Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Modern technology disappoints, yet again


PC010414
Originally uploaded by bensondoc
Years ago, I renounced cycle computers, heart rate monitors and other digitalia as bearers of bad news.
Without them, you never have to know that you are slow, in the wrong heart rate zone, or down on power.

So why, when my prehistoric mechanical scales gave such satisfactory readings, did I decide to buy a digital scale?
Whereas in my older and happier analogue world my Ritchey Breakaway was a 19lb featherweight, in the cold light of digital day it weighs 9.54kg, a mere gnats whisker under 21lbs.

It is time to confess that all my earlier bragging was untrue, and that Oli's Hillbrick is the lighter by a sizeable margin.
Some uncharitable readers may opine that we should consider the combined weight of bike and rider, however it is style not weight that counts, but having seen Oli carving through the streets of Wellington on his Bianchi I know when I'm beaten.

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Ergopower reach adjustment

Until the new '09 model, Campagnolo Ergopower levers had too much reach for small hands.

Here, I put a dab of auto body filler, aka 'bog', in the lever stop notch to move the brake lever about a centimetre closer to the bars.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Mayhem Sessions Revisited



Keeping up appearances

Other projects and obligations have kept the Holdsworth Professional on the backburner lately, but in anticipation of it's eventual completion, I have bought the matching cap.

Monday, November 17, 2008

Warwick Dalton- The Lone Eagle

The Kennett Brothers new biography of Kiwi cycling legend Warwick Dalton will be launched 7pm next Tuesday at Avanti Plus, 25 Levene Place, Mt Wellington.

Click on the image for large size




Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Post K2 suffering

Today I am neck deep, and sinking, in the black hole of lethargy. Perky on Sunday, fairly jaunty Monday, flat yesterday.
Slept like a baby last night, and woke entirely unrefreshed.
I should be grateful, given that I finished K2 on Saturday unscathed, but it never ceases to surprise me how long it takes for fatigue to really set in.

Unlike my two attempts at K1 when I finished a gibbering mess, this ride went pretty well, thanks to the patience of Gaz & Kate who stuck to our simple, if subversive, plan to ride together and stop for lunch in Coromandel.
After struggling with the headwind between Kuaotuna and the Whangapoua hillclimb, we had a tailwind from Coromandel from Thames that provided some respite before we hit the final Kopu-Hikuai climb.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Tonsorial finetuning

This morning I shaved off my moustache, not in search of some aerodynamic margin, but because after 150kms of suffering this Saturday such a rampant walrus will contain a disgusting amalgam of snot, sweat and bugs.

Little else of my recent action has been so purposeful.
I wanted to do a long ride in the middle of last week, at the speed of a postman as Raphael Geminiani would say, but tiredness and bad worktime management put paid to that plan, so I contented myself with taking Friday off for an extra long weekend, which was dominated by further sloth:

Friday- didn't go to work. Rode into the city via Pt England, then retired to the shed.

Saturday- chores in the morning.
Nap in the afternoon.
Go to proposed fixie riding/beer drinking function on the bus.

Sunday- ride fixie in the rain with CTB.
Had Il Forno been open, we may have been content with doughnuts, but instead we ended up at the pub.

Monday- rise late.
Procrastinate until PM commitments have reduced possible ride time to about 2 hours.
Ride through the faux-Angeleno canyon subdivision atop Redoubt Rd, showing disapproval for the car dependent lifestyle by singing Neil Young's Revolution Blues on the way down the hill.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Crash Diet


PA190365a
Originally uploaded by bensondoc

When the pressure is on, everyone becomes a weight weenie, and after the savage pasting I got in the Waitakeres yesterday, I'm pleased that I have wisely invested in a pair of fancy wheels to assist me at K2.
Lacking the power to get any advantage from aero wheels, I opted for low weight and minimal rolling resistance.
I horsetraded a set of Campag Record 28 hole hubs from Wellington's Capital Cycles, and loaded my credit card with a pair of IRD Cadence rims. Spokes are Wheelsmith- 1.8mm doublebutted on the front & lefthand rear, 2.0 double butted at the driveside.
With Gran Bois Cerf 700 x 28 tyres, the wheels are 620g lighter than my everyday 36 spoke Mavic MA3/Campag Veloce/Gatorskin 28 wheelset, and reduce the weight of my Breakaway to sub-20lb.
Despite the possibility that my scales may be a few decades past their best, I choose to believe that the Ritchey, with a Brooks saddle and no carbon, is no heavier than Oli's 8.76kg/19.31lb Hillbrick.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

From Sunday's Retro Ride


PA120324
Originally uploaded by bensondoc

Frosty was in fine form, never got out of the 53 and kept up a constant stream of good natured banter, even when the Type-A carbon bike guys went to the front.
Furthermore, he brought more biscuits than we could eat.

