Tag Archives: crewkerne

PJ 16

In 2015, Giles Butcher contacted me and said…

I have a Graham Tomlinson bike. Any idea how I can tell who made the frame? I found a number and some letters on the bottom bracket section. I had to scrape the paint to see it clearly it reads PJ 16. I am presuming this frame was built by Stan Pike’s son, Philip? Do you agree?

In the early 80’s Graham Tomlinson set up his own cycle shop (Graham Tomlinson Cycles)  in Wellington, Somerset. His first name branded frames were built by Stan and Phil Pike who taught Graham the art of frame building.

I forwarded the photos to Stan’s son, Steve and he replied…

Yes, it is one of ours. 22 & 1/2″ frame built from 531 tubing. Was trying to figure the age and not too sure, but at a guess I’d say circa 1979/80.

Giles was understandably very happy. He said…

Wow! Great news! Thanks for your support researching this. The bike frame is too small for me, which is a shame. I intend to sell it. I needed the wheels, which is why I bought it.

Giles sold the frame. The next owner then sold it on to Hilary Stone where it’s available to buy for a very reasonable £195 – see here for further details (scroll halfway down the page).

Graham Tomlinson’s wife has been in touch to say some decals for  Tomlinson frames are still available. Get in touch through the contact form and I can forward your details to Graham.

 

Thanks to Hilary Stone for allowing me to use the above photographs.

SP 7927

David Hebditch contacted me with two bikes he wanted to sell (SP 7927 and SP 5052290). Both were too big for him, so he was keen to pass them onto someone who could make good use of them. I put him in touch with James Soanes who has been looking for a large Pike for some time.

Here are details of SP 7927:

  • Stan Pike Time Trial
  • Ishiwata 017 frame; silver braised; 23.75″
  • 3T stem
  • Campagnolo Pista 177.5 chainset
  • Nuovo record derailleur
  • Rino seat post
  • Cinelli handlebars
  • Universal CX brakes
  • Royce wheels
  • owned by former Somerset TT champion Geoff Chiles

I contacted Stan’s son, Steve, and he replied…

7927 was built in mid 1979 for Geoff Chiles. Built from Ishiwata 017 tubing as stated and is silver brazed.
It’s a 23 & 3/4” frame with 22 & 1/2” top tube, 1 & 1/4” Fork rake and 13 & 3/4 wheel clearance.

I’ll  update the page as and when James sends me photos of the restoration.

PJ 68

John Pennington contacted me and said …

I’ve found and bought another Pike (at least I hope it a Pike!?).
An image is attached of the frame number and I’ll send more in separate emails due to size.  If it is genuine and you’d like to add it to your site feel free.  I’m going to get this one re-sprayed and built up again for my son.

Stan’s son sent me some information …

Yes, was built by Philip Pike in 1982 using Reynolds 531. It’s a 24” with 14 & 3/8” wheel clearance. Was originally being built for a Barry Loveridge but looks like it was a cancelled or non-collected order.

We have a limited amount of original Pike of Crewkerne decals available, for frames build by Stan’s son Philip, but John intends to respray and use  ‘Stan Pike’ decals he has purchased from eBay. Not strictly correct, and could cause confusion, but it’s great that John will be restoring the bike to its, incorrectly badged, former glory. 

PJ 85462

Jason Moss contacted me and said…

I have a Stan pike racing frame that I know nothing about. The frame has the name Michael Fuller stamped next to the frame number underneath the bottom bracket. Any information on this would be much appreciated as I am looking to sell it due to lack of space.

I contacted Stan’s son and he said…

Yes, I remember this one! You know how some things stick in your mind and you never forget? I used to ride with Mike Fuller, he lived in Cedar Grove in Yeovil. I remember this one because I was in the shop when he came to pick it up, just after my father had died.

So the frame was built in 1983, it’s a 22 & 3/4” frame with 22” top tube & 74 degree parallel (head and seat tube). 1 & 7/8” fork rake.

Jason is looking to sell the bike. If you’re interested, please contact me.

