Holt Design Notes

HOLT
DETAILED DESIGN NOTES

& PRODUCT OVERVIEW
UNASHAMEDLY XC
Dom Thomas
Co Founder and Bike Designer
Mountain bikes were my first love in cycling. From cross-country to trail riding to downhill racing, I worked my way
through the various disciplines over the years. Ultimately, I ended up where I started, riding an XC hardtail. For the
best part of the last decade that was a steel (853) 29er, swapping out between a 100mm xc fork and a rigid fork,
depending on the season and the terrain. It was a bike that fitted into my life, making the most of the local terrain
and being able to ride from the door. It made local riding fun and engaging, it was perfect for a 2 hour blast in the
woods on a summer evening, but it was also ideal for the occasional xc race or marathon and bivvying out with
friends on an overnighter.
The reason I went back to riding an xc hardtail was that I felt ‘over tooled’ riding a full suspension trail bike, it
numbed out the terrain and the technology & complexity was too often a distraction for me. I enjoyed riding fast,
being in an efficient position, picking lines through trails while trying to maintain flow and momentum, knowing the
bike wasn’t doing all the work. Reliability and simplicity were also important factors, there was simply less to go
wrong and it felt like a purer riding experience.
In my opinion steel can excel when making a short travel hardtail. The word ‘short’ is an important one because as
fork travel gets longer you have to use larger diameter tubes (usually with thicker walls) to deal with the increased
forces. As the tubes get larger, the frame becomes stiffer, compliance decreases and the advantage of steel (vs
other frame materials) becomes less. By opting to make a short travel frame you can reduce tube diameters and
focus on maintaining the ‘quality of the material’, to deliver a ride feel that can only be steel. Compliance, traction,
agility, zip, snap, grip, flow - these are the feels I want from a steel XC frame.
The Holt is unashamedly XC and we are delighted with the finished product. We’ve taken all our learnings from
previous models and applied them to an xc bike. As always we’ve collaborated with Reynolds Technology and
Bentley Components, who respectively bring their specific tubing and CNC knowledge to the project. We are
making this frame in our European factory and the quality of the fabrication is testament to their experience and
craft.
Holt - fast and lively with modern XC geometry.
Thanks for reading and we hope you like it.
fairlightcycles.com 2 | 61
UNASHAMEDLY XC
UNASHAMEDLY XC
UNASHAMEDLY XC
HOLT - Tech & Specs overview
Place of Manufacture: Cages & Racks:
• Handmade in Central Europe. • 3 x sets bottle mounts.

• Both downtube mounts have triple bosses.
Dimensions: • Rear rack mounts.
• Bottom bracket - T47 73mm. Gearing & wiring:

• Seat clamp - 29.8mm or 30.0mm.
• Seat post - 27.2mm. • External cable routing.
• Headset specification – Upper: ZS44/28.6 • 1x, 2x, 3x guide options.
• Headset specification - Lower: EC44/40. • Di2 compatible.
• Rear Axle/hub standard - Boost 148x12mm. • Rear dynamo lighting compatible.
• Axle length - 174mm x 12mm with 1.5mm thread
pitch. Seat post max insertion (for dropper posts -
includes actuator mechanism):
Brake/dropout standard (two mounts available):
• S - 203mm.
• Post mount 160mm direct. • M - 238mm.
• Flat mount 160mm direct. • L - 278mm.
• Max 180mm rotor rear. Recommend 160mm. • XL - 338mm.
• Replaceable derailleur hanger.
Torque settings:
Tyre Clearances:
• Brake mount - 8Nm.
• 29 x 2.6” - 66mm max width as measured. • Axle - 12Nm.
• Not compatible with 27.5”/650B. • Derailleur hanger - 2Nm.
• For seat clamp, post, stem, bars etc - please use
Chainset & Chainline: makers recommendation.
• Single ring (1x) specific. Weight:

• 52mm chainline - 34T max ring.
• 55mm chainline - 36T max ring. • Painted Medium frame - without bolts, axle or
brake mount = 2,258g
Fork compatibility: • Bolts, rear axle, brake mount, derailleur hanger &
brass plates = 180g
• 100-120mm suspension forks.
• 44mm or 51mm offset (see geometry section).
• Rigid fork - recommended axle to crown - 485-
505mm.
TUBING
HOLT - TUBING
Reynolds 853 Top Tube - Custom for Fairlight

