# Holdsworth Criterium



## Lpoolck (15 Dec 2013)

I picked this up for a grand sum of £10







Its a Holdsworth Criterium with 531 butted frame. I am going to restore it but make it into a singlespeed. Probably with a flip flop hub.

Started to strip it back and only issues I have so far is removing the crank - it looks like a square taper bb but my crank removal tool is not budging it - any ideas?











One other issue is there is a small dent in the downtube - I will try to push a pipe down the tube to push it out but for some reason the seat post wont come out - it moves around 2 inches up and down and then feels its catching on something. 






There is small section of rust around the bottom bracket (as seen above) and on rear dropouts - nothing major but will look to treat this and will respray the frame - either at the local car repair shop or rattle can. Probably go with the repair shop as to get a good finish with a rattle can is going to take a fair bit of time and I am wanting it finished for the summer.

Will probably also change the drops to bull bars. Although I am not sure as the drops are a nice quality and look.

I will regularly update the thread with progress if anyone is interested.


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## rbreid (15 Dec 2013)

Looks like Cranks have been fitted with grease on the interface, becomes a very efficient glue over the period of a few years. Always assemble square taper cranks spotlessly clean and dry. As to removal, insert remover outer fully and firmly, screw in inner hard then strike end with hammer, tighten inner again and repeat. Usually succesful.


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## Lpoolck (15 Dec 2013)

You are correct it it has a fair bit of grease in there. The grease in the wheel bearings was thick and viscous so @rbreid I will try your tip later today if I get time and report back. Thanks.


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## rbreid (15 Dec 2013)

If above does'nt work there is another method. Bit severe in the wrong hands though, so see how you get on. If unsuccesful will PM you the other way.


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## Lpoolck (15 Dec 2013)

managed to get the crankset off @rbreid I used your first method, but it still wasn't budging. I thought I was going to get defeated. Then I used the bar from my car jack (about 30inches long) as leverage on the 6mm allen key that went into the crank removal tool and I only just managed to get it off!!!

Next job is to get the fixed cup BB out - unfortunately I don't have the correct tools for that.


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## RecordAceFromNew (15 Dec 2013)

Lpoolck said:


> Next job is to get the fixed cup BB out - unfortunately I don't have the correct tools for that.



You might have (the nuts and bolts described work wonders). If not the whole lot costs under £2 from your local diy or b&q etc.


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## Lpoolck (16 Dec 2013)

Its the NDS that I am struggling with @RecordAceFromNew - the lock ring seems stuck on - though as stated I do not have the correct tool to get this off. Not sure which of the two park tools will get this off - appears to be around 43mm in diameter.






The seatpost appears to be locked in - it will move around 1 1/2 inches up and down freely and you can spin it around, then it appears the seat tube is catching on something and wont go up any higher - any ideas?






Appears the gear hardware are here to stay - how to people get around them when converting to a SS? Caps to cover them?


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## Fab Foodie (16 Dec 2013)

Stick the lock ring in a vice and turn the frame.
Sure there are widgets to cover the old gear lever brazings.
Can't help on the seat posts.
Those drop bars look pretty nasty.

Here's my thinking ... don't respray, just clean it up, and go over the rust with a greasy rag. It's probably superficial and cosmetic and it'll be fine. Then your frame will retain it's branding and full retro-ness. OK, it's not the most classic Holdsworth, but it's still of more interest than a spray-can frame. It'll ride nicely and one day you could go to Argos and have a proper refurb.


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## rbreid (16 Dec 2013)

Try easing the slot at the top of the seat tube open with a large bladed screwdriver.
The gear mounts can be unbrazed using a gas torch.
If the lock ring is seized then drift it round with a blunt cold chisel. Remember that it is a RH thread on non drive side ie anti clockwise to undo


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## biggs682 (16 Dec 2013)

+1 re cleaning up frame rather than respray .


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## RecordAceFromNew (16 Dec 2013)

Lpoolck said:


> Its the NDS that I am struggling with @RecordAceFromNew - the lock ring seems stuck on - though as stated I do not have the correct tool to get this off. Not sure which of the two park tools will get this off - appears to be around 43mm in diameter.



You did say the fixed cup - that is the adjustable cup. It looks like typical size so a typical C spanner should do it - hold spanner on the lockring ensuring it does not slip and a tap at the other end of the spanner with a hammer should loosen it.

I must say I don't like the look of that seatpost in the seat tube - it looks like a pea in the pod - unless it is just e.g. the aero section shown in the photo. If so gentle persuasion with a mallet on an old saddle, in the direction of the seatpost as much as possible, should do it.


