Holdsworth Cyclocross

Re:

So, as we're in lockdown and the weather was sunny, I thought a little bit of an update is needed. There is no race season, either professional or amateur to distract me, so I thought an investigation into the frame was in order.

So I've begun stripping the paint to see if I can find anything further to confirm the likely originals of the frame.

Below is a general overview of the frame and fork

View of the front end, showing the crown race and Mafac Canti bosses.

The rear topeyes and seatpost cluster.

View of the seat tube, 27.2mm and what looks like the position of a previous braze on, to the front of existing one. Could this of been an error in the build or a sign of the frame being re purposed for cyclo cross?

View of the rear, showing the canti cable stop and the later type seatbolt clamp.

Lastly, the rear drop outs.


So, overall the frame and fork is all in really good condition. Taking the paint off shows no previous colours, just the primer and then the green metallic top coat, (this colour seems to be a standard Holdsworth colour at the time).

I think, if nothing else, I'm even happier to keep assume this is a shop built 1973 Cross Frame. The evidence of the braze on's to the top tube, there is another towards the front, looks like a change to provide better support to the outer brake cable. There are no other signs of braze anyway else, that isn't associated with a braze on of some sort.

Next thing to do in lock down is to go through the parts to fit to it, to work out what else I need.

Kristian

Nice... staying with the green?

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I don’t mind the green and it is a holdsworth colour from the period, but I may well follow the herd on this one and go for pumpkin orange! But I’m not 100% made up on this.

I’m going to spray this myself as a bit of a lockdown project and something bright would help lift things! Although there is the CB Cordon Bleu to repaint too as I’m not happy with the BRITISH Telecom yellow and metallic red!

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So, had some more time to strip the paint and its nearly there.






below, the matching frame and fork numbers. Is there any clues on there on the type used for shop frames?

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Having striped the paint I have noticed a couple of braze on areas that I can't identify what they are for.
Below is the inside of the fork blade. about 30mm below the braze on for the canti can be seen a small dot of braze only a couple of mm across. Could this be for a drain hole or similar? It is uniform on the inside of both blades.


Also, on the underside of the bottom bracket shell can be seen another dot of braze. Would the shell of been cast with this and then filled by the builder? Seems a little early for the external cable guide mount to of been fitted? Oiler hole maybe.


Still, bit more effort to get it finally ready for paint. Just now needing to source the paint for this one and take advantage of the weather!

Couple of other photo's

The Holdworth and the Claud together.


And just for fun, adding the bend Roberts to the photo. All 22.5" frames

Re: Re:

Kman":2jegoq2n said:

Oiler hole maybe.

Click to expand...

Oiler hole definitely...

Looks like it has had a loose fork crown race at some time

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I think you're right. Wouldn't be a surprise, as the frame was dedicated to cyclocross.