853 - 28.6mm - 25/32 oval - 0.8/0.5/0.8 with gusset
This is the tube we use on the size 61 Secan and it seemed like the ideal
choice for the Holt frame. The tube starts life as a 28.6mm mm round tube
and is fully ovalized to 25 x 32mm. The relatively undersized top tubes are
critical in providing the excellent comfort of our frames. The stiffness in
the horizontal plane is equivalent to that of a 32mm tube, while the narrow
25mm tube in the vertical plane means it provides excellent comfort,
effectively flexing as the wheels try to move away from each-other under
load. We use a small external gusset on the underside of the top tube. We
are still carrying out fatigue tests for the frame and we have also made a
0.9/0.6/0.9 version of the same tube, in case we need to increase strength.
As always we try to work as close to the limits as possible, while still making
an extremely safe and certified product.
SIZE XL
Reynolds 853 DZB Top Tube - Custom for Fairlight

853 DZB - 31.8mm tapered to 28.6mm - 1.0/0.8/0.5/0.8. 31.8mm headtube
end ovalized to 34.8/28.6mm.
On the size XL we use this larger tube to add stiffness for larger riders,
especially at the headtube area. The 31.8mm tube is ovalized in the
horizontal plane at the headtube and then tapered to 28.6mm to meet the
fairlightcycles.com seat tube. 7 | 61
HOLT - TUBING
Reynolds 853 DZB Down Tube

853 DZB - 38.1mm - 33/43 oval at BB end - 1.15/0.9/0.6/0.9
The tube starts life as 38.1mm round tube but is ovalized for 320mm at the BB
end to become 33 x 43mm. The 43mm horizontal oval at the BB shell adds lateral
stiffness. Usually we would vertically ovalise the downtube at the headtube end but
there is greater side loading on mountain bikes so we keep the tube round. Arguably
on an XC bike a 34.9mm would be sufficient, however as with our other models, the
relatively undersized and ovalized top tube means we need to add diameter to the
downtube to compensate; it has to be strong. It is the only tube on the frame that
is relatively oversized but plays an important part in the ride characteristics. The
wall thickness @ 1.15/0.9/0.6/0.9 (with additional external gusset) means we have a
strong tube to cope with loading forces from a 120mm fork. The tube is made in a
fairlightcycles.com custom length for us by Reynolds and with the custom ovalizing. 8 | 61
HOLT - TUBING
73mm T47 BB Shell - 50.8mm Diameter - internally relieved.
We are huge advocates of threaded bottom bracket shells and on the

Holt we are using a 73mm threaded T47 shell, versus the BSA threaded
shells on all our other models.
So why are we using T47? Well in a word (two words actually) ‘real
estate’. We need the extra diameter so that we can do clever things
with the seat tube. We have shifted the seat tube 8mm forward from
the BB centerline so that we can achieve our desired tyre clearance
without bending the seat tube or increasing the chainstay length. This
is explained on the next page.
The BB shell is CNC turned and is internally relieved to reduce the

weight. It is only 29g heavier than a 39mm BSA shell.
Reynolds 853 Seat Tube

853 - 28.6mm/29.8mm - 0.9/0.6/1.2
We use a standard butted Reynolds 853 seat tube designed for a

27.2mm seat post. The majority of the tube is 28.6mm in diameter,
where as the top section is externally butted to 29.8mm to give the
correct inner dimension for the seat post and to provide extra surface
area for the top tube and seat stay welds.
It is too easy to start overbuilding a frame and often that starts with
the seat tube, for example to fit a 31.6mm post we would need to use
a 34.9mm seat tube, for context that is the downtube on a Secan!
For the Holt we wanted maximum compliance with a rigid post - and
compliance is an important part of this bike. The choice was made
easier with a growing number of 27.2mm posts on the market, ranging
from 60-125mm drop. If you need 200mm of drop, I would suggest
this is the wrong style of bike for your riding.
HOLT - TUBING
When running a 29 x 2.6” tyre with a sub 435mm

chainstay length the clearance between the tyre and the
seat tube becomes an issue. This is usually resolved by
curving or bending the seat tube.
We are not huge fans of curved seat tubes. The main

