What is this and is it worth restoring?
 

So, here is a challenge! The seller’s photos are pretty bad, but what I can tell from them is;

Repainted frame with wraparound seat stays and simple long pointed lugs.
Is fork original?
Campy Nuovo Record crank, FD, bent shifters, hubs?
Ambrosio “Champion Del Mondo” stem and bars
Universal Super 68 brake levers and calipers
non-original Shimano Crane RD
Regida rims
Brooks or Ideale saddle in rough shape.

What is it? Is it worth buying and restoring as is or part it out?

Thanks!!

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...55041f11c.jpeg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...2b2ac4ef7.jpeg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d6ad2bdc1.jpeg
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...91ca4aeb6.jpeg

Generally speaking, seat stay finishing with a wrapover is not a low end frame. Lack of bottle cage bosses puts it in the 70s? as does the stem. If you were in the UK I'd say Holdsworth/Carlton/various others. I'd go for it.

With a Davis style sloping fork crown and full wrap around seat stays (not to mention the long point lugs) it’s clearly a high end bike. It’s tough to tell but I’m wondering if that fork crown is chromed under the paint. No harm in lightly scraping away this paint to find the original color either. If you find out what it is it’ll be worth restoring. Can you find a serial number on it?

Yes - it looks British.

Is it worth buying and restoring? YES!! I wish I found it and it's a good frame size too. I'd guess at early to mid 70's too?

Nice bike, definitely worth restoring. If you keep this kind of bike, it will outlive you. If you restore it yourself and sell it, you will never get your money back. If on the other hand you get it done professionally and sell it , it will be the worst investment you ever make.
Suck it up and welcome to C & V!

Early 70's Holdsworth?
 

Has all the hallmarks of an early 1970's Holdsworth except for the head tube lugs. Maybe not a Professional but rear the top.

Wrap over seat stays

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...809a52493e.jpg

Holdsworth used the Prugnat S style lugs on a lot of frames.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b656f16206.jpg

They also used these style lugs on some of their lower priced models.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3f5b76cc67.jpg

During the bike boom, builders used what they could get, especially lugs and fork crowns so who knows.

It's definitely a good quality Brit frame from the early to mid 70's. Very much worth restoring.

1 question and 1 comment:

Does the bike fit you. If the frame is too big or too small pass it on.

Next, get the bike in riding condition with new cables and housing, brake pads and tires. Take it out and ride it for a while then decide whether it's a keeper and worth putting time and money into.

verktyg :50:

If it fits and it's not north of $200, buy it first and ask questions later. Agree with everyone above that it has all the hallmarks of a UK build.
[MENTION=61614]verktyg[/MENTION], did you happen to notice the subtle curve on the rear brake bridge? Do you know if any Holdworths carried this detail?

-Kurt

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whilst clearly a Holdsworthy product it may have been badged as C. Butler, Harding, Grubb or any of of number of contract done badges


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1973 W. F. Holdworth Competizone
 

My 1973 W.F. Holdsworth Competizone has a curved rear brake bridge,

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...507039f901.jpg

The eBay seller listed the bike as a 1973 Holdsworth Professional and wrote 3 pages of vainglorious BS claiming that's what it was. I knew it wasn't a Pro but I bought it anyway figuring that if I didn't like the bike I could part it out.

Original eBay picture

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...f7d4eb3367.jpg

After much research, I concluded that it's most likely a 1973 W.F. Holdsworth Competizone frame as pictured in their 1974 catalog but in orange and blue Team Kit.

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...3aaf49a6f9.jpg

The catalog says the frame was "Built with good quality tubing..." whatever that means. It's fairly clunky so I suspected that it may have been built with Reynolds 531 0.9mm straight gauge tubes. The seat post is 26.8mm diameter. WRONG!

Two years ago when I changed to 3/4" shorter shoes, I tried to lower the seatpost. It wouldn't go so I tried to run a reamer down the seat tube. It wouldn't go any further either.

That's when I discovered the seat tube was cheap seamed gas pipe tubing with about a 1.5mm wall thickness! :(

You can clearly see the seam in the poorly reamed seat tube. I re-reamed it a further 1" down now all is well.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a5a6cda8b3.jpg

The lug work and other cosmetics are on a par with other Holdsworth products but why would they waste the time and effort on a gas pipe frame (the forks and stays may be Reynolds or some other lighter gauge tubing than gas pipe).

Even though it weighs a ton, the bike rides and handles superbly.

verktyg :50:

Buy now, ask the rest of your questions later.

For what it's worth, the saddle is an Idéale. I'll guess a model 90.

Did you end up getting this one? Looks like a 60's 151 BCD Record crank, and FD with cable stop. A worthy bunch of components, if nothing else.
-J

+1 with Charles, it's a Holdsworth and probably an early 1970s Professional. I hope you bought it. Holdsworth Professional