Splined seatpost.Who made the frame?

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joeegg

Regular
Location
Barnard Castle
A bit of a longshot but here goes.
My neighbour has just bought a steel framed bike,likely from the 80's,but its had a repaint so we can't identify the manufacturer.
However it has a seatpost that has splines machined into it and it is clamped by 2 steel wedges that sit behind the seat tube in a housing and squeezed together by a single bolt.I've never seen this before.
There is a tenuous link to a bike shop in South Shields run by the frame builder Norman Fay.
Any ideas ?
 

Sharky

Guru
Location
Kent
Photo?
 

lazybloke

Ginger biscuits and cheddar
Location
Leafy Surrey
Not splines but mine has some grooves milled into it, just for aesthetics or summat.
 

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joeegg

joeegg

Regular
Location
Barnard Castle
The wedges actually protrude internally inside the seat tube.When they are out,the seat post slides in and the wedges fit in to the grooves/splines from each side.A bolt holds the two wedges in.
There is no slit in the seat tube for a regular type of clamp.
 

biggs682

Itching to get back on my bike's
Location
Northamptonshire

Be nice to see some pictures of the frame in question
 
I am very confused, because that picture shows a standard SR Laprade seat pillar, which was a very popular budget model for those who couldn't afford Campagnolo or similar, in what was a completely standard seat clamp on quality steel frames. I don't completely understand your description of the wedges. What is different about this frame?
 

craigwend

Grimpeur des terrains plats
I am very confused, because that picture shows a standard SR Laprade seat pillar, which was a very popular budget model for those who couldn't afford Campagnolo or similar, in what was a completely standard seat clamp on quality steel frames. I don't completely understand your description of the wedges. What is different about this frame?

The photo is not the frame in question, another posters possible guess, as mentioned a few times photos of the actual frame and seat post would be 'most' helpful
 
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joeegg

joeegg

Regular
Location
Barnard Castle
The T W Holdsworth on the frame relates to an electrical shop in South Shields that also sold a few bike parts.The business was then taken over by Norman Fay who started building frames.
The groupset is Shimano 600 with a Cinelli bar and stem,mavic wheels with dura ace hubs.
The 2 wedges slot in each side of the housing behind the seat tube.They butt up to the grooves in the seat post internally and a bolt squeezes them into the groove.
 

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T4tomo

Legendary Member
The T W Holdsworth on the frame relates to an electrical shop in South Shields that also sold a few bike parts.The business was then taken over by Norman Fay who started building frames.
The groupset is Shimano 600 with a Cinelli bar and stem,mavic wheels with dura ace hubs.
The 2 wedges slot in each side of the housing behind the seat tube.They butt up to the grooves in the seat post internally and a bolt squeezes them into the groove.

maybe a photo that actually shows the wedges your trying to describe would help.....

My first thought is the frame isn't lugged so maybe not as old as its trying to be?
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Indeed. If that's as old as 1990 i'd be mighty surprised.

Lugless construction, the forks, the (rather pointless) seat post retaining/adjustment arrangement, rhe profile of the seat stay-seat tube junction...cant go by the finishing kit as its clearly been apart and repainted and who knows what kit when back on it afterwards.

My gut call is in the 92-95ish age range.

Whatever, looks nice.
 
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