reason is that the bending needs to be done before
heat treatment and you need sufficient wall thickness
so that tube doesn’t deform at the bend. Curving can
also present problems for locating bottle mounts on the
seat tube. Another consideration is that the more severe
the bend, the greater the effect it has on effective seat
angle, meaning the seat angle can change at various
saddle heights. Of course on some designs a bent seat
tube can be the best or only solution.
With the Holt frame we simply move the seat tube

forward by 8mm to give us the required clearance. This
means we can still use a lightweight butted and heat
treated tube without issue. We also move the centerline
of the downtube down by 8mm so there is maximum
surface area for the respective welds.
This method also means there is marginal effect on

effective seat angle. Only 0.2 degrees over 200mm of
variation:
• 700mm saddle height = 75.1 degrees
• 800mm saddle height = 75 degrees
• 900mm saddle height = 74.9 degrees
Bottom bracket centre line.
fairlightcycles.com Seat tube centre line; 8mm forward of BB centre. 10 | 61

HOLT - TUBING
The tyre in the picture is a 29 x 2.6” Vittoria

Mezcal, measuring true to size (see tyre
clearance section later in the document). You
can see the clearance created by the offset
seat tube. There is 11mm between the tyre and
the seat tube. This would only be 3-4mm if the
seat tube was centered on the BB shell.
HOLT - TUBING
Reynolds 631 CNC’d Head Tube
The headtubes are machined by Reynolds in Birmingham. The tubes actually start off
as solid billet and are turned into tubes on a CNC lathe. The headtube is 46.4mm
in diameter, apart from at the ends where it is 47.8mm to provide sufficient wall
thickness for fitting of the headset cups. The internal measurement is 43.95mm and
is designed to accept a 1.5”-1.1/8” steerer tube using a ZS44/28.6 top cup and a
EC44/40 bottom cup.
HOLT - TUBING
14mm 4130 Non-Taper Seat Stays - custom shaped

4130 - 14mm No Taper - 0.8mm wall.
This is the same diameter seat stay that we use on all other Fairlight and
along with the top tube and chainstays is an important part of the ride
quality of our frames. Made from 4130 non heat-treated steel they are
14mm in diameter and there is no taper. The wall thickness of the tube is
0.8mm. The majority of seat stays [on steel bikes] are 16mm in diameter
and taper down to approximately 11-12mm by the time they reach the
dropout. This is largely a hangover from when there were limited dropouts
on the market and they were designed to accept a certain sized tube. As
comfort, compliance and zip are important factors of the Holt we use a
narrower 14mm stay. The stays have relatively extreme S bend shaping,
so when combined with the flattened chain stays, encourage movement
under loading. The wall thickness is still sufficient to cope with loads if
using a rack.
HOLT - TUBING
HOLT - TUBING
19mm 4130 Custom Formed Chain Stays

4130 - 19mm - 0.95mm.
We learnt a lot from the Strael 3.0 chainstays and

we’ve tried to repeat the shaping and forming, but
for a cross country bike application; with smaller
diameter tubes (for tyre and chainring clearance) and
thicker walls (for strength and fatigue resistance).
The chainstay is made from 4130 19mm stock, with a

wall thickness of 0.95mm. The forming and shaping
is relatively severe and the tubes will experience high
loads during riding, so we use a relatively thick wall to
minimise the chance of long term fatigue.
78mm
The chainstays are extremely wide in the horizontal
plane while narrow and flat in the vertical plane.
Pedalling forces are horizontal and ground/rider
weight forces are vertical so the shaping of the
chainstays provides good power transfer but also
high levels of comfort; when combined with the
s-bend 14mm seat stays. Unlike the Strael chainstays
(which are formed in moulds), the forming & shaping
of these tubes is done using bending die and radius
tooling. They are testament to the skill and craft of
the frame builders.
As you can see to the left, the chainstays are located

as wide as possible on the BB shell to further resist
pedaling forces. Also the tubes are 19mm round (not
ovalized) at the weld.
There is a 78mm clearance between the chainstays

which allows for clearance for a maximum 29 x 2.6”
(66mm width as measured) tyre. The chainstay length
is 433mm. A 52mm chainline with work up to 34T
chainrings. 36T chainring requires a 55mm chainline.
HOLT - TUBING
HOLT - TUBING
HOLT - TUBING
This photo shows how flattened the chainstays are to

encourage movement under forces from the ground/
rider weight and thus add comfort.
TYRE CLEARANCE
HOLT - TYRE CLEARANCE
The tyre measures

up at 57.3mm when
fully inflated.
Clearance with a 29 x
2.35” Vittoria Mezcal tyre.
The tyre measures

up at 57.7mm when
fully inflated.
Clearance with a 29 x 2.4”

Maxxis Rekon tyre.
The tyre measures

up at 61mm when
fully inflated.

