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In 1969 this was the rather drab looking shop front in Lower Richmond Road Putney London SW15, nevertheless the business was good and many models were available to choose from.  Many a clubman chose W F Holdsworth as their first real hand built bike, and once the bug had been established they like I would go on to purchase frame after frame, or a complete bike to a specific Specification.  In these days in my opinion one could have a super bike, and as for components it was far easier than according to today, to choose according to one's pocket, rather than blasted with online masses all bidding that their components are better.






Here is Roy Thame setting up his stock outside the shop, just three years after yet another purchase from him. He ran a book for me as I could not afford but was desperate to own their bikes. I have had a Super Mistral and a Mistral, and a second hand La Quelda and finally a new Cyclone, followed by A Cyclone De Luxe. The latter was equipped with a Campagnolo Record, front and rear derailleur gears, Campagnolo skewers, levers, ends, pedals, and Record low Flange Hubs. Wheels were Weinmann alloy and a Regina drilled Block. Bless Roy for giving me so much advice over the years and helping me achieve financially my dreams.





The W F Holdsworth shop at 132 Lower Richmond Road Putney London SW 15 in the late 70's. The window at the side contained rows of frames for sale, and a number were in etch primer awaiting a clients specification. The cellar below which was accessed from the blue door a little further along and this was the way to get to Jack who was the resident repairs man and a very good friend. Jack's main tool was a mighty hammer and he regularly would say 'This will fix anything'. In the floor above, Jack, was a small frame building unit turning out a few freshly painted frames for stock for the shop. Always a cup of tea, always a chat regardless of making a small purchase, some tape or maybe some blocks, nothing was too much trouble.






Roy adding the final touch to lining up his offers of the day and going back in time I guess I would have had two very quickly. At this period there would have been a Mistral or two, And Cyclone's and maybe a Cyclone De Luxe. Very often one could find a classy second hand in perfect condition, and at well under the going price at the time. Life can be quite cruel at times when I think back I should have bought a couple and kept them until business etc was finished and then back to bikes, still who can forecast life.






The Ashlone cycle works was taken over by W F Holdsworth in the mid 1920's and trading began in 1926 and whilst they had a few other outlets this was my favourite as the personalities were at Richmond Road Putney London. Much later as the cutting illustrates Owen Bryars shop was taken over by Holdsworth which provided a handy location being nearly opposite to the main shop. When Holdsworth took over Freddie Grubb Bikes I recall seeing one or two being wheeled across the road from this new shop. Who remembers the Chater Lea hubs or Harden Lightweight hubs not to mention the famous British Hub Company, Airlite large Flange Hubs, and Stronglite Double and triple chain wheels.





The famous Prancing Horse head tube badge was introduced to their frames from circa 1955,   and  became a decal in circa 1975. During this period there were many slight variations to both colours and the mane of the Prancing Horse. Initially stamped in brass, this soon changed as  the years passed. Still the head badge of a W F Holdsworth bike ensured that one was buying a very fine frame that would provide many years of both pleasure and total reliability.


Here is a Black and White Of Roy Thame and judging from the shop front it was taken during the early 1980's and shortly afterwards Roy started his own business producing the the well known 'Roy Thame' frames and complete bikes very much on the W F Holdsworth pattern but Roy seemed to favour the 72 degree 73 degree Frame as against the 72 degree Parallel frame. They were nice frames but it was hard developing the business after so long with W F.






John was simply a great guy and always had a smile as he maintained the stock. Often I would  simply call in making no purchase like many others just to say 'Hi' and out came the tea, and then followed a chat and some new components were suddenly popped on the counter. I well remember a Suntour rear derailleur, and the suggestion was that it was superior to the very early Campagnolo record. He must have been right as I still have a Suntour running like a dream to this very day.Carson tyre savers were all the rage, Simplex and Huret were good for a while and Bluemels featherweight mud guards. Today the number and variation of components seem as if cycling is all about them and the past has been forgotten.






The famous little book that was crammed full of goodies for all cyclists, CTC, or a Union man there were gears brakes and so on, just about every component of the era to tempt you and make you think, so planting a desire for something and as in all things 'Bicycling' you must need this if you have that. I used to spend hours going throughout every section, and even saving one part for another day. To try to name what was inside this little book would be nearly impossible as so many of the manufacturers have gone with history. Who has heard of Chossy, and what did they make?






