Members' bikes

[sg37409]

The Holdsworth is finally done, and it's a turquoise greyhound:

Very nice indeed

[rogerzilla]

First impressions, having taken it around the big block (it's going for a proper thrash later):

Two minor faults to correct: headset a teensy bit loose and one of the brake cable housings chatters against the stem on rough roads.  Not much!

Steering is quite slow - can be ridden no-hands easily enough - but it's a little floppy out of the saddle.

Doesn't feel heavy when accelerating.

The gears are just as slick as they should be. 

The brakes are extremely powerful, probably the best braking of any of my bikes.

The tyres are fast so it rolls well enough.

Hill test later.  The acid tests are going to be (a) whether the rear axle slips on the chrome dropouts  and (b) whether the rear brake rubs in climbs.  My other 50s frame has pencil stays and I need to open the rear brake QR, pro-style, before very steep climbs otherwise I can actually feel as well as hear the rear brake dragging - not what you want.

[Samuel D]

That’s a fun-looking build. I like the pragmatic approach despite working with a 1951 frame that might be collectible, although I think I would have drawn the line before the bottle mounts.

What are the tyres? They seem to have a raised centre ridge in the photos – not what I associate with fast tyres.

[rogerzilla]

Vredestein Fortezza TriComp Quattro.  I think they're dual compound.  They are very fast, but you have to be good at speedway-style cornering on wet roundabouts, which is why I don't commute on them any more 

The frame only cost £85; Holdsworths are common as muck and aren't worth much unless fully refurbed, which costs 5x the value of the frame.  Not in the same league as Hetchins. 

[Jurek]

Bar tape & paint match perfect.

[rogerzilla]

Lucky find.  Union "Sea Green" Shiny Tape.  I bought a few rolls!

[Samuel D]

How about bigger sprockets to reduce the chain tension and therefore axle-slip risk? (You’ve probably thought of this.)

[rogerzilla]

No axle slip but the rear end is like a wet noodle by modern standards.  I'm going to need to slacken the rear brake right off because it rubs terribly if I get out of the saddle and tries to stop me in my tracks.  The wheel is perfectly true but everything is flexing.

[Chris N]

40T N/W ring, 11-36 cassette and Shimano Zee clutch rear mech. 

I’ve only just noticed this. What is a “clutch” rear mech? Bike looks good. Proper mudguard coverage - are those as-is or have you added flaps?

Wot Torslanda said.  Though I chose it because it was the cheapest way of getting a reliable 1x drivetrain on the bike (cassette, mech, shifter and chain came to less than £100), it's a short cage mech that can handle a 36T big sprocket and it's interchangeable with the gears on my MTB.

Mudguards have extra flaps cut from thick damp proof membrane.  Both could be a little longer for even better coverage as the material is quite flexible.

[rogerzilla]

20170815_172239 by rogerzilla, on Flickr

The Fire Mountain.  Looks like crap (although the scuffs can't hide the elegance of the Joe Murray geometry), goes like a rocket.

[sojournermike]

20170815_172239 by rogerzilla, on Flickr

The Fire Mountain.  Looks like crap (although the scuffs can't hide the elegance of the Joe Murray geometry), goes like a rocket.

Nice, proper (traditional) XC position. Now you just need to singlespeed it

[Paul]

The Holdsworth is finally done, and it's a turquoise greyhound:

I don't mind the mixed parts: completely agree with your rationale, though I'd prefer low profile rims.

How long did it take to line the cranks up with the down tube while also getting the rear valve in place? Or did you maybe fit the chain after?

[Paul]

The Fire Mountain.  Looks like crap (although the scuffs can't hide the elegance of the Joe Murray geometry), goes like a rocket.

Very nice. I love the stem: great solution to the horrible down hanger.

Did you deliberately go for a straddle wire on the brakes instead of the arrangement ISTR on those brakes?

[rogerzilla]

It came with that setup, although I fitted new cable inners, straddle and yoke.  The brakes are very good now.

20170815_172302 by rogerzilla, on Flickr

I've always liked the steel Velocity stems.

20170815_172250 by rogerzilla, on Flickr

Have just noticed the rear brake outer really needs shortening.

[rogerzilla]

The Holdsworth is finally done, and it's a turquoise greyhound:

I don't mind the mixed parts: completely agree with your rationale, though I'd prefer low profile rims.

How long did it take to line the cranks up with the down tube while also getting the rear valve in place? Or did you maybe fit the chain after?

It's not fixed.  It's a Sturmey-Archer AM hub: the "clubman" medium ratio version.  Gearing is about 54", 62" and 72".

[hatler]

It came with that setup, although I fitted new cable inners, straddle and yoke.  The brakes are very good now.

I set a straddle wire that low once, then the main cable failed, and the straddle caused mild panic as it engaged with the tyre's knobbly bits.

[rogerzilla]

That, allegedly, was one of the drivers behind V brakes.  But I've never had a cable fail on me.

[Paul]

I set a straddle wire that low once, then the main cable failed, and the straddle caused mild panic as it engaged with the tyre's knobbly bits.

I have heard of that but never heard it first hand. Nevertheless, it made me want mudguards under straddle wires.

That, allegedly, was one of the drivers behind V brakes. 

Shimano fixed this problem before V brakes. They replaced the straddle wire with a cable that ran straight to one canti, with another short cable running off that to the other canti.

V brakes were just a better braking system.

[Kim]

That, allegedly, was one of the drivers behind V brakes.  But I've never had a cable fail on me.

It's certainly the strongest argument for front reflectors that I've come across.

[TimO]

That, allegedly, was one of the drivers behind V brakes.  But I've never had a cable fail on me.

It's certainly the strongest argument for front reflectors that I've come across.

I've certainly seen it stated, that whilst you can remove the reflector, you shouldn't remove the support, since it's a cable catcher.  Mudguards can also function in this manner.

There are of course, designs meant to alleviate (or at least limit) that problem, like Shimano's link wire, but I think that generally the cantis need to be designed to accommodate this.

[Moose57]

not mine but could have been if I had £1400 to spare.



And this old Viking.

[Aidan]

Mine in full on LEL mode

[Ray 6701]

20170706_122413 by fungus73, on Flickr

My new Giant TCR advanced 
To replace my previous TCR that was nicked 

TCR by fungus73, on Flickr

[Deano]

Wow, totally cosmic

[LEE]

>>BIGGER<<

1959 (according to the Sturmey Archer date stamp) Raleigh Trent Tourist.
A bit of a project.

Project finished.  Had a really enjoyable time delving into the Sturmey Archer to replace some broken planet gears.  I love the  Cafe-Racer look personally.

Anyway, I'll wait for the sunshine, take it to a Cafe and hand it over to Ebay.  Ideally it needs a new 3-speed Shifter as the original is a bit "sticky".  If you like it make me an offer and come and collect it.

Chain-guard and Mudguards included.  Paint is really bad with rust-spots but I rubbed it down very lightly and Lacquered it as I'm not a fan of a complete resprays (although the frame would take one, internally all was good).

>>BIGGER<<





Here's the original Ebay ad.  I sold the saddlebag which paid for the entire renovation parts and most of the actual bike.