Maxxis Rekon tyre.
The tyre measures

up at 65.5mm
when fully inflated.

Vittoria Mezcal tyre.
DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
Fairlight x Bentley Utility Drops
For the Holt we developed the Fairlight x Bentley ‘Utility Drops’; interchangeable design we had to isolate the axle housing and keep them separate from the
between post mount 160 and flat mount 160. Beautifully simple and beautifully brake mount. Real estate for the hanger was therefore tight so we came up with
elegant. We reduced complexity through design and then refined it…a lot. When a solution to mount the hanger to the back of the dropout. The overall form
designing the Holt we spent far too long pondering whether the frame should is simply the outcome of a long process of design. The highlight for us is the
be post mount or flat mount. Post mount was tried and tested on mtb’s, but flat small embossed logo in the cut-out window when using the flat mount piece;
mount was gathering momentum on xc bikes. The correct decision was of course we just couldn’t bear the window would look onto blank metal. For the brake
the hardest one, it had to fit both to future proof the product. A truly collaborative mount inserts we have anodized them silver and used engraving instead of laser
design process followed between myself and Mark (Mr Bentley) which took etching. The engraved logos feel like makers marks you see on tooling. We use
months and months. Beyond the decisions of the location of physical mounting brass plates as washers, providing a beautiful level of detail, with a pleasing
points and overall dimensions, was a period of refinement of the aesthetic. contrast between the painted plate, silver mounts and touches of brass. As for
Despite the seat stay needing to be tall (to clear the post mount caliper) we the machining of the mounts, hanger and the brass plates, it is all done in the
wanted that to be almost unnoticeable through usage of cut outs in the steel UK by Mark and the quality is insane; unbelievable care given to every edge and
plate and the correct radius of the dropout top line. To make a simple two bolt surface.
HOLT - DROPOUTS
Post mount 160mm insert
Flat mount 160mm insert
HOLT - DROPOUTS
Post mount 160mm insert
Flat mount 160mm insert
HOLT - DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
A window to nothing is rather a depressing

thing. On the flat mount option the window (cut
out) in the steel plate faces directly on to the
back of the brake mount piece. We added a
CNC embossed logo detail into this space, so
there is now a window with a lovely view.
HOLT - DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
HOLT - DROPOUTS
CAGE & RACK
MOUNTS
HOLT - MOUNTS
The Holt frame has 3 sets of bottle mounts.

The mounts on the top and bottom of the
downtube, both have triple bosses for use with
adventure cages. Two of the bosses on the
base of the downtube are supplied with 6mm
standoff washers so that an adventure cage
can be used in conjunction with the nylon
cable guide - as pictured. The standoff washers
are made from stainless steel.
The seat tube and downtube bosses are

positioned as low as possible to give room for
a half frame bag.
There are rack mounts on the seat stays so that

a rear rack can be used. One of the benefits of
a steel frame is its strength and versatility, so
I think a set of rack mounts is always useful to
have.
HOLT - MOUNTS
The dropouts have a single set of

M5 eyelets so that a rack can be
easily installed.
HOLT - MOUNTS
CABLE & WIRE
ROUTING
STRAEL
HOLT - ROUTING
3.0 MODULAR CABLE GUIDES
Full Outer Cable Guides
The Holt is our first model where we have designed the frame around full outer
housing. We designed a new style cable guide for the frame. We considered all
sorts of options and in the end settled for a simple sandwich design, allowing us
to keep the cables away from the frame and being able to control the hole sizes
in the guide, even when the tube shape changes (through ovalizing). As with the
cable guides on our other models, we have used 3D printing to manufacture the
parts. It allows us to make several versions without volume constraints, plus the
malleability of the material (vs CNC aluminium) has benefits for this application.
The cable guide is printed from two different materials. The bottom part (which is
in contact with the frame) is made from ‘SLS Flexible TPU’, which is a rubber like
material, which allows the part to hug the tube and form to it. The top part of the
guide is made from SLS nylon, which is the same material we use for the cable
guide on our other models. The nylon is strong, but with enough malleability to
help it grip the cables when the bolt is tightened. Both materials have excellent
chemical and water resistance.
We are continuing to work on specific guides for two cables and three cables, as
well as a single cable clip.
HOLT - ROUTING
SLS Nylon top part. Strong with

