Most modern cycle lights do not suit the Guvnor. The plastic mouldings, brutish fittings and sci-fi styling are at odds with the Art Nouveau flourish, Edwardian structural order and Art Deco detailing of this bicycle. Many retro-designed lights are overly so: that is to say they speak for themselves too loudly.
I’ve been searching for the right set of lights for a year now, and have yet to find them. But in the meantime a reader from Bordeaux has tackled the front light problem with spectacular appropriateness.
As if it was there all along
Should probably be standard issue
These are the lights to seek out, if only we had French moto-exchanges to browse.
Merci et Bonnes Ballades M. Couttause!
{ 34 comments… read them below or add one }
It looks absolutely great! Battery operated I presume? Can you tell us what brand it is or where to order?
I’ve ordered my Guvnor last week and I planned to use these lights: http://www.sogreni.dk/Lights.php
(can anyone tell me what the delivery time for a guvnor 3-speed is?)
Greetings from Holland…
Many thanks to James for this article in his website.
I’m glad for those comments.
I’ll try to adapt an electric lamp in this really old headlight “new old stock”.
I ‘ve buy it in a moto pieces exchange
The Sogreni accessories also are very simple,a little “art deco”style.I love particularly the bel.Wowww.
For my Guv’nor I phoned to Pashley which indicate to me the French importer near Paris.His shop have one model ,20.50 inches and three speeds.My brother living in Paris bring it to me in his car.In fact for me speedy and easy.
Best regards from Bordeaux.
Nils,
Glad you agree Ian hit the jackpot with those lights. Sadly for something similar we must continue to hunt alone in markets and sales. If I ever find a new light that suits I’ll let you know here. Am also a fan of the Sögreni lights, they would make a perfect stopgap.
No idea on the waiting time for a Guvnor at the moment, but I would get your shop to ask Pashley for an estimate. Let us know when you get it!
James
Because of the long delivery times on the Guvnor I decided to create my own Guvnor.
I used a 50′s Gazelle opa frame which has the same geometry, bolt-on and bottle-top stays.
I only used original or old parts except for the tires.
Pictures are here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nmarse/sets/72157622701876418/
I think I will make a trip to Hamburg or Berlin where they have the Guvnor in stock. Waiting for more then 5 weeks is absolutely too long for me!
Kind Regards,
Nils Marse from Holland
Hello Nils,
wonderfull,it’s your and only your “special Gazelle path racer”.
Have you conserved the sacrified parts to rebuilt the original “city Gazelle” when you have the Guv’nor?Perhaps it’s not your project?
It’s possible that my future city Bike will be an old Hollander Bike like this.
Thank you for the photos et chronicle.
Best greetings.
Magnificent work Nils, a gorgeous recreation!
Guess what… As of this evening I’m the happy owner of a Guvnor. It took me an 8 hour drive to Paris and back.
Ian: All the original parts can be re-installed (but who wants to?).
Well Nils a very good challenge and a very decided man!!Thank’s for the novel.
Have you seen Mr Vielliard in Goussainville or another shop?
For the parts of the Gazelle I only imagine that you can re-built your first bicycle,owning now the Guv’nor.
But it’s possible that it was not your idea.
To James:finally we are a little responsable off the Guv’nor success and your website overall.Pashley must be sponsored the growth of your site (it’s a joke).
Kind regards
Yes it was Mr Vielliard and he kept his shop open for me on a sunday evening! Absolutely very nice man and very helpfull. His shop is what you imagine a bicycle shop should look like.
I will use my Gazelle on muddy days and still deciding wether to put all original parts back on. I get a lot of compliments the way it is now. Maybe I’ll just put some fenders on.
Your website is a great initiative and I hope it will grow out to become a helpfull community for all (to be) Guvnor owners. Maybe even a meeting… who knows?
Greetings from Holland and good luck with your website.
Nils, what can I say? You are a legend! Would love to see some photos of the Gazelle and the Guvnor side by side.
And it sounds like Mr Vielliard needs a pat on the back too. Please someone post a link if his shop has a website (but something tells me his shop has no need for a website).
I am developing a list of resources for Guvnor owners, and if the community grows we will form a proper club. But there is no hurry, we have some cycling to do!
James – I’ve found the below light in the US which looks excellent. I wonder if it will fit the Guv’nor. At just £15 it might be worth the risk !!
http://www.bikeworldusa.us/Bullet-Headlight-with-Visor-Chrome-Bicycle/M/B000OAK2J0.htm?traffic_src=GB&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=GB&id=uk
Thanks Andrew. It looks the part, but the reviews are not good! The best quality I’ve seen are by Busch & Müller, but the styling is not right:
http://www.bumm.de/index-e.html?docu/1706e.htm
With regard to retro style lights for the Guv’nor, take a look at: http://www.beachcruiser.de they have a range of retro style battery powered lamps, made by ‘Liix’ are fitted with the latest LED light bulbs and looks like they include the all important fixing bracket. Any feedback on these lights would be welcome.
Following my previous note about suitable lights for the Guv’nor, I can report, following inspection of these ‘Liix’ lights, is don’t bother with these they are of poor quality.
I have just received information from Busch & Muller that they are working on a battery version of their Lumotec Retro, which may be available later in the year, could be launched at Eurobike in September.
This would be just the ticket for the Guv’nor if it comes onto market.
Well spotted Geoff. As long as it comes in proper chrome and not the formica-style teal finish it should be a good option for the Guvnor. Certainly a reliable brand.