More photos HERE

Friday, October 10, 2008

It is said that the young Tino Tabak pretended to be Anquetil, and back in the 80s I had a workmate who wanted be Sean Kelly.
I don't recall ever wanting to be so specifically someone else, but on the rare occasions I find myself striving in the drops for a semblance of speed, I'm reminded of this photo from the 1991 Bridgestone USA catalog.
I will never match Pineapple Bob's form and athleticism, but this catalog tipped me down the slippery slope on which I still slide.
It introduced me to 'Q factor', the beauty of wool jerseys, and to this quote, from mountaineer Doug Robinson, which still informs my semi-Luddite attitude to new technology:

"Technology is imposed on the land, but technique means conforming to the landscape. One forces a passage, while the other discovers it. The goal of developing technique is to conform to the most improbable landscape by means of the greatest degree of skill and boldness supported by the least equipment."

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

a break from our usual programming..

sometime nothing uplifts the spirit better than a good goddamned racket like this.
'Turn it up!' as Van Morrison used to say:

Monday, October 06, 2008

Jetset dilemna

This weekend, I wanted to be at Eroica in Tuscany, until I heard about Hardly Strictly Bluegrass in San Francisco.
Instead, I cranked out 110kms on Saturday, and spent yesterday in the shed, futzing with various projects, most notably Gayle's new Fixie Inc Peacemaker.

Friday, October 03, 2008

Zeus 2000 Centrepulls

To my mind, the second finest centrepull brake in history.

Though completely surplus to my requirements, I may have to build a bike to justify having bought them.


Thursday, October 02, 2008

Trademe mishap


PA020284
Originally uploaded by bensondoc

Darryl Parker was just fooling around on Trademe and accidentally bought this early 90s Colnago Master.
It's had a pretty hard life, with a welded-up righthand rear dropout, and mismatched Ergopowers, but its also got some zoot period kit, like the Cinelli Grammo titanium stem and Royce bottom bracket.

The titanium USE seatpost, though a period correct blingpiece, is an unforgiveable taste crime, so if you have something more suitable, like C-Record or Chorus aero post, please get in touch.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Rotorua K2 Training camp

P9130216

A few weeks ago I emailed the usual suspects:

"To maximise our performance at various forthcoming atletic ordeals, it is crucial that we hold a brutal training camp in Rotorua sometime in September. The plan is to ride, eat, watch cycling movies, eat more, and ride some more. "

We achieved most of these goals, except for brutality, though Chris Money, who was suffering from an excess of lung butter, may disagree.
After a late start on Saturday, we managed a circumnavigation of Late Rotorua, with a scenic detour into the hills from whence we could see the sea:

View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com

Sunday dawned fine, but with a nippy southwesterly to help build character.
Money made a gallant, Captain Oates-like, gesture and took his malfunctioning lungs for a short ride whilst Gaz, Vaughan and I headed into the hills:
View Interactive Map on MapMyRide.com


PHOTOS

Saturday, September 13, 2008

What could possibly go wrong?

In less than eight hours, Chris Money and Vaugan Yarwood will arrive to take me to Rotorua for a couple of days road riding with Gaz.
Normally, you would take your mountain bike, but some road mileage is called for as Gaz has decreed that, having piked on the Okoroire Mid-Winter Fun Ride, we must do K2 .
This makes even less sense than most of Gaz' utterances, and Money and Yarwood are treating it with the disdain it deserves, but I'm still hedging my bets in the hope of miraculously finding form or at least some endurance.

NZ Cyclocross champs

Another event that I attended but failed to blog about. Fortunately, there is a report and photos on Vorb, and a few of my photos HERE.

Of the JAFA contingent, Ron 'Nacho Libre' King laid waste to the field, Nick Te Boon was faster than his pie consumption should permit, CTB suffered and Chris Tuckey had the coolest bike

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Mayhem Sessions #4


P8270081
Originally uploaded by bensondoc
Words fail me, but I'll get some out later today.