enough malleabilty to allow different
sized cables.
SLS Flexible TPU base part, to hug

the tube and protect the paint.
HOLT - ROUTING
The cable guide is designed so that a cage can be

bolted on top of it. The washer sits slightly proud
of the surface and the cage contacts that area. As
mentioned earlier in the document, 2 x 6mm standoff
washers are provided so that all three bosses have
the same height.
HOLT - ROUTING
The cables routing is designed to run

quite snugly across the BB shell so we
came up with this simple 3D printed tray/
skid-plate design which keeps the cables
away from the paint. It is located with two
M5 T25 torx bolts and there is a hole in
the centre so that the frame drainage
hole is not blocked off. The tray is just
1.5mm thick and printed in London by
the same company who make our cable
guides.
Below the BB tray is the cable clip for

securely routing the dropper cable if you
are opting to use a dropper post.
HOLT - ROUTING
We carefully route the

cables and hoses so they
run completely in line with
the chainstays and do
not interfere with the tyre
clearance or the chainrings.
On the drive side we use On the disc side we use

braze-on rings to keep the braze-on clip style guides.
cable as close as possible The disc brake hose cannot
to the chainstay. Also at easily be separated from the
the narrowest part of the caliper without removing the
dimple, a clip style guide olive and having to re-bleed
(like the disc side) would the system, so with clips the
marginally reduce the tyre entire system can be easily
clearance. removed.
HOLT - ROUTING
Alternative routing option

with wires crossing at the
BB.
HOLT - ROUTING
If running a dropper post,

the hose/cable exits at the
base of the seat tube.
The frame is supplied

with an open grommet
(as pictured) as well as a
blanking grommet to be
installed when running a
rigid post.
HOLT - ROUTING
There is a 6mm Di2/Dynamo hole located on the

base of the downtube, just above the first cable
guide. With rigid fork compatibility the Holt makes a
great dirt tourer (or maybe even a commuter in future
years) so we felt we should include the option for
routing lights internally.
HOLT - ROUTING
The drive-side hole can also be

used for Di2.
If using a Tubus rear rack you

could also route the wire into
rack
GEOMETRY
B
HOLT - GEOMETRY
K I
A
F
C
D Fork axle to crown measurements are based on:
G SID SL 100mm with 20% sag = 486mm, SID 110mm
H
with 20% sag = 499mm, SID 120mm with 20% sag =
507mm
E
Size Small Medium Large Extra Large
Fork travel 100mm 110mm 120mm 100mm 110mm 120mm 100mm 110mm 120mm 100mm 110mm 120mm
A Seat Tube (BB to top ST) 385 385 385 420 420 420 460 460 460 520 520 520
B Effective Top Tube 590 592 593 610 612 613 633 635 636 659 661 662
C Seat Tube Angle 74.8 74.2 73.83 74.8 74.2 73.83 74.8 74.2 73.83 74.8 74.2 73.83
Effective Seat Tube Angle - 700mm saddle 75.5 75.1 74.7 75.5 75.1 74.7 75.5 75.1 74.7 75.5 75.1 74.7
Effective Seat Tube Angle - 800mm saddle 75.4 75 74.6 75.4 75 74.6 75.4 75 74.6 75.4 75 74.6
Effective Seat Tube Angle - 900mm saddle 75.3 74.9 74.5 75.3 74.9 74.5 75.3 74.9 74.5 75.3 74.9 74.5
D Head Tube Angle 68.1 67.5 67.1 68.1 67.5 67.1 68.1 67.5 67.1 68.1 67.5 67.1
E Chainstay Length 433 433 433 433 433 433 433 433 433 433 433 433
F Fork Offset 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 44
G Wheelbase 1122 1128 1130 1142 1148 1150 1166 1171 1174 1194 1199 1202
H Bottom Bracket Drop 67 63 60 67 63 60 67 63 60 67 63 60
I Head Tube Length 100 100 100 100 100 100 110 110 110 130 130 130
J Stack 606 611 614 606 611 614 615 620 623 634 639 641
K Reach 432 425 421 451 445 441 472 465 461 491 485 481
Fork Length - Axle to Crown (see notes above) 486 499 507 486 499 507 486 499 507 486 499 507
Recommended stem length 40-60mm 50-70mm 50-70mm 60-80mm
Size guide - cm 160-172cm 170-180cm 178-188cm 186-195 cm
Size guide - feet and inches 5ft 3in - 5ft 8in 5ft 7in - 5ft 11in 5ft 10in - 6ft 2in 6ft 1in - 6ft 5in
HOLT - GEOMETRY
When deciding on geometry it is important to start from a set of known data. Subtle adjustments from a set of
known parameters, which themselves evolved from previous learnings. The starting point for the Holt geometry
was my 853 29er XC hardtail that I designed in 2011 and which was my main mountain bike for the best part of 10
years. The geometry was relatively progressive for an xc bike at the time and it has aged fairly well. The geometry
of that frame is below.
With a 100mm fork sagged at 20% =

