Holdsworth - help confirming age

i agree Serial 9645 dates it to c. 1948 according to Dave scrimshaw's prediction table. Fits. It has stay cap eyes exactly as used on a Cyclone #9865 on Dave's list and similar to my 1951 Sirocco. 9865 also just makes it into late 1948 but with fancier lugs normally associated with Cyclone. Agree with Keith the fork crown is typical of this period Holdsworth. Your 9645 has Ekla “continental” lugs used before war and into later 40’s and even early 50’s by other builders. Holdsworth did use Ekla lugs on La Variable and if memory serves me right perhaps some other models but I’m not aware on quick look of being used in 1948 by Holdsworth - until now. There is no '48 catalogue. According to1949 catalogue Holdsworth models appear to be limited to only Cyclone, C.Deluxe and LaQuelda. Have not seen evidence for other models around those couple years In Dave's list.

I think 9645 is an early Cyclone with “continental" (Ekla) lugs and not the spearpoint Holdsworth design we typically associate with the Cyclone.

EUREKA!: If you look at top of 1949 catalogue description of "Cyclone" road and track frames (attached) they indeed describe the Cyclone being built with either "Holdsworth's own style or with continental lugs” which at this time likely meant Ekla. We have it. In my mind yours must be a c.1948 Cyclone.

See description of Ekla lugs:
http://www.classiclightweights.co.uk/co ... nents.html
 

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Genuinely interesting information - this is the bike: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vintage-hold ... SwmOBbx7D3

I’m definitely looking at a Holdsworth as the next project - I may go for a track bike as looking to get into track riding (outdoor Velodrome) and fancy turning up on on something of the vintage variety...
 
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