Stuart Frame - Is it a Holdsworth?

Dancjwood · Jun 23, 2016

I have acquired this frameset by Stuart Lightweight Cycles; I have found information online at classic lightweights regarding Stuart Purves but that appears to be for frames made in the 50's. This is clearly much later and far less ornate; the address on the headbadge is different to the Purves era but in the same part of London so I'm assuming it's the same company.

It's a nicely built frame and I'm going to build it up, it takes 27 x 1 1/4 wheels, has Campagnolo dropouts and lovely curved tops on the stays.

Can anyone give me any information about the later era of Stuart Lightweight Cycles?

Also does anyone have any idea what modolo texted is? There wasn't a single Modolo component on it.

roadking · Jun 24, 2016

Re:

Not a Stuart Purves and certainly a trade frame.

Jon.

Dancjwood · Jun 24, 2016

Re:

Any idea about the company post Purves?

roadking · Jun 24, 2016

Re: Re:

Dancjwood":3ass83c5 said:
Any idea about the company post Purves?

There's no relationship between your frame and Stuart Purves; therefore no post Purves.

Jon.

Dancjwood · Jun 24, 2016

Re:

Strange then that the address on the badge is a mere 1.6 miles from the streatham hill address where his workshop was and that it's the same company name.

It must be a coincidence, there's no chance he sold it or passed it on.

roadking · Jun 25, 2016

Re: Re:

Dancjwood":1gjt7skw said:
Strange then that the address on the badge is a mere 1.6 miles from the streatham hill address where his workshop was and that it's the same company name.

It must be a coincidence, there's no chance he sold it or passed it on.

I don't think it strange at all, there were bicycle shops everywhere in the 50s, 60s and 70s that either built frames or bought in frames from the trade (and their were many that supplied that trade) that they branded with their own shop name.

Jon.

torqueless · Jun 26, 2016

Re:

fwiw, I'm 98% certain that that frame is a mid '80s Holdsworth Special. Every lug and braze-on is identical to those on the one sitting in my shed right now... and the frame number is in exactly the same spot on the bracket shell.

Dancjwood · Jun 26, 2016

Ok, I've googled it; it does appear to be identical to an early 80's Holdsworth Special. I've retitled the post in case there are any Holdsworth aficionados reading it.

Did Holdsworth sell unbadged frames to other dealers or is it a repaint?

keithglos · Jun 26, 2016

Re:

The Holdsworthy Company were importers, wholesalers and trade suppliers. Apart from the well known names they owned they supplied frames to traders for own transfers.
This looks to me to be one of theirs, I would place it no later than about 1970.

So quite likely a HOLDSWORTHY.

Keith

Midlife · Jun 26, 2016

Could be a rebadged "special" from Holdsworth, they made them as stock frames to sell either as Holdsworth / CB or for people to put their name on.

Lots of framebuilders kept their builders busy building stock frames in between building custom frames plus they employed people to build stock frames. The "special" moniker from Holdsworth encompassed a lot of frames as time went by.

Nice frame though

Shaun

Stuart Frame - Is it a Holdsworth?

Dancjwood

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