Holdsworth that's possibly not

[torqueless]

Re:

Looks like pretty tight geometry compared to most road frames of the Nervex lug era. Could be a track frame that has been converted to road ends? How wide is the rear end and BB shell? Any serial numbers on steerer or BB shell?

 

[Midlife]

People of my era (70's) still ordered frames with Nervex lugs as some people didn't like the clean / boring Italian style of lugs. No braze ons, long rear dropouts, nutted brakes..... 70's ?

 

[allenh]

Thanks Both

Well I guessed late 60's early 70's by the lugs and the cable stop on the drive side rear stay but who knows.

The bit that confuses me most is the Shimano ends, they don't look the correct period and I wouldn't expect to see them on a European frame, well certainly not one from before the 90's really and I would have guessed at mid to late 90's at that.

The frame angle brings back memories as I had a Columbus framed bike of similar geometry in the early 80's that was old then, no steering and peddling at the same time unless you wanted to connect your foot with the front wheel but a very quick and agile frame once you got your head round it.

Anyway I've had another look over this one and to answer the questions:

124mm measured between the inside of the rear dropouts.

Haven't checked the steerer yet but 487 stamped very deeply on the bottom bracket in small text and then facing the other way in larger font but not as deep the number 11.

Also it has two clamp stops, one for the levers and one for the cable clamp at the bottom bracket which are quite distinctive

Pictures below.

 

[torqueless]

Re:

Nervex lugs with fully sloping crown is something of a stylistic mismatch. Bearing in mind that I reckon the dropouts are a later addition anyway, that makes me suspect that the forks are not original to the frame. possibly the forks are Holdsworth? I don't think the frame is.

 

[allenh]

Re: Re:

Nervex lugs with fully sloping crown is something of a stylistic mismatch. Bearing in mind that I reckon the dropouts are a later addition anyway, that makes me suspect that the forks are not original to the frame. possibly the forks are Holdsworth? I don't think the frame is.

Agreed on the forks and lugs mismatch but I have seen similar before so I'm not discounting they are original and the chroming although polished a little up the forks and stays I suspect was only done for the ends and dropouts originally, there are traces of light blue on both if you look very closely.

I will have to take the forks out to see if there is anything to be learned from the steerer

 

[Ghastlyrabbitfat]

Re:

Re the three figure number stamped on the bottom bracket, I recently collected a frame from Bob Jackson that had a three figure "job number" stamped on the bottom bracket. Size of the numerals appears to be about the same as yours.

My frame had been in for a re-enamelling and does not have a serial number so they have to apply a local one to ensure there is a means of identification during the process. Steerer tube was similarly marked. Could be if your frame has been in for some "modding" at a builders, it was marked up during the process.

Cheers

 

[Peachy!]

I do like a good fact finding mission..... subscribed

 

[allenh]

I've still not found out any more history on this one although it was originally Holdsworth Mistral green so I'm going with it being of Holdworth lineage somewhere.

Anyway I built it back up using a set of 105 I had, I thought the yellow and blue 105 logo's suited it and as it's such a bitsa would make a nice retromod.

I got it out for a few miles today and it really does ride very nicely, that tight geometry does make for some very quick steering but I quite enjoyed it.

It's going to be stripped and re painted at some point and I haven't decided on colours yet but it will probably get built back up in pretty much this spec.

 

[fiveSixteenths]

That looks handsome.