• I think the plastic tape on the bottom of the bars was known as 'gemtape'.

    I always thought it was pretty horrible, and a poor substitute for cotton tape which is what you have on the upper part of these bars. So I'd say just get some more cotton tape (tressorex is the current brand which is still available) and just put another layer over what's there already.

    While I'm here I'd like to mention another point which arises from the photo above.

    I expect you have all noticed that the position of the pump has changed over the years. For a long time it was standard practice to mount the pump on the down tube as shown here. The reason it moved away from there was that it was only too easy to knock the pump off the pegs while changing gear, which could be anything from embarassing to disastrous. As a result the position migrated first to the underside of the top tube and then to the front on the seat tube.

    I mention this because it's worth considering, when repainting an old frame, whether you want to stick with originality or go for practicality. Apart from gear mountings and cable guides (which presumably you will fit according to need) there will also be the issue of the pump pegs and the lamp bracket boss on the forks. My own inclination now is to remove these as they are redundant, but there is a case for changing as little as possible. I'm not offering an answer here, just a point for discussion.

  • Thanks for identity on the blue sticky tape - Gem which with a bit of research shows that this was made by Advance Tapes Ltd in Leicester and appears to be from the 60s.

    Re The pump position - It makes complete sense as to why cycle builders moved the position over time.
    I've also seen the pump held on the rear of the seat tube, Was this just a rider preference or prior to the front seat tube position?

  • The Pump Position

    If you look at my post no. 113 above, you will notice that I have put the pump behind the seat tube. This was because when I tried to put in front of the tube (which I consider the normal place), it interfered with the front changer.

    This wouldn't work with most modern frames as there wouldn't be room for the pump between the back tyre and the seat tube.

    Thanks for the info on the brake blocks ... I'll get some.

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