For Sale : Freddie Grubb Comet. Track / Path Racer 56 / 57cm £200

Collected this out of the blue at the end of a MA3K ride to Clacton. Nice little story behind it from an ex racer selling some of his bikes.

Freddie Grubb Comet
Frame Number 8221 dates it around 1960 / 70's

Stripped back to raw steel all ready for a paint job or a clear coat. No dings dents or marks, just raw 531c awesome steel.

Headset and Bottom bracket included both in need of tlc and a re grease but rideable. Stem not included just trying to find an allen key big enough to remove it.

Pictures can be found here https://www.flickr.com/photos/99782232@N00/sets/72157647508224316/

£200

Then this mean this was built by Holdsworth. A nice track/path, albeit in plain gauge tubing I assume, being build by Holdsworth.

i have had troubles finding out the exact date
lots of websites and bikes around but none to actually give the exact info
i though the frame numbers changed to longer ones once holdsworth bought the company after his death

this has lots of info but for the life of me i couldn't find any dating database

http://www.nkilgariff.com/FreddieGrubb.htm

The frame numbering was restarted a few times. When it was under Fred (the father) they reached over 15000, under the son (Freddie), they've reached 2900 until early 50s.
Under Holdsworth they started again at 1 and they must have sold plenty.
Comet model was introduced under Freddie, but as they never reached over 2900, it must be a Holdwsorthy FG Comet.

Holdsworthy only made plain gauge 531 FG frameset, except, maybe, for the very first ones.

yep, if you read that link carefully you'll see that they went to your number only during the father's era (but no Comet there and different models and geometry) and under Holdsworthy.

btw albeit plain gauge tubing, it is still a lovely path racer with nice Nervex Legere lugs.

On the funny size Cinelli stems use a slightly bigger alan key filed down a bit. (And maybe a love tap with a hammer)

my problem is the other way round
10mm is my largest this takes an 11mm allen key , a negative shim won't work here

two provisional dibs so far awaiting to hear back from 1st dibser before dealing with 2nd

Nice frame I'd love it but mustn't

My Grubb path racer has a serial of 12176 and supposedly dates at 1952.

This was stamped on the BB shell though, not the dropouts.

The headbadge / down tube decal usually help to date them more accurately.

You sure is not an earlier one? Could be from Grubb senior era.

I'm sticking with '52 - as all the other parts are from around then, and there's no way I'm changing that lot again.

damn frame numbers
y u so difficult
have some freddie grubb stickers to go with the frame which were given to me by the old guy but no headbadge, he seemed like the kind of guy who might remove it just to save those extra ounces

frame provisionally sold to simonm

if that falls through for any reason adroit was next dibser
and 3rd dibs to coot

Thanks Dicki, delivered to my door and looking great. Would rep but....

Interesting.
What's that rear hub?

hey simon, nice to meet you yesterday
good luck with the new project

the rear hub is a sturmey archer 3-speed fixed hub : sturmey archer asc

the stem is a real mystery on that bike
i went to 2 bike shops and they tried every allen key they have and NONE fitted it