Legitimate holdsworth?

[Drago]

It does look a fraction bigger than my 25.5" Claud.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

It won't ride harsh at that size. Even my 23 1/2" 531 frames are super smooth. The builder might have used the beefier versions of 531 strategically though to account for the size of the frame and the probable size of the rider. There were a lot of tube variants available in 531, which is one reason why it was the tubeset to build with for so many years. A good builder could mix & match the individual tubes to suit the size & type of frame they were constructing.

 

[Drago]

Skippy is correct, as usual. My garden gate Claud is less flexy than my carbon Boredman - the bottom bracket deflects noticeably more upon the latter when I unleash all 260lbs hard through a high gear. And what flex there is in the Claud is just a little bit springy, whereas on the plastic fantastic it's snappy and harsh in comparison. No prizes for guessing which one gets the most ride time of the two.

I reckon the OP's bike should give a suprisingly direct but nicely comfortable ride.

 

[carpenter]

very nice looking bike, my only thought is that the cassette looks remarkably clean/unused - either the bike was put in the loft without being ridden/gears changed or it is a replacement ? (not a criticism in any way, just interesting to me)

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I reckon the OP's bike should give a suprisingly direct but nicely comfortable ride.

That's the sort of characteristics one hopes to get from a decent steel frame.

my only thought is that the cassette looks remarkably clean/unused - either the bike was put in the loft without being ridden/gears changed or it is a replacement ?

My '85 Raleigh Royal had a remarkably clean original-spec chainset, like the bike had never been used enough to get it really scratched and grimy. The fact that it also still wears the correct factory-fit Michelin Club Tour tyres after over 35 years makes me think it hadn't done very many miles, and mechanically it's not like riding a bag of spanners but runs very quiet and smooth. I reckon a surprising number of bikes, even quality tourers, don't actually see much use after purchase. I have other similarly unworn machines around 30 years old, you might expect to be clapped-out wrecks but are like new bikes.

 

[josepih]

Here we are, collected it on Friday evening. Gave it a spruce up earlier and took it out for a test ride. Rides very nicely - mechanically all perfect and goes like the wind. Going to raise the levers a little bit for comfort but other than that all is good. The paint is a little bit odd, not sure if it was stored in one position for years and so the sun has maybe bleached one side of bike but it seems to be more coppery on one side and then more of a maroon on the other. Difficult to say for sure. Here are some pictures inc serial number (049323) if anyone can give me some info on what year it corresponds to?

 

[midlife]

Very smart, be careful raising the stem as there might not be much left in the frame, there may be an insertion line marked

For info posting pics and numbers on this thread might help.

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=362572

 

[josepih]

Looking at the google drive - I would say the bike is from early 1983?

 

[Drago]

That rear mech is an M291 RD, c.1992-1994. Its possible the bike is that late, although id have put it in the first half of the 80's myself. The seat stem is non original so its possible the mech has been swapped out as well,

CB and Holdsworth frames can be diffiult to date from the early to mid 80's onwards, lack of info and frames seemingly hanging about in stock for years after manufacture. I'd pull put the stem and check for a date code, and also check the rear of the cranks for a date code, and ditto the brake calipers. Those all look like they're probably original so are likely your best be for establishing when the bike was assembled.

 

[rogerzilla]

I have the frame for one of these in the loft. It turned out to be full of lead filling massive dents in the tubes (under the factory paint - goodness knows what was going on at Holdsworth). The powdercoaters rejected it as the lead would melt. They stuck it into the oven bare to prove the point, and it did indeed run.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

The style of the Reynolds 531 stickers suggest the frame fabrication is no younger than 1989, although that doesn't prove it was immediately assembled. The gear cable guides being steel and routed above not below the BB also suggest it is not a relatively recent frame. @Drago is probably on the money as regards it's likely age, even if the frame gathered dust before being sold as a complete bike.

 

[josepih]

Cool thanks for the info!

Anyone got any theories about the different colours from one side to another - you can kind of see it in the pictures. My theory is sun bleaching - likely or unlikely?

 

[Drago]

Very likely. Reds and greens particularly prone to it, as they used to to require chemical stabilisers to prevent fade and they were quite expensive.

 

[josepih]

Interesting! thanks for that

 

[Moon bunny]

Cool thanks for the info!

Anyone got any theories about the different colours from one side to another - you can kind of see it in the pictures. My theory is sun bleaching - likely or unlikely?

Very likely, the red pigment captures the short wavelength blue to ultra-violet light which is high energy and destroys the pigment molecules.