[CR]Holdsworth Mistral Touring Bike

(Example: Component Manufacturers:Chater-Lea)

Date: Mon, 08 May 2006 20:20:17 -0400
From: "Fredrick Yavorsky" <fred@twistcomm.com>
To: "classicrendezvous@bikelist.org" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Thread-Topic: Holdsworth Mistral Touring Bike
Thread-Index: AcZy/lksl5ug8t7xEdqQaQAKlafA+A==
Subject: [CR]Holdsworth Mistral Touring Bike

I recently purchased a neat older Holdsworth Mistral with the intention of setting it up for my wife to ride. Here are photos of the bike in it¹s current condition:

http://www.twistcomm.com/Bikes/HoldsworthMistral (Click on any thumbnail to sart a ³slideshow² of enlargements.)

The serial number is 43634. I can¹t find a registry or web list to date the frame. I¹m assuming that it¹s a frame built up into a nice tourer given the parts mix. 50cm frame, Reynolds 531. 40cm chainstays, 100cm whelbase. Paint is really nice with headbadge and most decals present. Campagnolo dropouts, headset. Almost matching Bluemel fenders. Cinelli bars and stem. Suntour ba r end shifters. Campagnolo deraileurs, Record front, Rally unit in rear. Universal 61 centerpulls with a ³brake booster² stiffener and Scott super pads. There¹s a neat cable hangar off the seatpost bolt that I¹ve never see n before (fuzzy image in photo 21) Brake hoods are very brittle and need replacing. Ideale 6 woman¹s saddle on a straight seat pin. Saddle has been tied at bottom. Wheels are 40 spoke Phil Wood hubs laced to Super Champion clincher rims. Specialized Turbo 27x1-1/4 tires. TA 167.5 cranks with 47-42-28 chainrings. Campagnolo pedals. Phil BB. 5-speed freewheel. Jim Blackburn front and rear racks. Looks like someone really took a lot of car e in thinking this one out. Condition seems really nice but I can tell that this has many miles on it given how worn the brake pads are.

I¹m thinking of changing some of the parts to make this a bit easier for my wife to master. She¹s used to her 1988 Specialized fat tire mountain bike and has recently worked up ro rides of 25 miles. I think if I intall a set of upright Nitto albatross or moustache bars and a Brooks B17 saddle, with some flat pedals this Holdworth may be just the thing for her next step to comfortable longer rides. (I¹d keep all the original parts of course!)

Wondering if anyone can date this by the serial number.

Thanks, Fred

**********************************
Fred Yavorsky
Jenkintown, PA
fred@twistcomm.com
http://twistcomm.com/FredBikes.html