Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
So Peeps, here's the story.
Many moons ago as a small Proto-Foodie (40 years ago), I recall watching some newspiece about cycle racing and saw these guys on Holdsworth racing bikes ... WOW, and then, there was one in the window of my local bike shop in Exeter .... double WOW!!!!!
I dreamed the dream but made do with gas-pipe 3 speeds.
Then in about early '83 I chanced upon a sad and sorry orange 531 plain gauge 1950s specimen languishing in a sorry state in a garage, I proffered a fiver and it was mine. I spent most of my Grant Cheque restoring it resprayed plain blue but without transfers to reduce theft. With the help of the then Lunar Cycles (lesbian cycling cooperative at Elephant and Castle) she was a fully working 10speed with guards and a rack and my first ‘real’ non-gas-pipe bike. About 2 years later I read about fixed-wheels in Richard’s Bicycle Book and the bike and I were duly converted. Back in those simple days switching between gears and fixed wheel was a doddle.
I commuted in S. London proudly amongst the Claud Butlers and Holdsworth, Pearsons, Roberts, Orbits, Mercians and Galaxy’s. Occasionally I’d pop into Holdsworth to dream a little more.
The bike served me well up until about 10 years ago when the front forks developed an alarming twist and I pensioned her to the back of the garage. Around the same time I was offered a Columbus Nivachrom Omega which was a class race bike but always a tad too big for me. The old fixie went onto the Turbo where she still lives.
Eventually (8 years ago) I was given permission to buy a NEW, MODERN, Bicycle! Aluminium was at its Zenith, Steel seemed so yesterday and Carbon composit monocoque construction was just arriving. It was early 1985 and in the sale I purchased a 1984 Giant TCR1 from AW Cycles, fully fitted for me and blingy with Ultegra and DA kit.
We’ve done a lot of miles in all weathers, I’ve abused her with huge saddlebags and tracks that would make an MTB rider wince and she’s taken it all, gone well, required (and received) very little maintenance and TLC … and she still almost looks like new. But whether I’m older, or the roads worst, but we’re getting a bit shaky, in fact I’ve had enough of being vibed. Also the headset, the Achilles heel of that model is very scarce/nigh impossible to obtain So I’m looking to upgrade to a Steel Ritchey Road Logic frame and some blingy handbuilts. But I digress.
I’ve had a 531ST ‘British Eagle’ frame in the garage for about 6 years since I rescued it from a skip which (one day) will be an Audax/Tourer build, but I never get round to getting it sorted. It was my plan to have it built before each winter to have guards for the winter, but this year again I failed, but then …
I was sitting in a hotel room in Kaliningrad Russia just having a last glimpse of CC before beddy-byes and that lovely Biggs682 had a 1982 Holdsworth Elan in good nick and ready to go for a sensible price, I pm’d him, called the wife for authorisation and made a plan to meet and have a look.
One short ride and I was hooked!
So now she’s mine, a lovely Holdsworth, another bike of my dreams. The bike that was fresh on the streets at the same time I started my commuting, probably the model that made me misty eyed when I popped into the shop.
Unfortunately I’ve had a head-flu thing so no long rides sadly, but I’ve done a little fettling, fitted my Brooks and realised I need a longer seat post. But. In the short runs I’ve done, she fits like a glove and rides likes she’s part of me – instantly. The Giant’s good, fits perfectly too, has been smooth most of its life, but she’s twitchy, you have to work at riding her. The Holdsworth in comparison just rolls where you think it to go, no fuss, no bother, no vibes, no drama. All you do is select a gear and pedal. It feels like your favourite sneakers. Perfect. I’d forgotten what a joy steel bikes are to ride. OK, they’re not the lightest or stiffest, but then neither am I any more ;-)
OK, there’s nothing particularly special about Holdsworth 531 frames compared to many others, but such is the power of desire, the power of dreams!
So now I have:
1950s 531 Pg Holdsworth fixie
1982 531 db Holdsworth Elan 7 spd
Mid/late 80s 531 MTB tubing Evans/Saracen MTB
1990s 531ST British Eagle Touristique Frame
2004 Giant TCR1 Superlight Hydroformed Aluminium
I can see a trend building here!