More photos HERE

13/9/08- so I took two weeks holiday and let my brain go to mush, hence no Mayhem Sessions reportage from me.
Fortunately, all the news thats fit for the inteweb is over at Steady Rolling.

Monday, August 25, 2008

Roller Revenge

The Mayhem Sessions return to the WINCHESTER for the last time this year on Wednesday Night.
If you have been holding out, or if you have unfinished business from the previous rounds, you won't want to wake up on Thursday morning knowing that you have blown your chances for 2008.

There will be a return of the Girly Bits competition- after upstart Gayle Brownlee gave the field a decent thrashing last week, there must be a few women wanting a chance at revenge?

I predict a spectacular finale for the Fast Rolling Free for All, with Celebrity Economist Chris Tennent-Brown looking like a threat to young lycra-whippets Cull & Hailstone.

Race Schedule
7.00 Entry and scrutineering, entries close at 8.00 or when full
7.30 Fast Rolling Free For All
9.30 Super Elite Invitational Classic
10.00 Prize Giving

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Roller Mayhem #3

Mayhem reigned on and off stage last night, as an unruly coven of mouthy and partisan Fixie Hipster WAGs gave MC John Bridges a run for his money.

First up on the rollers, celebrity economist Chris Tennent-Brown opened the bidding with an 18.2 second effort that would have put him into last weeks final, before quitting the field in favour of dinner.
Not to be outdone by someone who was riding before he was born, Alex Cull cranked out a 17.5, sending himself to the semis along with Tony Wilkinson, a surprised and slightly terrified Darryll Parker, and shirtless Steady Rolling Crew wildman Teva Chonon.

In the semis Cull and Wilkinson despatched their opposition for an all-Cycle City final which Cull won handily.

Six women and a masked transvestite fronted for the Girly Bits competition, which saw the Mayhem Session's first ever deadheat as Rosie McCall and Kate Mullarkey reprised their annual rivalry at the Manukau Velodrome to post the second fastest qualifying time of 20.9.

The sublime Gayle Brownlee of Solo topped the standings with a 20.4, and Claire Routledge's 22.0 filled out the last 4.

Seeded together again in the semi, Rosie and Kate again made Mayhem Sessions history as McCall defeated Mullarkey in the Session's first ever photo finish. Gayle demolished Claire with a 19.9, then cranked out the same time to defeat Rosie in the final.

Justin Grace regained the SEIC trophy from Damian Wiseman, choosing to race rather than armwrestle, and set a new record of 16.0seconds.

Mayhem Session #4 will be back at the The WINCHESTER, 24 St. Benedicts Street from 7pm on Wednesday 27.

MORE PHOTOS

Monday, August 18, 2008

A message from Gayle:

In light of recent shenanigans (thoroughbred-thighed, bare-chested gladiators grunting and straining in the spotlight), we think it’s time something sexy was introduced to the Mayhem Sessions.

This Wednesday we’re adding a women’s section to the proceedings.

All of you beautiful women who have been quietly waiting for the right time to race are invited to get up and show the lads why svelte is better than sweat.

Come early for a spot of practice.

Entry is free for anyone who riding in stockings and a miniskirt.

Bring your own bike or borrow one on the night.

Prizes for the fastest and the hottest.

The WINCHESTER, 24 St. Benedicts Street from 7pm
As the Winchester is a licenced venue, this is an R18 event.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Roller Mayhem on Youtube

It would seems that 90% of all new content on the internet this week is about the Mayhem Sessions at the Winchester.
This morning Ron King alerted me to a couple of vids on Youtube, one of which deducts a few seconds more from my Warholian allocation.

Andy Williams vs Alex Cull. Nice save Andy!


Simon Bittle vs Yours Truly. Though we both managed to stay upright, our lack of speed is glaringly obvious.

Thursday, August 14, 2008

More Mayhem Sessions reportage..

.. and pictures over at Steady Rollin' and Sole Jam.

Roller Mayhem #2

Due to technical difficulties, last night's Elite Final was decided by an armwrestle between eventual victor Damien Wiseman and defending champ Justin Grace.
Wiseman went the hard way to the final, crashing off the rollers in his heat, but getting back into the competition in a reride against last week's Free for All winner Andy Williams.

In the Fast Rolling Free for All, trackie whippet Jono Hailstone saw off a strong challenge from Peat Alexander who was riding one of his own carbon fibre Zenyth frames.

