An interesting bike I saw today

[All uphill]

I'd do it just for the fun of it. Do you need any more reasons?

Good point.

I'm a bit protective of builds like this, and could see myself building something similar as arthritis advances and fitness recedes.

 

[Dogtrousers]

As to controlling the front mech with a lever rather than a brifter, it's long been a gripe of mine that indexing something that has two positions is a bit stupid. I've never found brifter-based front shifting to have any advantage over lever-based. Indeed my current (105) one is a bit on the awkward side to shift up to the big ring. Maybe hand mobility has played a part, perhaps arthritis as @All uphill suggests.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Here’s an interested crank. It’s designed for a rider with a limited range of movement and it moves in a pendulum motion

 

[vickster]

Hope it doesn’t burn their house down!

 

[Dadam]

Thorn recommended v-brake front and disc at the back for several years.

The front v-brake reduces forces through the fork compared with disc, allowing a lighter and more flexible fork.

Bit pointless IMHO, if you're going to have discs you want them on the front. The disc on the back isn't going to be as much use.

 

[Jameshow]

Come own up whose is it! 🤣🤣🤣

 

[Dadam]

Hope it doesn’t burn their house down!

Unlikely. Yose Power are well established brand with a pretty good rep, not aliexpress specials.