This is an early shot of the shop front, but regardless inside were some early frames of this superb marque. Roy was at the shop at this time, and the shop can be seen to be in the lighter blue colour, 'Cycle Sport' above the window and under the main sign has long gone, and the darker blue in the two panes was to be the shop colour two or three years later.





Published in the Cycling Magazine on November the 9th 1934 was this most enticing article offering Plus Fours at 10 shillings and 6pence not to mention a complete Tornado Bicycle for 10 pounds and ten shillings and other goodies which indicate price structures in those far off days and they were making a handsome profit. Despite the other address's 132 Lower Richmond Road was the main shop and succeeded much later under Roy Thames's management in establishing the highly successful Holdsworth Professional Road Racing Team.







This is an unusual shot of the shop in that on the door it clearly says open, but the door is shut and normally there used to be a small section of an old fork jammed under the door. There are no bikes on display outside in front of the shop, on the broad paved areas. Perhaps it is a holiday or closed for the night as also I cannot see any lighting within the shop itself. All the bikes are stacked up in a fairly untidy manner, nearly against the window so I guess they are closed but someone forgot the open sign. It sure makes a fine picture of 132 Lower Richmond Road Putney  London SW 15.




The detail of the Holdsworth Campagnolo Professional Team complete with some fascinating detail on the standard specification, whig of course could be varied to suit.







Here we have only a part of the Holdsworth Campagnolo team at close quarters. Unfortunatley I have no information as to the precise location of this I presume is a road race. For those of you who prefer a more leisurely ride rather than chasing that white line for yet another fortune as I do now do try my Randonneur blog.  jeffdownes66.blogspot.co.uk





The highly successful 'Holdsworth Campagnolo Professional Team' initially used shop bikes that were built at the Putney shop by Reg Collard who turned out about three frames a week. Later the factory built Holdsworth Professional was based upon a Colnago set up with both 72/73, and 72 parallel frames, and for those that wanted one of these frames they were all built to specification. The team won many races from 1970 to I believe 1977. Randonneur blog.  jeffdownes66.blogspot.co.uk





Colin Lewis shows off the 1970 team colours which were based around the shop built bikes having a strong Orange and Blue colour with Holdsworth written in Helvetica set upon the blue which was applied to both the top tube as well as the down tube. The Blue and Orange of the riders jersey top had white rings with black shorts and each bikes rider had his name written on the top tube close to the head tube lug. What I call a proper cycling cap was worn also in the orange and blue. Instead models that were not team, had written 'Professional' on the top tube. Randonneur blog.  jeffdownes66.blogspot.co.uk.







By the middle eighties, the Japanese were turning out top level frames and equipment buoyed by an artificially weak yen. Goods priced in Sterling could no longer compete. Holdsworth added their own label equipment under the "Allez" brand made by SR-Sakae (the Allez name was shamelessly stolen by Specialized as Holdsworth had trademarked in the UK, but forgot to list it in USA). Raleigh continued to sell ever more bicycles built by Tano and Company in Japan which were clearly better quality and lower priced than bikes from Nottingham. But Holdsworth didn't. In fact, they abandoned their ancient three storey brick works in Putney for a brand new steel building at Oakfield Road. A slump in the bike business, a strong Sterling, cleaner lighter Japanese frames and way too large a staff building, with too many bikes proved Holdsworth's undoing.





I remember when the old light blue of the shop was retained and the darker blue was used in contrast but this to me is a dreadfully sad picture, and I am sure many others too, as the shop is closing after 87 years of trading first opened in 1927 by Willam Frank Holdsworth, but the business  as in this awful illustration shows a Sale Notice in the window and it is completely bare of the famous marque. Mike and Bob are standing upon this most upsetting occasion in front of a more recent bike. Surely the famous name can be re tended for future use as for any Holdsworth aficionado must feel the same as do I.


'Six cycle shops have been opened in the area
Two are Putney Cycles,then Halfords,
Sports Direct, Velosport and Cycle2 Station'










The Worthy head badge was used as early as 1955 and later was replaced by the stamped version and as one can see it is of flat aluminium in structure and is currently used when one can source one, as a decorative addition to the seat tube, usually clubmen would have it located  centrally on the middle contrast paint ring.




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