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## Lpoolck (17 Dec 2013)

@Fab Foodie ill try the vice trick out thanks.

@rbreid tried that already with the screwdriver - no joy unfortunately
I'll have to find someone with a gas torch for the mounts as I dont have one personally - thanks for the advice.

@RecordAceFromNew tired the Mallet on the seat. Wasn't budging and didn't wish to hit it to hard in case the frame got damaged.

I agree the retro look would be the best option. but at this stage I am concerned with the rust and want to treat it. Some of the rust is occurring under the paint so you can't tell how bad it is.

Think if I do go ahead though it will be a powercoat or auto respray job.

Thanks for all your input and advice so far


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## Lpoolck (19 Dec 2013)

Little update, the wedge at the bottom of the handlebar stem was rusted stuck to the fork. That is why the handlebars were so low. Managed to free it lose and clean it up along with the inner tube of the fork so it won't happen again.

Managed to also understand what was going on with the seatpost. It is too big for the frame. Managed to pull about 2.5cm out before being drained of all power, will just keep doing it each night till it's out. Probably take me a week to ten days I imagine! Would love to meet the joker who hammered the seatpost in, idiot.

Thanks for reading


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## Lpoolck (20 Dec 2013)

Good news is that the seat post is out. The muppet who installed it also cut the post down massively so there was only around another 3cm to expose which I managed to remove tonight. Delighted.

The last two jobs before stripping the paint are to remove the gear lever mounts and to remove the pitted race on the fork.


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## Lpoolck (21 Dec 2013)

Managed to get the lock ring off today via the vice method that @Fab Foodie described - thanks. But the adjustable cup won't budge - I unfortunately do not have the required bolt/nuts/washers to try the trick that works on the fixed cup. I tried it in the vice after the lock ring but surprisingly the adjustable cup seems rock solid.

I may look to file two flats on it so I can fit a wrench on try that as I will just be throwing it away anyways - unless anyone else has got an idea?


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## Lpoolck (5 Jan 2014)

Anyone near Newcastle who has an oxy acc torch and wants to help me remove my brazed on gear mounts? Thanks.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (5 Jan 2014)

Lpoolck said:


> Anyone near Newcastle who has an oxy acc torch and wants to help me remove my brazed on gear mounts? Thanks.


Hacksaw and file would do or if your lucky someone will have a dremmel.


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## rbreid (5 Jan 2014)

Lpoolck said:


> Anyone near Newcastle who has an oxy acc torch and wants to help me remove my brazed on gear mounts? Thanks.


Whoa....steady! Way too hot. Just use a gas aerosol type blowtorch. Even the small chefs ones will do. Screw a long screw into the mount, grip with long handled grips and apply a twisting motion as you apply the heat to the mount


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## Lpoolck (5 Jan 2014)

rbreid said:


> Whoa....steady! Way too hot. Just use a gas aerosol type blowtorch. Even the small chefs ones will do. Screw a long screw into the mount, grip with long handled grips and apply a twisting motion as you apply the heat to the mount



The research I did stated that would not work and would need more heat. However I will take your word and buy a chef blowtorch. Thanks again for your help.


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## smokeysmoo (5 Jan 2014)

bromptonfb said:


> Hacksaw and file would do or if your lucky someone will have a dremmel.


^ this. I removed all braze ons on and old Peugeot frame with my Dremmel, worked a treat.


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## Lpoolck (5 Jan 2014)

@bromptonfb @smokeysmoo 
I also read that this was an option to use a hacksaw and/or Dremmel. However I would be worried that I would catch the frame due to the precise work it would need. That being said if the torch does not work I will go down this option.


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## smokeysmoo (5 Jan 2014)

Lpoolck said:


> @bromptonfb @smokeysmoo
> I also read that this was an option to use a hacksaw and/or Dremmel. However I would be worried that I would catch the frame due to the precise work it would need. That being said if the torch does not work I will go down this option.


The beauty of a Dremmel is you can be very precise. You can adjust the speed and fit different attachments to it. I wouldn't attempt to restore a bike without mine TBH.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (5 Jan 2014)

I wouldn't even try with the torch, I'd be too worried about normalisation of the steel or even buckling if it has any stresses from the original build but I'm not an expert on bike building at all.

Personally I'd hacksaw somewhere near and then file or dremmel, smokey says he's done it already so he'll know more than me.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (5 Jan 2014)

Beat me to it...


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## 4F (6 Jan 2014)

Hacksaw and file, worked for me.


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## Lpoolck (6 Jan 2014)

I will look into the dremel / junior hacksaw route more before deciding what to do due to the amount of people who have went down this route and got good results.


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