When it rains...
 

...it pours, right? I haven't been offered an interesting (to me) bike in my size in months. Then, inside a week, two intriguing frames have come my way. I've already posted about the first one, a very fetching Gazelle, so I won't belabor that point again. The other is this Holdsworth Professional (ca. 1981 if I'm accurate.)

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7276/7...8525c877_z.jpg

Not much to tell yet. This came to me as a frame/fork/HS. The surface shows plenty of "character" but I plan to do no more to the frame than inhibit rust: for the time being at least, this is not a restoration project. Instead, I plan to keep her as is and build up very simply and functionally. My initial thinking is to go with a 1 x 7 drive train, 700 x 25 tires with enough "guts" to leave the road and travel along the KATY Trail, stitched leather bar wrap and cross levers for cleanliness. I've got a Zeus Criterium RD that would fit the build well. This should be a light, simply, functional bike.

Lovely frame, no doubt.

Look forward to the build.

Was wondering though, does the frame have eyelets for fenders?

On the phone ATM, hard to tell.

Nope, no eyelets - and more's the shame: I do appreciate fenders. I seem to recall reading something specifically about the lack of eyelets on the Professional somewhere along the line.

What's occupying my mind at the moment is an appropriate single chainring/crankset for a 1 x 7 build. In the past I've cobbled together a couple of 1x drive trains, but I'd like to give this a little more attention.

My LBS owner has an '84 that I thought was a Professional. It has eyelets. Holdsworth made a LOT of frames and Professionals with or without eyelets wouldn't surprise me.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_yLjiECcyDI...0/DSCN3729.JPG

Well you know how it goes, Colonel. Someone, somewhere types in something and posts it to the internet and it immediately becomes "fact!" I think that same reference also indicated that 1981 was the only year the Professional came in that particular blue color. So if that is the case, you and I are probably just imagining that the 1984 model you've posted is the same color!

So is the lettering gone from the down tube on that bike? And I can't tell from the glare - does it have the scripted "Professional" on the top tube?

It's the original paint on the above Holdsworth, but it may not be a Professional. I just called the owner and he said he doesn't know which model it is.

Thanks for the info.

I was thinking and dreaming about one for my oldest son.

He has requested fenders for his next bicycle and it seems like a reasonable request.

Good luck with the build.

The best deals come when you have no money.
The bike you want becomes available after you settle on another.
"No bike wants you until you have one..." or something like that...

maybe that was women. I'm old, I get confused.

must be bikes. I've never had two intriguing "frames" come my way in a week with the other...
cruisers, maybe...
never mind....