Gosh Ann, it's kinda frightening... I spent some of this evening polishing (with Simichrome of course) my set of GB Mrk 3 brakes I got today.. from Pete Paine.
Pete's the expert on GB but I am quite certain this 1962 vintage brake used hoods. My Lenton is '61 and it's less clear.. the Raleigh catalogues showed the GB "Arret" levers with hoods and without. Me, I ride "on the drops" so I think I can dispense with the hoods practically and curatorially.
Since when is a Claud Butler a "heavy bike" and GB "bad brakes"? My only complaint is that using the classic Dunlop HP rims you just have so little rim to brake on and chrome makes it worse. But if anyone made a lighter set of steel rims, I'd love to see them.
Peter Kohler
Washington DC USA