 

SP 873245

I was contacted by David Mansfield who had a Stan Pike for sale.  I put him in touch with James Soanes. A sale was agreed. James said…

Many thanks for that, super efficient as always, I took a punt on this machine, but looking at the photos I didn’t believe it to be as large as  David (brokering the sale) had measured and of course it isn’t, but it’s a lovely machine with a good history (having researched its original owner, Peter Boston).

Peter Boston was President of the Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers where he was a member for some 30+ years, he had kept the Stan Pike, from a stable of bikes he had owned, despite not being able to ride for the last few years due to his declining health.

David couldn’t figure out the meaning of the frame number until he was packing the machine up to send to me, as Peter’s DOB was 1927 so frame number didn’t tally, David then remembered it was, he thinks, Peter’s telephone number?

What’s intriguing about it is the Stan Pike isn’t a decal. It appears to be done from some kind of stencil and is sprayed/painted and it’s been done remarkably well.

I sent the photos to Stan’s son. He replied …

SP873245 was built in Oct 1980 for a Peter Boston. It’s built from Reynolds 531 SL tubing. It’s a 22 & 1/2″ frame with 22 & 9/16″ top tube. Hope that’s of interest.

 

 

SP R41232

Martin Badham contacted me with details of a Stan Pike he is hoping to sell on behalf of the original owner, Ron Smith. Ron is now in a home and any money raised will go towards the cost his care. Martin said…

It’s a 24″ Stan Pike touring bike Frame no. SP R41232 RE SMITH 4NE. Ron kept his cycles and jazz record collection, his great loves, in good condition.

I contacted Stan’s son, who said…

This one was built in Sept 1983 for Ron Smith. A 24″ frame with 22 &3/4″ top tube. Built from Reynolds 531 DB.

Update July 2017: The bike has a happy new owner.

Build details are as follows:

Front Wheel: 27” 36 spoke Mavic GP40 on Campagnolo small flange hub
Rear Wheel: 27” 36 spoke Mavic MA40 on Campagnolo small flange hub
Front Brakes: Campagnolo mech with Weinmann lever
Rear Brake: Campagnolo mech with Weinmann lever
Handlebars and stem: Saba “World Champion”  bars (36 cm), Cinelli 10cm stem
Head Set: Campagnolo
Mudguards: Esge
Chainset: 170 TA Cyclotourist 44/ 32
Pedals: Campagnolo, Campagnolo clips
Saddle and seatpin: Turbo saddle, TTT seatpin
Front Mech: Campagnolo
Rear Mech: Campagnolo
Block: 6 speed Sachs 13/ 15/ 17/ 19/ 24
Anything else: Jim Blackburn pannier rack; Large Carradice “Overlander” saddle pack.
Tyres (front and rear): Specialized Touring Turbo 27×1¼ (front), Specialized Touring Turbo 27×1 1/8 (rear).

SP D11948P

Martin Wills contacted me and said…

Sadly my friend Dave Pitman recently died. His family have been clearing his house and I have been assisting with disposing of his bike bits. I knew he owned a Stan Pike years ago, but when we found the frameset in the roof we were all surprised. Dave’s brother said if I made a donation to The Air Ambulance I could keep the frame, which is what I have done, with the intention of building it back to it’s former glory. It’s been badly resprayed at some time but the serial numbers are just visible. SP D 11948 P (Dave’s date of birth was 11th September 1948). I would be very interested in what tube set and what year it was made.

Dave often spoke of the frame he had built by Stan, but I really didn’t think he still had it, as he disposed of a lot of his old racing kit when he moved from Chard to West Coker in the 1990’s. Dave was at the top of his form in 1979 having just won the Western Division Championships the year before and coming second in the National Hill Climb at Hay Tor that year.  I wrote a brief history of Dave, that Ian Booth (Chard Wheelers) used in shortened version as an epitaph that he read out a Dave’s funeral. I can send it to you if you like so you can get a picture of the man the frame was made for.