But what’s wrong with dynamos, or a dynamo that will charge a battery, without having to pay for bateries, dynamos are free energy!
Also, it should not be chrome plated palstic either!
Jorge……..there’s nothing wrong with dynamos, but they can be costly and fitting can be a problem. Pashley, as you probably know, fit dynamo lighting as standard on some models in their range, which is a neat and tidy solution – Sturmey Archer hub dynamo with B & M Lumotec Retro front lamp – but fitting a similar set up would require a front wheel rebuild!
I guess if and when this battery lamp does come to market it will have a chrome plated plastic body.
Hello fellow Guv’nor riders………you may be interested on the ‘Cordo Castor’ lamp which I sourced through Bobbin Bicycles. It’s a traditional battery powered headlamp but with modern LED and does have a flashing mode, which I think is a good feature, although I was told it didn’t and there’s no mention about this on the intructions! Hold down on/off button for 3-5 seconds.
The price is £20 + p & p available in chrome or black, ask for the correct bracket, you will also need nut/bolt to fit to hole above fork and some washers to pack between lamp and bracket.
I think it looks right and is a well made, take a look at on : http://www.cordo.nl
Just bought very good NOS Sturmey front and rear 6V lights of ebay – still has the cardboard tag on the front light mounting bolt, so unused. They will go on the BSA when I get back to NZ
I found a bullet light that looks similar.
Here’s the link- http://tinyurl.com/yhc6prr
That visor may not suit some, but i would think it
could be removed fairly easily.
seventythree…….I’ve taken a look at the website and this bullet light looks to be the ‘Liix’ make, see my comments dated 23 & 26 Nov., I have seen and inspected this light and I thought it was very poor quality! The best battery lamp that I have found so far, in my opinion, that fit the bill in looks and quality is the ‘Cordo Castor’, see my comment of 20 Feb. …….Geoff.
I do like the look of them.
Do you know if they come with a bracket to fit them ?
Geoff , thanks for the information.
Andrew, it does come with a bracket
but it says it would mount on the handlebar.
One would have to find or fashion a new bracket
if you wanted it mounted above the wheel, on the fork.
Andrew & seventythree………..the Cordo light, which I sourced through Bobbins Bicycles supplied a suitable bracket to mount to the exisiting hole on the front forks, but you will also need nut and bolt to fix, also some packing washers etc. between light and bracket The Liix light does come with a bracket to fix to forks, but it isn’t long enough, they do sell a longer bracket which may do the trick, but I can’t confirm, check out the website mentioned in my comments of 23 Nov. and follow up comment of 26 Nov.
Hey All,
I hear all of the stylistic and functional turmoil on finding the right light for our beloved Guvnors. Nils and others, have any of you actually come across the Sogreni lights? I have had some difficulty in tracking them down; of course, I’m in the U.S., which could be the main cause of the problem! As a stop-gap, I have a couple Cat Eyes I use, one on the handlebars, the other on the seat post when I need them. It is aesthetic blight to the Guvnor, however. Any ideas on obtaining the Sogreni’s?
Regards,
Gary
Hi Gary,
The Distributor for the US is:
Wallingford Bicycle Parts
P.O.Box 13274 – New Orleans
70185-3274 – Louisiana – U.S.A
wallweb@wallbike.com
http://www.wallbike.com
Good luck!
(I’m still waiting for my friend to go to Denmark to pick up a set)
Gary aka Calif Guv………presumably you have checked out Sogreni’s website? They do list a US distributor – Wallington Bicycle Parts – wallweb@walbike.com
These lights are quite pricey and they don’t have a flashing mode, which I think is disappointing considering the price! Sogreni in Copenhagen will post, sorry ship as you colonials call it! These lights don’t appear to be readily available in the UK either, I located an outlet in Glasgow but they only had one set, in a finish I didn’t want, they also confirmed the lights didn’t have a flash mode, hope this is of some help……….safe riding, Geoff.
Hey Geoff,
Much appreciated information. Checked Sogreni website and Wallington sometime earlier. Wallington does not list on their site, which might require I ring them; is that the right term, “ring”? Curbside Cycles, some really nice Canadian blokes, had them at one time, but they have not been able to get them for some years now; strange to me. Yeah…the price! However, I am going to go through Sogreni–excellent suggestion. I think I like “post” far better than “ship.” I shall start using this term and confuse all my fellow colonials!
Thanks so much for the help. Gary
Gents, I’ll be heading to Copenhagen for the usual summer loveliness in June or July.
I’ll go to Sögreni as ever, and will be happy to pick up lights, bells or trouserclips (but not mudguards!) for anyone who may be interested.
I would then send (post, mail, ship!) them on for the price it costs me. I suppose PayPal might come into play here, am sure we can work something sensible out.
Please remind me nearer the time if of use. Otherwise I’ll forget until I walk through the door of the shop!
James
PS Apologies Nils, your comment got lost in the system because of too many urls. Have been away all day so missed it…
Bravo man! Thanks James. If I cannot come by these lovelies before then, I will give you a shout in May. PayPal works. It’s in the calendar. If I ever came by the opportunity to walk into Sogreni, I might actually pass out! Nothing approaching it here in the colony.
Gary
How effective are the sogreni lights? They seems a little bit small, but look very nice.
Just fitted a ww2 flashlight to my guvnor today, looks really good. Used wingnuts so its easely removable and ready for manual use in late night picnics:)
The new Hub generator SONdelux and the LED-Headlight Edelux are a little more stylish than the Busch & Lumüller Headlights. Not exactly what everyone is looking for but pretty close!
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