Hello Paul
I am one of those Brit's you refer to, who has a little knowledge of Holdsworths, although mainly 40's, 50's admittedly. However, I had a 1980/81 Holdsworth Professional in the mid 80's finished in Team Colours, plain Orange with blue lettering. From what I remember it was identical to your frame, including the standard seat clamp, sloping Prugnat fork crown and Campag 1010 drop-outs. Even down to the Porta Catina drillings on the drive-side drop-out for the 'sixth' gear/chain rest attachment.
The Holdsworth 'signature' wrap-over seat stays eyes were dropped in the 70's I believe, and certainly didn't have them on my frame of the 80's period. I've not seen them on post 70's frames to my knowledge. I might have some 70/80's literature in my 'archive'... I willl need to check on that.
So, in short, I believe your assumption on the marque and date of your frame to be correct.
Regards Derek Athey Honiton, Devon UK
On Wed, May 26, 2010 at 10:34 PM, Paul Bailey <live1poem@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi listers,
> This is my first entry on this list. I hope I make my entry without too
> many faux pas.
> I have read many posts to the list and I am look forward to many
> entertaining and informative interactions with you listers. Please pardon
> the lengthy post. Maybe I try to do too much at once.
>
> Rules and courtesy suggest I introduce myself. My name is Paul. I am a 53
> yr
> old craftsman from Northern California who likes to build bikes. So far my
> activities have included mostly building mtn bikes. Naturally, these have
> tended to be younger bikes by standards set here. But, in the interest of
> obscurity, they have been unusual in one way or many, ie: magnesium tubing,
> early attempts at suspension or use of new materials and designs. Many of
> these industry efforts will unlikely become classic designs that will be
> looked back upon 20-40 years hence and remembered as warmly as, say,
> chromed
> sloping fork crowns. More like, "it was an interesting idea, but was soon
> eclipsed by monocoque lay-up techniques or by hydro-forming". Oh,
> well...that's why I could afford to build them - the market doesn't
> recognize all our values, does it?
>
> Several years ago, I rebuilt one road bike of the very early 80's, a
> handsome Bertoni. Pretty much a dis-assembly - clean - lube - re-assembly
> job with new cables, bar wrap and saddle. Nothing too demanding or
> fundamental, but fun and very satisfying.
>
> *Now*, however, I'm in another kettle of fish and am held up by a rather
> big
> question. My next project has been waiting for me to decide what it is,
> exactly, that I have.
>
> I bought a frame & fork on ebay two years ago. Sold as a Holdsworth, it had
> a nasty silver rattle can finish. I wanted to build a single speed out of a
> classic road bike and "Holdsworth" sounded suitably "Brittish". What did I
> know?
> Diddly.
> I think I am lucky that the frame appears straight, the fork too, and it's
> original as the SNs match frame to fork.
>
> After 2 years of speculation and research, I have tentatively resolved that
> this frame is most likely an 81 Holdsworth Professional.
>
> Here are pics of the frame details I thought would be definitive:
>
>
> http://s563.photobucket.com/
>
> Why I believe it's a Holdsworth pro:
> > It had braze-ons appropriate to this general era, to wit, no lever
> bosses,
> but, a wedge on the dt for clamp-on shifter levers, 3 brake cable guides on
> the top tube, derailleur cable guides on either side of the bb and a
> chainstay housing stop. These last, I rashly ground off. Eventually, I came
> to appreciate the classic origins of this frame and have reversed my
> decision to ss it and wish to do a lite restoration to more or less
> original. I'll have these bits brazed on again.
> > Prugnat "long point" type S lugs, un-modified, chromed, or cut-out
> > Reynolds 531 stamped on the steerer
> > Campy 1010B drop outs - chromed but flaking
> > Chromed drive side chainstay
> > OLD = 100 / 120mm
> > Non-sloping fork crown
> > Keyed seat pin clamp bolt
> Details that seem to contradict my i.d.:
> < The seat stays are not the older traditional Holdsworth wrap-around type.
> < Fork appears to have been entirely chromed ?
> X I can't speak to the geometry, not sure how to measure...
>
> *****Most of the information below, I have gathered from Norman Kilgariff's
> voluminous pages and I am indebted to him and other contributors to his
> pages.
>
> > While traditionally, Holdsworth used cut-out lugs on the Professional
> models, in 81, Holdsworth reserved the cut out lugs for the Pro SL and
> Classic models. The standard Professional seemed to have the standard long
> point lugs - like mine.
> > According to the catalogs, few Holdsworth frames came with the 1010B
> drop-outs. The Pro, Pro SL, Classic, and Competition (others?).
> > Competition was 83 and later and had lever bosses on the dt.
>
> As I said, I have "tentatively resolved" the year and model, but I am far
> from categorically convinced. Please, if anyone knows about Holdsworths,
> especially of this era, any feedback would be much appreciated. Maybe
> there's a Brit, or other "Worthy" aficionado who could weigh in on this
> question.
>
> As a matter of curiosity;
> Is there a name for this style seat stay detail at the post clamp?
> Is the fork crown a Prugnat bit?
>
> I will paint this frame appropriately once I am certain of it's model and
> year. Frankly, I am rather partial to pearl white - it just so happens
> that it's the only color choice for an 81 Pro. Lucky, then, if that's what
> I
> have. If it aint what I have, I'm going to have to change my design
> ideas....
>
> Thanks in advance for any help.
>
> Paul E Bailey
> Richmond, CA, USA