Mayhem Session #3 will be back at the The WINCHESTER, 24 St. Benedicts Street from 7pm on Wednesday 20. There will be a womens competition, so get your fishnets out.

MORE PHOTOS

Monday, August 11, 2008

Further musings on Compulsive Bicycle Acquisition Disorder

I am wont to view as auspicious the rediscovery in my inventory of anything that seems especially compatible with my current project; and even to view such discoveries as a vindication of my enthusiasm, but this is self serving bunkum.
In truth, any CBAD sufferer with inherited magpie instincts will eventually reach the state of owning more junque than one can possibly use in a lifetime, with the happy result of always having to hand a few relevant widgets and knickknacks; and a more unhappy result for one's heirs whose task it will be to shovel away away the clutter on one's demise.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

"...like an old scuffer in stolen shoes"

This morning dawned crispy cold and fine, a total departure from the meteorological norms of the past few weeks.
I stayed abed until it was finally warm enough to sustain normal life, but such a fine day calls for an outing on a shiny new bike, and in the Roy Thame I had just the thing.
Furthermore my newly acquired Marresi shoes needed a tryout, so I kitted myself up, pumped up the Thame's tubulars and took myself for a lap of the ride known to Auckland's cycling community as 'the Shitponds'.

The Roy Thame is probably the twitchiest bike I have ever owned. The steep head angle and light frame combine to produce a mild shimmy if it is ridden one handed with a tight grip on the bar- loosen up and it goes away.
With 28 spoke tubulars it feels fast and buzzy, but I never got out of the small chainring, so the proof will have to wait for another day.
To my surprise, the narrow SR World Champion bars (only 38.5cm at the hoods) did not feel too bad. At the drops they measure 41cm c-c, but I didn't spend too much time there today.

Thursday, August 07, 2008

Holdsworth Professional


P1010026
Originally uploaded by bensondoc

An unexpected addition to the stable.
I traded this, plus a yet-unseen parts package, for my Condor Italia loaner.
Like CT-B's Holdsworth Italia it was built by Reg Collard for the F.W Holdsworth retail shop.
The lack of chrome and brazed on brake cable hanger suggest 1968 or 69.
Despite the italian influence that held sway at F.W Holdsworth, this frame is a laidback Luxo-Cruiser, with 103cm wheelbase and parallel 72.5 degree angles. It has a full set of braze-ons, including downtube guides & stops for bar end shifters.

I should point out that I don't have any secret knowledge about these frames- everything that I think I know comes from Norman Kilgariff's excelent Holdsworth website, especially the pages on the Holdsworth Campagnolo professional team, and the Holdsworth Professional.

Roller Mayhem #1

It is likely that the Winchester in St Benedict St has never seen such a diverse crowd as the bike couriers, fixie hipsters, tattoed scenesters, BMX outlaws, egomaniacs, roadies, trackies, masked strangers, Captains of Industry, media personalities, lesbians, economists, mechanics, appalled passers-by, drunkards and scandalized regulars who were there last night for the first round of the Mayhem Sessions roller racing season; and that even in its past days as a Masonic Lodge no weirder rituals were enacted there.

More Photos HERE

Mayhem Session #2 will be back at the The WINCHESTER, 24 St. Benedicts Street from 7pm on Wednesday 13.
On August 20th, there will be a womens competition, so get your fishnets out.

Saturday, August 02, 2008

P8020008
As I write, CT-B is no doubt parading his new Rapha Andy Hampsten Jersey around his batchelor quarters, and pining for a matching Pegoretti4Hampsten or a limited edition replica of Hampsten's 1988 Giro winning bike by Landshark.

Forgive us our trespasses


P8020005
Originally uploaded by bensondoc
Gaz and Money help themselves to a scenic shortcut during today's ride to Il Forno, where we solved many of the worlds ill and ate doughnuts.

The Way to Fame is on a ROY THAME Frame


From INTERNATIONAL CYCLE SPORT July 1977

Friday, August 01, 2008

Meet Roy


Rideable, but as yet unridden.
MORE PHOTOS on Flickr.

