Production details

After a customer makes their specific order, a Bikecad drawing is created to make sure all the measurements are compatible, and then the specifications are sent to the workshop with a specific frame number. The frame is the first component built, and one frame builder will craft the frame from start to finish using Reynolds Stainless Steel Tubing, and using handmade lugs to piece it together, all of which are intricate and help make the Mercian distinctive. Once this is done, the frame is pinned in place over a hearth to braze it. Brass or silver solder is then used to secure the tubing, which allows for repairs later down the line. The order is then handed over to the spray painter and the frame finisher. One of the 63 high quality, environmentally friendly enamel paint is sprayed on before being baked for a long lasting and durable finish, and the lugs are hand painted before several layers of varnish are added on before the final stoving in the oven, resulting in a glossy finish.

Turnaround time
5-6 weeks
File types
Minimum order
£1200
Production access
By Appointment: Access to visit the facitilies depending on the project
Works With
  • Large business
  • Small companies
  • Professionals
  • General public
  • Students
Capacity
  • Bespoke 1-offs

History

Named after the 7th Century Kingdom of Mercia, the company was founded in 1946 by Tom Crowther and Lou Barker, and still uses the same traditional method, handed down from frame builder to frame builder, and which are renowned worldwide for creating high quality and long lasting bicycles. Many individuals and teams have used Mercian bicycles over the decades, including national championship winner Eileen Sheridan, and this has also contributed to their international reputation, as well as being renowned and remembered fondly over generations in their hometown.