Tom Crowther, Anyone Ever Seen Anything Like This?

I've just bought this Crowther of a guy who had purchased it new from Tom Crowther's shop in Solihull in 1981, and its been well looked after.

I've done some searching, but there seems to be relatively little information about Tom Crowther after he sold Mercian. I've read that the frames he used were still made for him by Mercian, but as I understand it Mercian have only ever used Reynolds tubing. As this is Columbus tubing with Campag drop outs and pantographed on the front and rear forks and the bottom bracket, I'm curious as to who would have built it.

Anyone have any history or ideas?

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Exceptional bicycle. May I ask what it cost you?

What a beauty - good luck with finding out - incredible condition

Beautiful. A bit Gios-y.

Exceptional bicycle. May I ask what it cost you?

It could well be the find of the year at £150, I'm like a magpie when it comes to chromed lugs so I would have paid more! :) No idea what it might be worth though as I can't find anything like it.

This bike is absolutely gorgeous!!

Beautiful. A bit Gios-y.

Swat I thought.. Nice.

That is a beauty. Crispy G Lover had a Crowther, which was also beautiful. Can't find a photo of it though.

Actually yes I can;

£150

ಠ_ಠ

You got skinned mate, give you £50 for it before you hurt yourself.

Crowther also used a local well known framebuilder in Birmingham that was located in the same road as the Reynolds factory
Both examples above are beautiful frames

Actually yes I can;

I've seen a red Tom Crowther with the same decals as above. Not sure why mine are different unless he fancied a change in the early 80's.

ಠ_ಠ

You got skinned mate, give you £50 for it before you hurt yourself.

Its pay back time for a Major Nichols I missed last year for £100!

Crowther also used a local well known framebuilder in Birmingham that was located in the same road as the Reynolds factory
Both examples above are beautiful frames

Thanks Perks, some new information! I would have expected Tom Crowther to be pretty well documented in the cycling, given his prestigious heritage, and yet there's so little about him.

Possible porn?

definately prn. gorgeous bike!

Thanks Perks, some new information! I would have expected Tom Crowther to be pretty well documented in the cycling, given his prestigious heritage, and yet there's so little about him.

my dad knew him well ill ask him a bit more next time I see him

An update :)

Well I've had a bit of a result off another forum where the name 'CIOCC' came up. Google led me to Giovanni Pelizzoli the Italian craftsman himself! The other name that came up is the Ciocc San Cristobal http://www.raydobbins.com/ciocc/index.html

I'm waiting for a confirmation from Giovanni Pelizzoli, but it seems Tom Crowther ordered personalised San Cristobal frames from Ciocc just before Mr Pelizzoli sold the company. I hope to find out how many were produced, but in any event this could be a very rare beasty :)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/62249235@N05/sets/72157629419088740/

Ciocc were known as the poor man's Colnago in the 70's. A trifle unfair as they were just as good, although cheaper.

I've seen a red Tom Crowther with the same decals as above. Not sure why mine are different unless he fancied a change in the early 80's.

Never saw this thread, FYI the decals on mine and that red one are the correct ones (I know which ones you mean).

Does the headbadge on yours have the address of his old shop on it? It's a generic headbadge design that makers add their own deets to, edscobble of this parish found another example

I'm sorry to say that that's the best my example ever looked, the bits were old and slowly crumbled until I was left with the frame, which now sits atop my bookcase ready to be sold

:(

Thanks for the post Crispin :) I actually found out more information but I'd not got around to posting it.

I had some very interesting information off an ex Belgian pro team mechanic. One of their team sponsors was a shop who was a CIOCC agent. When the CIOCC factory closed several blanks were delivered to the shop and 'distributed'. It seems these were bought by Tom and also Roy Thame, possibly some others. They are all panotographed with either Crowther or Thames names in an identical way. I can only assume they were all done together by the same person.

I guess this makes it Toms hats off to Italian cycling, a Crowther CIOCC :)

Crikey, a rare beast indeed

Crikey, a rare beast indeed

A Roy Thame/CIOCC frame came up on Ebay recently so they are out there, but I imagine there can only be a handful.

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