do people actually ride them?

yes.

Yes. People who would otherwise ride a cheep BSO from halfords arround town, but have more money. If neither speed (get a road bike), practicality (brompton) nor off-road ruggedness (MTB) are a critera in your decision, then that just leaves good looks and other emotive reasons.

A friend rides one. He admits it’s heavy, but is ideal for his short journey to work.

He also owns (among others): a 1970s Masi with full Super Record, a Colnago and a Pegoretti Luigino (full Record).

interesting, i had a google and can only find pashley doing something like this. are there no others or have they found a niche for themselves?

I’d love an old bike like that. Wife’s got a Pashley Britannia and loves it.

I like the look of Schwinn Slicker

But for round town I have one of these,

The Guvnor is chuffin’ expensive though for what it is.
Particularly when compared to a Jaspa PathRacer.
http://www.jaspacycles.com/cycles.html

Me – I run around on this:

Don’t own one but would love to

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/show-me-your-cruiser-type-bikes

Of course people ride them – they look fantastic (beauty is in the eye of the beholder as always). You could argue you can get a lot of bike for that money but some people place more emphasis on aesthetic values than pure functionality.

I don’t have one as I can’t justify the price for my income, so I ride the closes approximation IMHO which is Charge Plug. Not because it makes me look like like less of a plank or because I consider my taste distinguished, but because it’s shiny and looks pretty. In addition to that the whole single speed thing is lovely on my flat commute.

That being said there are other alternatives in pretty retro bike department and they don’t have to cost as much. Something like this for example – http://erenpreiss.com/en/ a reborn Latvian manufacturer from the 1930’s.

I don’t know if my Singular Peregrine falls into the “or similar” category here, but I’m happy that despite the cost, I’m getting more versatility AND utility for my money than I would for a guvnor.

interesting, i had a google and can only find pashley doing something like this. are there no others or have they found a niche for themselves?

Dawes do a few old style bikes – the Dawes Ambassador looks pretty similar to the Guvnor, and is much cheaper. http://www.dawescycles.com/p-575-ambassador.aspx

Or something like the Raleigh Superbe. http://raleigh.co.uk/ProductType/ProductRange/Default.aspx?pc=1&pt=15&pr=10

I’ll put my hand up to this one a small group of us from the Guvnors Assembly have this year ridden several sportives, The French Revolution, Isle of Wight Challenge and a few others I can’t remember off the top of my head. Personally I have done three centuries this year on mine.

On top of this we have also met up for “Jollies” once a month or so and received invites for a few organised events with the emphasis on the social side of riding.

Several of the riders do use their bikes for commuting, personally I have an old single-speed that isn’t so attractive to ne’er do wells.

Personally I’m not sure the Guvnor has any direct comparison in the UK, although I have seen a good facsimile in the States (Linus) and La Torpille Cycles over in France have produced something along the same lines, but a different league quality wise.

Incidentally I think we may be having a head to head against them at Le Mans next year.