The final build is a bit different to my original plan:

Front derailler___________Suntour Superbe FD-1500
Rear derailler____________Superbe Pro RD-3100
Shiftlevers______________Suntour Superbe bandmount
Crankset________________Sugino Super Mighty 170mm, 50/42
Bottom bracket___________Sugino Super Mighty
Brakes_________________Gran Compe standard reach
Brake levers_____________Suntour Superbe CB-3200 with Olimpic hoods

Seatpost________________Suntour Superbe
Stem___________________SR Royal Extra Super Light 13.5cm
Handlebars_____________SR World Champion 41cm
Headset________________Tange Levin CD
Bar tape________________Cateye Shiny handlebar tape
Pedals_________________MKS Sylvan with Christophe aluminium toeclips


The wheels pictured are the 28h Fiamme tubulars that I built for the Broomies Wall ride. If Roy and I get along, I will build a set of Araya 20A clinchers on Superbe small flange hubs.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The Mayhem Sessions – Winter Roller Race Series

Two rollers Two racers One big black clock

Every Wednesday in August at The WINCHESTER, 24 St. Benedicts Street from 7pm
This is an R18 event, as the Winchester is a licence venue.

Entry on the night is $10 – we will race as many riders as time allows. First in first up.


Race Schedule
7.00 Entry and scrutineering, entries close at 8.00 or when full
7.30 Fast Rolling Free For All
9.30 Super Elite Invitational Classic
10.00 Prize Giving

Maximum gear: 96.4 inches (recommended ratios 53 x 15, 50 x 14, 46 x 13).
All bikes will be measured to a 7.499m roll out and have shifters taped.
Anyone caught cheating will be ridiculed and forced to buy a round of beer for all other racers on the night.
This is not a UCI sanctioned event and you will not be drug tested.
Riding in costume is encouraged with free entry for anyone who races in an authentic Mexican wrestling mask.
Submissions for the Super Elite Invitational Classic can be made on 300 5099 or by email to gayle@solocc.com


Market forces as a cure for CBAD

Despite a compelling financial, logistical and commonsense objections, I made an unsuccessful effort to acquire this WB Hurlow on ebay this morning.

This one is a late'70s racing frame (no mudguard eyelets) with similar seatstay treatment and lug cutouts to my Roy Thame.

The components, which look to be original, include a rare first generation Campagnolo Super Record rear derailler and fluted 2-bolt seatpost.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Washout

July 08
Friday's Breakfast Ride/Critical Mass double session was the highpoint of a weekend washed out by biblically foul weather.
Saturday dawned miserable, as forecast, so I headed for the shed to fettle the Roy Thame.

Lacking 5/32" balls for the Campagnolo Pista headset I wasted most of the morning cleaning up a Stronglight A9 before I realised that it's stack height is too high.
Mid-morning, the postie brought a pair of standard-reach Gran Compe brake calipers, which saved me from swapping my last pair of Superbe brakes off the fixed wheel Ritchey Breakaway.

The Superbe seatpost and SR Royal stem got some red paint applied to their flutes and cutaways, while the deraillers spent a morning in the tub of degreaser to soak off a the mung of three decades.
A detour to the component dating page of the Vintage Trek site suggests that my random assemblage of Superbe parts is from 1977-78, about the same vintage as the frame.
The band-mount shiftlevers are probably from the early 80s, and are not necessarily an indication of true progress unless you like complexity for its own sake.


Late Saturday afternoon I abandoned the idea of riding the Okoroire mid-Winter Fun Ride on Sunday. Torrential rain alone would not have kept me away- I rode in it last year and in 2005, but adding gale force winds to the mix seemed excessive.
Having ridden Okoroire the last six years, I guess I'll have to compensate somehow later this year.

With no ride to go to, I forged ahead with the Roy Thame on Sunday, installing a mix'n'match Sugino bottom bracket, followed up by all the other components bar the headset.
A pair of white NOS Olimpic lever hoods were wrestled onto a set of Superbe brake levers, and rummaging in a box of unsorted junk produced a brand new set of whiteCateye plastic bar tape, easily the most awful bar covering ever, but totally appropriate for a 1970s short distance TT weapon.
To maintain some colour coordination CT-B has promised a matching white Turbo saddle, and red brake cable housing is on order.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Roy Thame is here

and it's a fine thing, albeit more of a single purpose device than I had hoped.
Frame geometry is 74.5 degrees parallel, and there is only a righthand downtube shifter boss, suggesting that the frame was built exclusively for TTs, not a pastime that I have engaged in for about 15 years, nor ever shown any aptitude for.

On the positive side, it is as feathery light as you would expect of a 531SL frame, and devoid of rust and dings. Even the Campagnolo Nuovo Record Pista headset seems to be useable.

