I have acquired a Holdsworth Mistral frame. Nice looking 531 frame proper raked fork but what will it ride like. Is it worth doing up of should I just turn it into a bit of wall art.

I have a 1954 Holdsworth monsoon, it’s laterally stiff and vertically compliant and feels like riding a cloud made of Vanessa Feltz

Is that a good thing or a bad thing………

I’d say the weight of the frame is a reasonable guide, Salsa’s, Equilibriums etc are 2.2kg.

Might be flexier with smaller tubes, and the angles might make it a barge.

How will it ride? Surprisingly good as long as you don’t stomp on it – I recently serviced a 1940s bike for a friend, complete with headclip headset, solid seatstays and very slack angles – once I’d ditched the skinny, deep handlebars and skinny tyres for a pair of north roads and some fat rubber it rode like a dream.

Holdsworth Mistral’s are lovely – as per dovebikers comment above, make sure the rubber isn’t too skinny and you’re not in a hurry, and it will be great…..well worth saving!

Post war classic. The Mistral, but maybe Vanessa as well 8)

Should ride lovely, size is more critical, and larger frame needed than modern equivalent, or what you would maybe expeft to ride. These older frames were designed for a relatively slammed stem. Typically narrower bars and flexing non ahead set up take getting used to.

Classic 1950s and 1960s sports bikes have a lovely ride and friendly handling.

To replicate that these days you have to spend a bomb for a custom frame.

Ideal bike for big mileages, but if you are a racer, modern lightweights allow you to use all your power. If you’re not a racer, you’ll not notice the difference.

This thread is useless without… actually hold that.

Edit – far too slow