485mm axle to crown.
Head angle = 68.5 degrees

Effective seat angle = 74 degrees
BB drop = 62mm
Chainstay length = 435mm
Reach = 425mm
Stack = 605mm
When riding with a rigid fork (@ 470mm)

the geometry was as follows:
Head angle = 69.5 degrees

Effective seat angle = 75 degrees
BB drop = 67mm
Chainstay length = 435mm
Reach = 436mm
Stack = 597mm
Using the above as a starting point, here is how I settled on the Holt geometry numbers:
chainstay length - I wanted to keep the chainstay length reasonably short (sub 435mm) whilst also being able to
fit 29 x 2.6” tyres and have good mud clearance. With the forming and shaping of the chainstays, as well as the
offsetting of the seat tube we were able to achieve a 433mm chainstay with good clearance.
BB drop - I really like the ride characteristics of a low BB and for the above frame i definitely preferred the
lower BB that resulted when running a rigid fork (67mm vs 63mm with a 100mm fork). So for the Holt I based the
geometry on a 67mm drop when running a 100mm fork, moving to 63mm and 60mm respectively for 110mm and
120mm fork travels.
Effective seat tube angle - When running a rigid fork the seat tube able was a degree steeper and i preferred it
like that. I found myself riding less on the tip of the saddle. This was especially true for head down short blasts in
the woods. For the Holt I’ve based it around that 75 degrees number for the mid travel option (110mm), moving to
75.5 and 74,5 respectively for the 100mm and 120mm geometry.
Stack - Stack stays broadly the same, based on the 100mm headtube and a standard external bottom headset
cup.
Head angle - When running a 100mm fork the head angle felt good for fast local woodsy riding but when trail
riding I felt it would have benefited from being marginally slacker. Decreasing the head angle increases trail and
lengthens the wheelbase, the result is an increase in stability. However at the same time I didn’t want to lose the
xc handling characteristics, so I slackened the head angle by half a degree (with the same travel fork) but also
increased the reach to use a shorter stem - see below.
Reach - Firstly I much preferred the 10mm longer reach (435mm vs 425mm) when using the rigid fork. The aim
with the Holt that was that by increasing the reach by 10mm (445mm), slackening the headtube by 0.5 degrees
and shortening the stem by 10mm, I’d be in the same riding position but with increased stability when descending,
as well as on technical climbs. The shorter stem hopefully compensating a little to give familiar steering on flowing
local woodland stuff.
Overall I think it is a really good geometry for the sort of real world riding many of us do. There is a definite nod to
the XC world but with handling and characteristics that make a fast and efficient trail hardtail, with excellent bike
packing capability.
HOLT - GEOMETRY
Geometry FAQ
Is there an optimum fork travel?
No. The frame is designed to work with a 100-120mm travel fork. We provide three sets of geometry depending on
the fork travel you opt for.
Can I run a rigid fork?
Yes the frame can be run with a rigid fork, we recommend a minimum fork length of 485mm and a maximum of
505mm. Forks such as the Enve Boost Mountain fork or the Whisky No.9 MTN LT Boost fork, would both work well.
You can use the axle to crown lengths in the geometry table to calculate the approx geometry with your desired
rigid fork.
Do i need to use a 44mm offset fork?
You can use either a 44mm or 51mm offset fork. Ultimately the difference in rake is only 7mm, so while there will be
a difference in handling, it will be subtle. The longer offset fork will reduce the trail so the steering will feel a little
faster and the steering will feel lighter and overall a little bit more nimble in flowing trails. However wheel flop also
increases so it feels more deliberate in corners. The shorter offset fork will give more trail, so will feel a little more
stable and cornering should feel less deliberate in the turn. You can run either fork offset and I’m sure you’ll be
very happy. A direct comparison is the handling of the Secan (50mm offset) vs the Faran (60mm offset).
INCLUDED
IN THE BOX
HOLT - WEIGHTS
59 | 61
fairlightcycles.com
HOLT - INCLUDED IN THE BOX
Please Note:
• The frame is supplied with either a flat mount 160 brake mount OR a post mount 160 brake mount. To be
chosen at time of ordering. Both brake mounts will also be available as spares parts.
• The derailleur hanger is available as a spare part.
• The axle is available as a spare part.
• As pictured the frame is supplied with grommets for both SON and Supernova wiring.
• As pictured the frame is supplied with a dropper post grommet and a blanking off grommet if running a rigid
post.
• We are still working on the 3D printed cable guide designs. There will be versions for two cables/hoses and
three cables/hoses.
fairlightcycles.com
mail@fairlightcycles.com
All Studio Photogrpahy & title pages: Nick Hill @ NMDesign

