Illaveago
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham,Wiltshire.
This is my Holdsworth Record. I bought this bike new in 1971 from Fred Baker Cycles in Bristol.
It is a bit strange that I ended up with this bike as I had originally planned to get a Carlton Kermesse in light blue and white, it turned out that the Kermesse was blue and yellow.
I had saved up several weeks wages. I was working as an apprentice in a garage . I thought it was time that I bought my own bike instead of borrowing my brother's Carlton Catalina.
So one Saturday afternoon we, my brother and friend set out to look for one , my brother was driving. Our local bike shop didn't have one so we started searching in Bath and eventually ended up in Bristol.
I can't remember much apart from them not having what I was looking for . The salesman or whoever he was wheeled out the Holdsworth for me to try . All thoughts of a Carlton went completely out of my head . I was taken by the colour scheme ! I must be like a Magpie when it comes to bright shiny things .
I can't remember what the chap was saying. I think I had switched off. Something about quick release wheels ! Shame that the chrome rims were a bit dull! Never mind! I hadn't listened to the fact that they were Fiamme alloy and had butted spokes, with Campagnolo QR hubs. The derailleur was Campagnol Record with 5 speed Regina sprockets, the cranks were steel chromed .I think something like 46 or 48 teeth. The brakes were Weinmann centre pulls and the levers were QR with rubber hoods. The frame was Reynolds 531 plain gauge and came with Weinmann stainless steel short mudguards. The saddle was a black leather Brooks BN5. The chap fitted the pedals and Christophe leather straps, I paid up, something like £78 and we loaded it into our car . I was a happy bunny!
Sadly I have neglected it a bit over the years. Being a teenager I soon had a crash on it . I was racing a chap from work in his car. He braked to turn left to go up a hill. I braked hard, went over the handlebars still clipped in and the bike slammed down after me . I had buckled the rear wheel. I took the wheel to a bike shop for repair but they lost it. I have replaced that with a non genuine one .
I have used the bike on and off to get me to and from work at times. For quite a few years it was suspended from the roof of my garage. The heat and moisture from the roof didn't do the saddle much good as I found out a couple of years ago when I took it for a test ride. I felt the nose of the saddle tip down and heard a tinkling noise on the ground . I reached forward to pull the saddle back up, but discovered that the leather had broken away. I picked up the pieces and have repaired most of it.
Today I thought It was time to dig my bike out again! It has been a while since I last rode it. It has a Brooks B17 saddle on at the moment . Well it took a while to get several bikes out before I could reach it . My anti theft device ! Make it B***dy difficult for anyone to get at them.
Well the bike needed a good clean and both tyres needed pumping up. I fitted a bell and set off.
The gearing is high! The chainset is a TA Specialites double clanger that I bought new in the 80's , there only seems to be a couple of teeth difference in each chain ring. At that time I thought the gearing was too low . Haven't times changed! I am more used to lower gearing now and pedalling faster.
The ride went well. The bike fits perfectly and rides nice and smoothly. I did my usual 12 miles.
I have given the bike bit of a clean and polish , some of the ally bits need a good going over. I think I will have to replace one of the tyres as the tread is breaking away.
It is a bit strange that I ended up with this bike as I had originally planned to get a Carlton Kermesse in light blue and white, it turned out that the Kermesse was blue and yellow.
I had saved up several weeks wages. I was working as an apprentice in a garage . I thought it was time that I bought my own bike instead of borrowing my brother's Carlton Catalina.
So one Saturday afternoon we, my brother and friend set out to look for one , my brother was driving. Our local bike shop didn't have one so we started searching in Bath and eventually ended up in Bristol.
I can't remember much apart from them not having what I was looking for . The salesman or whoever he was wheeled out the Holdsworth for me to try . All thoughts of a Carlton went completely out of my head . I was taken by the colour scheme ! I must be like a Magpie when it comes to bright shiny things .
I can't remember what the chap was saying. I think I had switched off. Something about quick release wheels ! Shame that the chrome rims were a bit dull! Never mind! I hadn't listened to the fact that they were Fiamme alloy and had butted spokes, with Campagnolo QR hubs. The derailleur was Campagnol Record with 5 speed Regina sprockets, the cranks were steel chromed .I think something like 46 or 48 teeth. The brakes were Weinmann centre pulls and the levers were QR with rubber hoods. The frame was Reynolds 531 plain gauge and came with Weinmann stainless steel short mudguards. The saddle was a black leather Brooks BN5. The chap fitted the pedals and Christophe leather straps, I paid up, something like £78 and we loaded it into our car . I was a happy bunny!
Sadly I have neglected it a bit over the years. Being a teenager I soon had a crash on it . I was racing a chap from work in his car. He braked to turn left to go up a hill. I braked hard, went over the handlebars still clipped in and the bike slammed down after me . I had buckled the rear wheel. I took the wheel to a bike shop for repair but they lost it. I have replaced that with a non genuine one .
I have used the bike on and off to get me to and from work at times. For quite a few years it was suspended from the roof of my garage. The heat and moisture from the roof didn't do the saddle much good as I found out a couple of years ago when I took it for a test ride. I felt the nose of the saddle tip down and heard a tinkling noise on the ground . I reached forward to pull the saddle back up, but discovered that the leather had broken away. I picked up the pieces and have repaired most of it.
Today I thought It was time to dig my bike out again! It has been a while since I last rode it. It has a Brooks B17 saddle on at the moment . Well it took a while to get several bikes out before I could reach it . My anti theft device ! Make it B***dy difficult for anyone to get at them.
Well the bike needed a good clean and both tyres needed pumping up. I fitted a bell and set off.
The gearing is high! The chainset is a TA Specialites double clanger that I bought new in the 80's , there only seems to be a couple of teeth difference in each chain ring. At that time I thought the gearing was too low . Haven't times changed! I am more used to lower gearing now and pedalling faster.
The ride went well. The bike fits perfectly and rides nice and smoothly. I did my usual 12 miles.
I have given the bike bit of a clean and polish , some of the ally bits need a good going over. I think I will have to replace one of the tyres as the tread is breaking away.