The frame has been resprayed brick red, probably by Argos. I may just get some decals from Lloyds and get it lacquered over as the paint has covered well but has been applied a bit thick in places. I will take advise from Jim King, who is the best bike painter I have ever found. I think I already have some 531db stickers somewhere.
I will send you some photo’s as I make progress.

Stan Pike worked in the next department to me in Westlands back in the early 1970’s. I knew who he was, but never had any close contact with him. Small world but Bob White junior, who’s dad had the bike shop before Stan, worked with me in another part of Westlands in the 1990’s.

I contacted Stan’s son, who said…

This one was built in 1979, using Reynolds 531 double butted main frame tubes with Columbus chain stays. It’s silver brazed and is a 22″ frame.

Update 3rd April 2017. The frame and forks have been resprayed.
Update 2nd May 2017. Martin says ‘I’m not sure if Dave Pitman would of approved of the red saddle, but I thought it looked the part.’
SP D11948P outside 66 Hermitage Street, Crewkerne, where the frame was built 38 years ago.

PJ 23185900

Keith Glover contacted me and said…

Nick Watson passed your details onto me regarding the Stan Pike that I have just got from him.  I am coming up to speed on Stan Pike and its especially interesting as I live in a town practically next door to Crewkerne and often go past where the shop would have been.

The frame has been resprayed by Argos of Bristol. The original paint colour was white. As you can see I have some components, but not all. I have started by cleaning the wheels up and they are not too bad, but its going to take a while to finish it.

I contacted Stan’s son and he said…

This one was built for Philip Hamlin in 1983. Confirm the frame is built from Reynolds 531 plain gauge tubing as noted by the new owner. It’s recorded as a 23″ frame with 22 & 7/8 top tube. 2″ fork rake. 14 & 3/8 wheel clearance. 17 & 1/4″ chain stay length with 73 degree parallel seat and head tubes.

If anyone has any further information on the original owner, Philip Hamlin, please let me know.

Keith says his will send more photographs as the rebuild develops.

SP 12262

Mike Riley from Riley’s Cycles of Sherborne recently purchased a Stan Pike. He said…

Collected another Pike today from Barrie Carter, this one is a keeper for myself. Can you provide any history? It is SP 12262, stamped Alan Hyde ISHIWATA RECORD SILVER BRAZED.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a record of this particular frame. If anyone knows of an Alan Hyde, probably born on 12th Feb 1962, we’d love to hear from you.

UPDATE FEBRUARY 2018
Mike sent me updated photos below. He says…

As you can see from the photographs, I swapped out the Shimano parts and Fulcrum wheels and fitted Campag Athena 8 speed groupset and wheels. I may swap the shifters for downtube mount, indexed Synchro shifters if I want to ride in an Eroica event. If anyone has suitable complete Synchro 8 speed shifters please get in touch. The bike is a treat to ride and is much admired on dry club runs with Digby Etape CC.

PJ 24141

John Barnfield contacted me and said…

I have been looking for a Pike frame for several years and had given up hope of ever finding one, but a few weeks ago a friend told me of one that was being sold not two minutes’ walk from where I live. Although I didn’t need another bike I went to look at it and decided it was far too nice not to buy, so did.

As I didn’t really need it I had planned to sell it, but after taking it out for a spin I decided as it was such a sweet little bike to ride I would keep it as a winter bike, and as pictured is how I will keep it.

Its repainted Gios blue, which I think is one of the more popular Pike colours.

The bottom bracket is stamped PJ 24141 and Brian Duignan.

Stan’s son provided me with further details…

Yes. I have the records on this one also, built in 1983 for a Brian Duignan. Built from Reynolds 531DB, a 20 & 1/2″ frame with 21 & 1/2″ top tube.

A quick search on the internet shows that Brian Duignan was one of the founding members of CC Weymouth. If anyone has any further information about Brian I’d love to hear from you.

img_2470

img_2471

Update May 2017. Unfortunately, due to ill health, John is no longer able to ride his bikes, so he has sold  PJ 24141 to John Pennington. John P has already added his favourite Brooks saddle, thinner Continental tyres and says, ‘Just need to ride it now – can’t wait!’