If the Ritchey Pro Logic test-rides well, I’ll soon have an all steel fleet! For me, steel is the real thing
Many moons ago as a small Proto-Foodie (40 years ago), I recall watching some newspiece about cycle racing and saw these guys on Holdsworth racing bikes ... WOW, and then, there was one in the window of my local bike shop in Exeter .... double WOW!!!!!
I dreamed the dream but made do with gas-pipe 3 speeds.
Then in about early '83 I chanced upon a sad and sorry orange 531 plain gauge 1950s specimen languishing in a sorry state in a garage, I proffered a fiver and it was mine. I spent most of my Grant Cheque restoring it resprayed plain blue but without transfers to reduce theft. With the help of the then Lunar Cycles (lesbian cycling cooperative at Elephant and Castle) she was a fully working 10speed with guards and a rack and my first ‘real’ non-gas-pipe bike. About 2 years later I read about fixed-wheels in Richard’s Bicycle Book and the bike and I were duly converted. Back in those simple days switching between gears and fixed wheel was a doddle.
I commuted in S. London proudly amongst the Claud Butlers and Holdsworth, Pearsons, Roberts, Orbits, Mercians and Galaxy’s. Occasionally I’d pop into Holdsworth to dream a little more.
The bike served me well up until about 10 years ago when the front forks developed an alarming twist and I pensioned her to the back of the garage. Around the same time I was offered a Columbus Nivachrom Omega which was a class race bike but always a tad too big for me. The old fixie went onto the Turbo where she still lives.
Eventually (8 years ago) I was given permission to buy a NEW, MODERN, Bicycle! Aluminium was at its Zenith, Steel seemed so yesterday and Carbon composit monocoque construction was just arriving. It was early 1985 and in the sale I purchased a 1984 Giant TCR1 from AW Cycles, fully fitted for me and blingy with Ultegra and DA kit.
We’ve done a lot of miles in all weathers, I’ve abused her with huge saddlebags and tracks that would make an MTB rider wince and she’s taken it all, gone well, required (and received) very little maintenance and TLC … and she still almost looks like new. But whether I’m older, or the roads worst, but we’re getting a bit shaky, in fact I’ve had enough of being vibed. Also the headset, the Achilles heel of that model is very scarce/nigh impossible to obtain So I’m looking to upgrade to a Steel Ritchey Road Logic frame and some blingy handbuilts. But I digress.
I’ve had a 531ST ‘British Eagle’ frame in the garage for about 6 years since I rescued it from a skip which (one day) will be an Audax/Tourer build, but I never get round to getting it sorted. It was my plan to have it built before each winter to have guards for the winter, but this year again I failed, but then …
I was sitting in a hotel room in Kaliningrad Russia just having a last glimpse of CC before beddy-byes and that lovely Biggs682 had a 1982 Holdsworth Elan in good nick and ready to go for a sensible price, I pm’d him, called the wife for authorisation and made a plan to meet and have a look.
One short ride and I was hooked!
So now she’s mine, a lovely Holdsworth, another bike of my dreams. The bike that was fresh on the streets at the same time I started my commuting, probably the model that made me misty eyed when I popped into the shop.
Unfortunately I’ve had a head-flu thing so no long rides sadly, but I’ve done a little fettling, fitted my Brooks and realised I need a longer seat post. But. In the short runs I’ve done, she fits like a glove and rides likes she’s part of me – instantly. The Giant’s good, fits perfectly too, has been smooth most of its life, but she’s twitchy, you have to work at riding her. The Holdsworth in comparison just rolls where you think it to go, no fuss, no bother, no vibes, no drama. All you do is select a gear and pedal. It feels like your favourite sneakers. Perfect. I’d forgotten what a joy steel bikes are to ride. OK, they’re not the lightest or stiffest, but then neither am I any more ;-)
OK, there’s nothing particularly special about Holdsworth 531 frames compared to many others, but such is the power of desire, the power of dreams!
So now I have:
1950s 531 Pg Holdsworth fixie
1982 531 db Holdsworth Elan 7 spd
Mid/late 80s 531 MTB tubing Evans/Saracen MTB
1990s 531ST British Eagle Touristique Frame
2004 Giant TCR1 Superlight Hydroformed Aluminium
I can see a trend building here!
If the Ritchey Pro Logic test-rides well, I’ll soon have an all steel fleet! For me, steel is the real thing