Riding shots: Lloyd Wright 61 | 61

Holt Design Notes

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Holt Design Notes

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HOLT

DETAILED DESIGN NOTES

Holt - fast and lively with modern XC geometry.

Thanks for reading and we hope you like it.

HOLT - Tech & Specs overview

Place of Manufacture: Cages & Racks:

• Handmade in Central Europe. • 3 x sets bottle mounts.

• Bottom bracket - T47 73mm. Gearing & wiring:

• Single ring (1x) specific. Weight:

Reynolds 853 Top Tube - Custom for Fairlight

Reynolds 853 DZB Top Tube - Custom for Fairlight

Reynolds 853 DZB Down Tube

73mm T47 BB Shell - 50.8mm Diameter - internally relieved.

We are huge advocates of threaded bottom bracket shells and on the

The BB shell is CNC turned and is internally relieved to reduce the

Reynolds 853 Seat Tube

We use a standard butted Reynolds 853 seat tube designed for a

When running a 29 x 2.6” tyre with a sub 435mm

We are not huge fans of curved seat tubes. The main

With the Holt frame we simply move the seat tube

This method also means there is marginal effect on

Bottom bracket centre line.

fairlightcycles.com Seat tube centre line; 8mm forward of BB centre. 10 | 61

The tyre in the picture is a 29 x 2.6” Vittoria

Reynolds 631 CNC’d Head Tube

14mm 4130 Non-Taper Seat Stays - custom shaped

19mm 4130 Custom Formed Chain Stays

We learnt a lot from the Strael 3.0 chainstays and

The chainstay is made from 4130 19mm stock, with a

As you can see to the left, the chainstays are located

There is a 78mm clearance between the chainstays

This photo shows how flattened the chainstays are to

The tyre measures

The tyre measures

Clearance with a 29 x 2.4”

The tyre measures

Clearance with a 29 x 2.6”

The tyre measures

Clearance with a 29 x 2.6”

Fairlight x Bentley Utility Drops

Post mount 160mm insert

Flat mount 160mm insert

Post mount 160mm insert

Flat mount 160mm insert

A window to nothing is rather a depressing

The Holt frame has 3 sets of bottle mounts.

The seat tube and downtube bosses are

There are rack mounts on the seat stays so that

The dropouts have a single set of

Full Outer Cable Guides

SLS Nylon top part. Strong with

SLS Flexible TPU base part, to hug

The cable guide is designed so that a cage can be

The cables routing is designed to run

Below the BB tray is the cable clip for

We carefully route the

On the drive side we use On the disc side we use

Alternative routing option

If running a dropper post,