis Briggs track/path racer in her current state (still working on that seatpost/rear alignment!):

• Frame courtesy of ebay
  
• GB 'forged' stem from the bay
  
• GB bars from the forum
  
• Unknown seatpost courtesy of @anidel (finally found a good home for it!)
  
• Brooks B5N off an old Carlton (the bike went to a friend who didn't want it!)
  
• Modern 36h semi-aeros, de-stickered and awaiting some fresh gators (was considering a retro build, even have the flip flop Hubset spare from the carlton, but I had these knocking around for ages and I quite like the old/new hybrid look)
  
• Crankset will be a Milremo that I picked up off a jumble a while back, a beautiful TA copy with the insanely small BCD. Complemented by lyotard pedals until I sort myself out with clip less.
  
• Front brake will be an Acor dual pivot that I have spare (spent a while trying to find a period Weinmann 730 for not silly money, then gave up and realised it would perform much worse than a modern dual pivot anywho)
  
  

So... I just need to finish it up. BUT I'd like some help/advice before she's finished....

1) The frame has seen better days, it's been poorly touched up in places but I'm not sure I want to fork out for a restoration just yet (and we all love patina!) - any suggestions of a cheap way to protect what's there? Forum wisdom seems to suggest car wax; I've never found GT85 to last long as a protector; and I guess not riding her in the rain would be limiting if not foolproof!

2) Does anyone have a horizontal lever that wouldn't completely ruin the build? I'd like to ride on the shoulders and not reach far, preferably even with a finger on the lever, but I'm a gears and drops kinda guy so don't even know where to start with horizontal levers...

3) Bar tape - thinking white Fizik - I had some BLB perforated that looked the business, but was slightly thinner. Cinelli cork is my normal preference, but thought perforated might be more sensitive to the build. IMO white bar tape and brown brooks on a red steed looks super 70s cool, but curious as to the opinion of others!

Grateful for views on my first proper fixed! Thanks in advance.

Does anyone have a horizontal lever that wouldn't completely ruin the build?

A lever on the tops will look gash: it's not a MASH.

Proper, period levers plz.

Silver rims and gumwalls too.

But I second the perforated Fizik.

Vote for gumwall as well and period levers.

Frame looks great as well as the build. Particularly the seatpost :)

Proper, period levers plz.

A quick rummage and "hey presto"! A pair of period GB levers that I bought for a chrome Carlton path racer that I briefly had.

The hoods are knackered demonstrate appropriate patina, but still soft; ferrules included: £10 posted.

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I second silver rims, budget Novatechs to a destickered budget wide rim (A119) and some nice big gumwalls (28/32mm) won't cost much and will look the part.

^Grab those levers!

EDIT: See @Patfatenough thread for the frame restoration!

some nice big gumwalls (28/32mm) won't cost much and will look the part.

And fill up the gaps where 27" wheels would have sat.

Panaracer Pasela can be had for ~£20 each.

Sound advice here

The forum gods have spoken! :)

I have a pair of panaracers sat here that, with a clean, would do the job. Might stick with this wheelset for the time being then pounce on some silver rims to match my spare Carlton flipflop set.

@scilly.suffolk Agree re the levers, but wouldn't it look odd with a single/or one as a dummy? Presumably the old path racers ran with front and rear brakes, while track didn't have any (!), hence didn't avoiding this problem. Will PM you tomorrow re the levers...

@FredyCro thanks for the headsup, will check out Pat's thread.

Thanks all! Do keep the views coming... Veering towards full period build when the right kit comes up at the mo though...

frame has seen better days, it's been poorly touched up in places but I'm not sure I want to fork out for a restoration just yet (and we all love patina!) - any suggestions of a cheap way to protect what's there?

Is there any bare metal that can rust? If so on those areas you could try carefully applying something like the jenolite gel stuff to. Protect it. Then on the rest of it I would use t-cut and polish it up to bring the colour back. Then just car wax - wax on wax off, etc.

+1 for patina on such a lovely old frame. A polished silver frame pump and silver GB mudguards would finish it off perfectly.

Frame looks in great conditions to me and doesn't seem to warrant any repaint at all.
If there's bare metal showing (usually were the brakes and the hubs attach to the frame) I think a bit of rust protector and a touch of paint would help, but I wouldn't be too worried about it just yet.

As for tape, yeah white would look great and match decals. I put cotton tape on my Holdsworth (no shellac) and so far love it!
Newbaums is the one I've used.

Thanks for the advice all, GB levers should be on their way soon I hope and I'll look into the buffing/shining stuff. Will let you know when she's up and running!

If anyone spots any roughly period rims going for a song then do shout...

Re: the levers.
Every fixed gear bike I've had over the last few years has had gb or weinmann levers, I just remove all the lever gubbins leaving just the body. Have been informed this was the legit way things were done by hill climb guys back in the day.
Please excuse the crappy pic. And yup I need to retape my bars.

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She's up and running! Pics to follow soon. A bit sore on the hands, so think a bit of adjustment is required, but otherwise good. Incidentally, I'll never go riding fixed down hills without foot retention again... D'oh!!

So, here she is:

Things that you won't like:

• radially laced front (spokes that I'd planned to use turned out to be busted, only ones to hand were sized/previously radially laced, so used in this fashion again)
  
• Miche primato hubs on a period build, but they're so pretty! Go nicely with the MA2 rim on he rear (incidentally, if anyone has a 36h MA2 rim they're looking to sell cheap, let me know)
  
• dodgy rear cabling, will fix that ASAP
  
  

Things I don't like:

• brakes, they're only temporary, some period Weinmann 730s are on their way
  
• black lever hoods, nice and period, but not sure about the colour mismatch with the saddle
  
• chainring, it's a double, keeping an eye out for a single at not silly eBay prices
  
• rear cog, too large, but well seized onto the hub I bought from the bay. Need to get some pipe for my tiny chain wrench
  
  

But, at least she flies..! Will sort these in time I hope.

Ps, have noticed under the flaking topcoat what looks to be the original metallic red beneath, that looks pretty intact. Some gentle fingernail removal reveals. Might try some light meths to remove the top layer entirely, then either touch up or clearcoat the original. Ever more tinkering!!

Nice work!

Really tasty. Once the brakes are sorted it'll look fab.
For chainrings you've got to go to the jumbles in the middle of nowhere, there's always a chap with a good stock of ta/stronglight bits somewhere. I got a 47t nos track ring for a tenner last year so sure the bargains are still out there.

Needs cloth tape in my book but what's on there looks fine.

Looks fresh, the black hoods look good and don't worry about the modern bits! Bringing the levers up a bit and rotating the bars slightly up might give you a bit better position on the hoods.