My 1974 Holdsworth Pro

Retroian

rBotM Winner
I bought the Holdsworth Pro frame in 1974 for £37 when it was originally finished in yellow. Not having much cash at the time, I built it up with lower end components - SR chainset, Triplex fron changer, Shimano Crane rear mech., weinman brakes, GB bars and stem, second hand mavic wheels etc. Raced it in 74, 75 & 76 seasons in road and TT events. This year I decided to update it by having it enamelled in team colours and re-equipping with the kit it should have been fitted if I had had the cash at the time. So, its now sports - Campag Record brakes, levers,pedals, Hubs, Nuovo Record Mechs, Cinelli bars & stem, Unicantor saddle, TTT seat post, Christophie Toe Clips. The rims are Halo Retro with Michlin Dynamic Classic pressures (as they would have been referred to in 1974). It's a great, responsive and comfortable ride and not much heavier than my modern bikes. Photos are here:
http://www.fyfieldbridgeclub.org.uk/page25.html
 
Quality :D

I don't remember a yellow Professional though, IIRC They were all the trademark orange / blue with chrome as per Les West's machine :)

£37 seems like a bargain LOL


Shaun
 
You're right Midlife, most Pro's were sold in team colours but were available to your own colour scheme on request as per the adverts at that time. I bought the frame from Omega Cycles in Basildon. It was the only one in the shop and happened to be yellow and the right size. At the time I was torn between the Pro and a Rory O'Brien frame but settled on the Pro because it was a few pounds cheaper.
 
Retroian said:
You're right Midlife, most Pro's were sold in team colours but were available to your own colour scheme on request as per the adverts at that time.quote]

Early team Pro's were green (I know one of the team mechanics from BITD), Orange came later and is the most often copied livery - bit like Raleighs in TI or Panasonic livery.

I have a soft spot for Holdsworth's - two owned from new - and I used to visit the factory in Penge occasionally.

And yes, any Holdsworth was available to order in any colour.

Roadking.
 
They are such lovely looking bikes - have you sent he one steaming along on ebay at the moment? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140658254025? ... 500wt_1202 Nothing makes me wish I'd come to old school bikes a few years earlier than the thought I could have picked up one of these for some insanely low price.
 
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Learn something new every day :)

Working in a bike shop in the 70's we only bought frames that would sell (essestially acting as a VAR) so we would only get them in the team colours.

The Raleigh Pro bikes we knew came in silver etc. but couldn't have a frame hanging about so we always had them in the team colours...

like Falcon blue :)

Which I why I should have twigged as my 70's Falcon San Remo Pro I ordered in pink as they would supply in any colour :)

Shaun
 
This is AMAZING! Shouldn't it have the white stripes on the top of the chainstays? Or is that just the new 'replicas'?

roadking":3l2q16gk said:
Early team Pro's were green

Never seen that before, can you get any pics? :D
 
titch__16":16f6t98c said:
This is AMAZING! Shouldn't it have the white stripes on the top of the chainstays? Or is that just the new 'replicas'?

roadking":16f6t98c said:
Early team Pro's were green

Never seen that before, can you get any pics? :D

From what I remember it was a pale-ish limey flamboyant green (with white and red contrasts?). This would have been in the earlier 'independent' category team days before full professionalism was forced upon us.

See here -

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nkilgariff/

Look under 'Pro Team' on the left side tool bar.
 
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