Tom Crowther and Lou Barker founded Mercian in Derby in 1946, according to Mercian's own history and road.cc. Its 1998 brochure lists frames from the Vincitore and Strada Speciale to lugless Reynolds 653 and 853 models and bronze-welded tandems. road.cc reported in May 2024 that Mercian Cycles Ltd had stopped trading and gone into liquidation.
Key facts
- Founded
- 1946 (Tom Crowther and Lou Barker)
- Based
- Derby
- Ownership
- Mercian Cycles Ltd ceased trading in May 2024 and went into creditors' voluntary liquidation
Mercian models
Years show the earliest and latest evidence found so far, not exact production dates.
Club / lightweight
- Audax SpecialThe Audax Special is in Mercian's 1998 frame brochure, built in Reynolds 531 Competition tubing with short-point Italian lugs cut with hearts…1998
- Miss MercianThe Miss Mercian is in Mercian's 1998 frame brochure, in Reynolds 531 double-butted Competition tubing with lugs made for this frame and twin…1998
Racing lightweight
- Low ProfileThe Low Profile is a lugless frame in Reynolds 653 tubing with fastback seat stays, as listed in Mercian's 1998 frame brochure.1998
- Pro LuglessThe Pro Lugless is in Mercian's 1998 frame brochure in Reynolds 653 tubing with a Cinelli aero fork crown.1998
- ProfessionalMercian's 1998 frame brochure lists the Professional with the same tubing and brazings as the Strada Speciale…1998
- Strada SpecialeThe Strada Speciale is in Mercian's 1998 frame brochure: Reynolds 531 double-butted Competition tubing, long-point lugs hand-cut with a clover leaf…1998
- SuperlightMercian's 1998 frame brochure describes the Superlight as a Strada Speciale-specification frame with lugs cut away in Mercian's own style and…1998
- VincitoreThe Vincitore is in Mercian's 1998 frame brochure as a Reynolds 531 double-butted Competition frame with intricate hand-cut lugwork and Campagnolo…1998
Touring lightweight
Tandem
- Double Marathon TandemMercian's 1998 frame brochure describes the Double Marathon tandem as similar to the Super Tourist…1998
- Super Tourist TandemThe Super Tourist tandem in Mercian's 1998 frame brochure adds a bracing tube from the head to the rear seat tube.1998
- Tourist TandemMercian's 1998 frame brochure lists a Tourist Tandem of Double Diamond design, bronze-welded without lugs from Reynolds 531 tubing…1998
Sources for this brand
Last updated 19 October 2026. Every fact on this page comes from one of these.