A previous owner has used a pair of clamp-on shiftlevers, and rigged up a front derailler cable guide under the BB, and being no latter day Alf Engers I will do the same.

Monday, July 14, 2008

July Retroride


retroride0807
Originally uploaded by bensondoc
Converted to black and white to make Sammo's new Pinarello look period correct

Saturday, July 12, 2008

The devil is in the details...


gazzetto
Originally uploaded by bensondoc
...and if you are wrapping your spare tubular, it should be in the pink newsprint of La Gazzetto dello Sport

Thursday, July 10, 2008

RT v1.1

Yesterday's assertion that I have a couple of "a couple of incomplete (Suntour Superbe) groupsets" turned out to be wildly over-optimistic.






What I've got is a pile of deraillers, a pair of LD-2000 clamp-on shiftlevers, and a brakeset that is currently on another bike. Of course, I am only assuming that the RT frame takes a short reach brake...

The rear deraillers are a mix of basic Superbe RD-2100, with steel hardware; and about 1-7/8 Superbe Pro RD-3100, with aluminium pivots and pulley bolts.






There are a couple of OK looking Superbe FD-1500 hinged clamp front deraillers, and I think that a little more rummaging will eventually expose one of the weird band-mounted Superbe Pro FD-2000.


I have two pairs of brake levers, without hoods.
My one spare set of hoods is earmarked for Team McCall, so I will get a set of white Olympic hoods from ebay which will complement the black/white colour scheme.

My Superbe seatpost turns out to be Sugino Super Mighty, which is OK with me, and the Super Mighty crankarms have a decent set of factory-drillium 50/42 chainrings.


Suntour and Sugino catalog pictures from Mr Gami's catalog scans page

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

The Roy Thame Masterplan, V1.0

Dan Rosser, whose CBAD makes my own look benign, asked about my plans for the Roy Thame frame.
To the unafflicted this is an ill-advised and frivolous purchase, but while pondering Dan's question I realised that the RT is the ideal recipient for some early 80s Japanese kit I have been hoarding.
Early Suntour Superbe is fairly uncommon nowadays, but I have accumulated a couple of incomplete groupsets.
Sugino Mighty cranks are near enough to be good enough, and I have a hollow SR Royal Extra Super Light stem that is too cool to leave in a box.
Wheels will be Araya 20A clincher rims on small flange Suntour Superbe hubs. Back in the day we used to frown on 20As, but for this project their silver finish and low weight cancel out any concerns about durability.

A black frame with white graphics demands a white saddle, which puts me in the market for Turbo or a Rolls. To offset the monochrome paint, I will fill the flutes in the seatpost and crank spider with red paint, and use red brake cable.

Crankset_______________Sugino Mighty 170mm
Deraillers_______________Suntour Superbe
Shiftlevers______________Suntour Superbe or Simplex Retrofriction
Brakes_________________Suntour Superbe
Brake levers____________Suntour Superbe
Hubs__________________Suntour Superbe 36h
Rims__________________Araya 20A 700c clincher
Seatpost_______________Suntour Superbe
Stem__________________SR Royal Extra Super Light
Handlebars_____________SR Road Champion
Pedals_________________MKS Sylvan or Suntour Superbe Pro

Monday, July 07, 2008

Roy Thame Campionissimo

Another totally unnecessary ebay acquisition from Hilary Stone:

"Offered for sale is a beautiful 23·5in ctt c1978 Roy Thame Campionissimo frame in very good condition. Top tube length is 22·5in and rear dropout width 124mm. It is almost certainly built from Reynolds 531SL tubing. This frame has some beautiful touches - the lugs and bottom bracket cutouts are modelled on Colnago - Reg Collard who built many of the Roy Thame frames openly acknowledged the influence of Colnago on his frame building. Roy Thame was the brand name of the F W Holdsworth shop in Putney during the second half of the 1970s "

 
According to Norman Kilgariff's Holdsworth website, Reg Collard, who also built CTB's splendid Holdsworth Italia, was the 'specials' builder for the Holdsworth retail stores which in 1964 became a separate entity from the manufacturing and wholesaling business.
The shop-built frames were branded Roy Thame in 1975 (after one of the owners) when Holdsworthy Ltd withdrew permission to use the Holdsworth brand.

While the lug cutouts evoke Colnago for some, the motif of three overlapping circles was used by other English builders such as W.B Hurlow and Stan Pike.