Original Shop Frame Building
Up until 1935 Holdsworth frames were made at 132 Lower Richmond Rd, The Shop, in sheads at the rear of the premises. Frame production then moved to the new factory in Quill Lane, Putney. Frames and bikes advertised below and any thing in the 1934 Catalogue would have been made at The Shop. The bikes listed in the 1936 Catalogue are diffierent in a number of way to those in 1934 reflecting how the company was now developing into a volume manufacture of cycles.
Shop Frame Building Returns
The range of bikes and factory output grew and developed over time to a point where the factory could no longer make bespoke frames for customers. As the shops were still asking for ‘Special Builds‘ an ex-Factory frame builder, Reg Collard, was employed at ‘The Shop‘ in Lower Richmond Road to build these requests using a batch of frame numbers issued by the factory. The designs were based on the Italian Colnago frames, who themselves had just started up, and were of very high standard” (RT)
“Reg’s output was 2 – 3 per week. He was often hindered in his work by customers who wanted to see their frame being built” (RT). Demand was high so delivery was typically 3 months, until 1964 at least.
They also made factory models with shop modifications to customer Requirments as seen in this 1958 Zephyr which is a ‘Shop Built‘ Factory Special. Note non-std. shop modifications: Full wrap-over seat stay, integral seat bolt and threaded rear brake bridge.
“When Roy Thame approached me to set up a custom build workshop at 132, I jumped at the opportunity. We had to get all the jigs etc. built by a local toolmaker. With these and cylinders of oxyacetylene and oxygen, we were in business. We already had a long list of orders. Soon after the first frame was completed we had a visit from Sandy and Mrs H. Great excitement! Orders came flooding and very soon there was around three months waiting list for a new frame. I was building mainly road frames plus track frames, which doubled up as time trial bikes, most people raced TTs. on fixed wheel until the mid sixties. We also produced a limited number of touring frames, with brazed on fittings for custom-built carriers and various other accessories”. (RC)
Shop Built Italia Range
In 1965 building on the success of the ‘Special Builds‘ the shop started its own range of bikes known as the Italia range. By 1967 this was the Campagnolo Italia range consisting of the Italia, Strada, Pista, Cronometro, and the Professional. The Competizione was added later to this range, see below.
From 1974 Roy Thame the shop manager started badging frames under his own name and in 1975 all frames built by the shop were Roy Thame’s. These framesets & bikes carried on with the same names as before and also seem to include some of the factory design models.
Later the the Roy Thame frames became the Shop sold Championissiom range.
Roy kept selling frames like these for some time into and beyond the 1980’s. The shop finally closed in 2013.
Model Recognition Table – This is just a sumary, for full details see catalogues.
| Frame Number System & Location (Repeated on fork Stearer Tube) | Shop Number System, 2D Yr. Code + 3 Seq. Digits on BB and repeated on Fork Steerer Tube |
| Frame Tubing (Seat Tube ID – mm) | Reynolds 531 DB (27.2) Reynolds Plain Gauge (26.8) Competizione |
| Frame Angles, Head/Seat, (deg) | Professional, Cronometro, Italia & Competizione 73/73 Strada 1967 72/72 or 73/73, 1974 73/73 Pista 1967 73/73, 1974 74/74 Italia Sprint 73/74 |
| Tube OD (Inch) – Top-Down-Seat | 1 – 1 1/8 – 1 1/8″ |
| Head Tube Lugs | Strada & Pista Prugnat S, D or I Type, Nevex Pro Alternative Cronometro Prugnat S or Welded Professional & Competizione Prugnat S Italia Prugnat S, D or I, Sprint Prugnat S     |
| Fork Crown | Strada & Italia 1967 Reinforced Italia Sloping, Semi-Sloping or Intergral. 1 3/4″ Rake, 1974 1 1/4″, 1969 Italia Sprint 1″ Rake Cronometro 1974 Semi-Sloping (UL Cut Away), 1 1/8″ Short Rake Pista 1967 Two Plate or Semi Sloping Italia (Track), 1″ Short Rake, Round Blades Professional Fully Sloping Competizione      |
| Head Set Type | 1″ Threaded |
| Seat Lug | Strada, Italia & Pista Prugnat Spear Point, Nervex Pro Alt. Professional, Cronometro, Italia Sprint & Competizione Prugnat Spear Point    |
| Seat Stay Attachment | Wrap Over, & Italia Sprint, Competizione Side of Seat Lugs    |
| Seat Stem Bolt | 1967 Integral Allen key or Nut & Bolt with Brake Cable Hanger Professional Intergral, Competizioneto & Italia Sprint Campag Bolt      |
| Bottom Bracket Lugs | Plain with Speciallissimo Options Strada & Cronometro, Neve Pro options for Strada & Pista    |
| Gear Cable Run, Over/Under BB | Over |
| Rear Stay Length (CBB – CDO) | Profesional 16 1/2″ Pista & Cronometro 1967 Short, 1974 16 1/4″ Strada & Italia 1965 17 1/2″, 1974 16 1/4″, 1969 Sprint 16 1/2″ Competizione Short |
| Wheel Base (Spindle to Spindle) | 1965 Strada/Italia 41 1/2″, 1969 Italia Sprint 39 1/2″ |
| Rear Dropouts (Front) | Campagnolo, With Eyes for Strada & Italia, Track ends for Sprints    |
| Rear Brake Bridge | Curved |
| Brake Bridge Boss – Recessed Bolt | No |
| BB Hight | 1967 10 1/2″ Strada 1967 10 1/2″ – 10 3/4″ Strada & Cronometro 1974 10 1/4″ Track 11″ |
| Wheel Size | 700C |
| Head Badge/Transfer | Badge |
| Decals & Name Plate | No |
| BB Cable Guides | Strada & Cronometro Double Stop & Under Professional & Competizione     |
| BB Oiler | No |
| Gear Change Lever Lugs | Strada & Cronometro only As Requested |
| Rear Stay Gear Cable Guides | Double Stop Where needed, Track N/A |
| TT Brake Cable Stops/Guides | Double Stop Strada & Italia  |
| Mudguard Stay Attachments | Eyes to Dropouts Strada & Italia |
| Bottle Holder Bosses | No |
| Colour | Any Enamel with Contrasting Panels & Lugs Lined Profestional Team Colours Competizione Post Office Red, Kingfisher Bule or Silver Lustre with contrasting Pannels |
| Chrome | Forks & 10″ Seat Stays on Request Not on Italia Sprint & Competizione |
| Comments | Two Ranges Italia & Competizione |