A Gem by W. F. Holdsworth, 1964 — a Road Test in Cycling of the Campagnolo-Equipped Holdsworth, with the Specification

A road test from Cycling, page 5, 19 February 1964: “A Gem by W. F. Holdsworth”, a Campagnolo-equipped frame, with a specification box.

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‘CLING, February 19, 1964
5
[Added in black bold type across the top of the scan: “This was Mike Shea’s lime green 1964 team bike”.]
A GEM BY
W. F. HOLDSWORTH
NEVER before have I encountered a strange bicycle and been able to say that everything from the frame to the handlebar tape is almost exactly as I would have chosen it for myself. Never, that is, until I received a sample machine from W. F. Holdsworth, of 132 Lower Richmond Road, London, S.W.15. Their own hand-built frame had been combined with a selection of the best in British and Continental accessories to produce a road racing “iron” fit for a champion–and for someone with around £90 to spend, for that is what the frame and accessories add up to, although Holdsworth’s do not supply the complete machine.
Building up this machine yourself you would probably start with the frame. This particular version, a Campagnolo Italia Strada Speciallissimo, had 73 degree head and seat angles and a 24in. frame. The Italian style lugs, by Prugnat, were long and slender with the bottom bracket cluster being specially reinforced to reduce whip. Holdsworth’s own seat lug had a neat Allen key arrangement for securing the seat pin, while the forged integral fork crown featured internal liners for a pair of really sturdy forks.
The relatively steep head and seat angles made for a “lively” mount which made “hands off” riding a little tricky until one really mastered it–not that I make a habit of riding around the countryside in this manner! The colour scheme was bold and extremely effective with large “Holdsworth” lettering down the seat tube and the down tube. There was an extensive use of chromium plating on the forks and the rear triangle and on the head lugs which blended well with the flamboyant lime of the frame.
The rear brake cable was held in place with Campagnolo clips, but there was a brazed-on gear lever boss for the rear changer and an eye and stop arrangement was fitted to take care of the cable from the handlebar end changer for the front derailleur.
There was a zing in the tyres as soon as I got out on the open road, making the best of a day of glorious sunshine. Gear changing was silky smooth for the transmission was looked after by Campagnolo changers front and rear and a chainset by the same concern together with a Regina block. I have not had much experience of handlebar changers but the one fitted to this machine was very convenient for frequent changes of the chainrings up slight rises when a change on the rear sprockets was not really called for.
The Holdsworth-built wheels, large-flange Campag. Record hubs on Mavic rims, used ordinary rustless (cadmium plated) spokes which were tied and soldered. They maintain that this is the most successful combination since stainless steel spokes may break as this material is more brittle than the ordinary steel, and chromium plated ones are more difficult to tie and solder satisfactorily.
Attractive Route
Clean rims and a pair of G.B. Coureur ’66’ centre-pull brakes made stopping easy with just one finger, although with the front brake I had to be careful not to apply too much pressure as it was so efficient!
My longest outing on this machine was from the office to Henley-on-Thames and back home to Richmond–a round trip of about 75 miles. I have managed to get in a few more early season miles than last year and I felt in form
to give myself a hammering over this attractive route. But one disadvantage of having such a good bike is that when one is almost reduced to walking up that hill near home there is no excuse except one’s own unfitness. Fortunately I did not encounter many hills but those I did gave me an idea of the feel of the machine under these conditions.
The ⅜[?]in. seat stays and the reinforced bottom bracket seemed to do their part in reducing power loss up-hill both when “honking” and sitting back and twiddling. I did not mind using the new saddle, either, for the shape into which I have taken several years to induce my saddle had been done by Holdsworth’s in their “doctored” Brooks Campagnolo saddle, and quite painlessly, too. The steel G.B. ‘bars and forged alloy stem resisted all my attempts to induce whip in them. I liked the choice of twill tape but not the colour, white, which while smart at first soon took on a tired, grey look.
I shall be sorry to have to return this machine which was a dream to ride and a pleasure to look at. It is, of course, a pure racing machine and not fitted to take on club runs or a hostelling tour but in a road race or time trial it would outshine most others.
NIMROD
Specification
Frame: Campagnolo Italia Strada Speciallissimo. Size 24in. with 73° head and seat angles. Top tube 23in., rear triangle 17½in., bracket height 10⅜[?]in., fork rake 1⅛[?]in. Reynolds 531 double-butted throughout. Prugnat lugs with integral fork crown. Allen key seat pin fitting, ⅞[?]in. fully wrapped over seat stays. Long reinforced bottom bracket lugs.
Finish: Flamboyant lime green with white panels to head, seat and down tube. 12in. chromium front and rear ends, head lugs, top eyes and fork crown.
Wheels: Mavic Montlhery rims on Campagnolo Record large-flange hubs, double-butted spokes tied and soldered.
Tubulars: D’Allessandro orange Criterium, 8½oz.
Gear: Campagnolo Record front and rear gears. Handlebar control front.
Chainset: Campagnolo cotterless, 7in. cranks with 48/52 rings.
Transmission: Regina chain and five-speed block, 13/15/17/20/25. Gear range, 108-99-93-86-82-76-70-64-56-51.
Pedals: Campagnolo Road pattern.
Toe clips and straps: G.B. stainless steel, Allez Corsa red straps.
Headset: Campagnolo Road pattern.
Handlebars and stem: G.B. alloy Ventoux on G.B. 4in. alloy stem.
Brakes: Coureur ” 66 ” centre-pull with quick-release levers.
Seat pin: Campagnolo alloy.
Saddle: Brooks Competition specially shaped and fitted with large rivets.
Pump: Apex Campione with Campagnolo adaptor.
Tubular carrier: Quick-release Fulmine.
Tape: White Allex twill.
Bottle and cage: Campagnolo bottle in Vit carrier.
Price (frame only): £29 12s. 6d. with special finish and hand lettering. £26 5s. with standard Holdsworth transfers and £20 5s. with ordinary enamel finish. Specification as above. £90.
Weight: 24½lb.
Also available from W. F. Holdsworth, 138/140 Beckenham Road, Beckenham, Kent.
[A photograph of a complete drop-handlebar racing bicycle with a dark frame and lettering down the down tube, seen from the drive side, at the upper left beside the specification box.]