Stowe Phase 3 cycles

[tylerbick]

I'm potentially gonna pick up an early 90's Stowe frameset, lugged tange prestige tubing, and it is a beautiful silver and purple paint job. It's a 55cm square and the rear dropouts are semi-horizontal.

Anybody ever had one or sill have one? There's a little info on the internet about the builder, but no one talking about how they ride, etc.

Looking to hear what others who've owned them have to say!

-Tyler

[echelon_john]

I worked at International Bicycle Center in Boston in the late 80s/early 90s and we sold some. I hooked a friend up with one and he liked it; just a good, pretty basic lugged road bike.

I don't know much about the guy other than he worked at Serotta for some period of time.

Not valuable from a collector's standpoint IMO, but if it fits and it's in good shape, sounds like a perfectly solid ride.

[Fishbike]

I did a little research on the brand maybe last year. The builder worked at Serotta and the frames are generally described as well-built. The one I was looking at seemed like a quality frame with nice paint. Frames do not have a lot of cache but are connected to the Serotta family of builders for whaever it's worth.

[tylerbick]

Great info, thanks guys! It's cool that there is a Serotta connection, that makes me more confident about the quality and design process. As inexpensive as it will be for me, I think it will be a very worthwhile investment and will make an interesting addition to the stable.

Cheers!

[parris]

We sold several in the late 80's as well. From what I remember Bob Stowe worked for a while at Serotta and many/most of the design and details of "his" bikes were VERY close to what Serotta was putting out at the time.

I could be wrong and if I am I apologize but I think he had a tagline in his brochures that read "feel our steel". It seemed like he was taking a shot at his former employer with things. The build quality was okay but I don't remember anything original.

[kvnmuadib]

hi I had a stowe phase 3 that was slightly lge tho I wouldn't have sold it but the size of the herd was getting negatory input from my SO....it was very elegantly tig welded with a std bb shell,fastback stays,a nice reinforcing collar for the binder bolt as the tubing was very thin gauge tange,at least in the opinion of notable long island builder jamie swann who raced cat 3 with stowe as a jr. I recently replaced it with a very similar frame I picked up on ebay and the owner of a local bike shop I took it to for a headset install rode on a team in the 80's that was supplied by stowe..aside from the serotta conection he also was the builder of georgena terry's initial triathlon frames,his self named stowe cycles ,and the final bike building info I found was as a builder of custom mtn. bike frames for a quebec concern...if any one has any :fight:further info I'd like to hear it...as far as his frames having nothing new or special,my experience is that, mine at least, had that certain build quality/ride that was both lively and stable,and aesthetically pleasing as well

[kvnmuadib]

gone but not forgotten..this has a generic tange unicrown but chrome...my replacement has a sloping crown and painted red to match ....gotta get some pics and decide the build ...late 80's c-record or vintage super record...this bike had some sweet components I couldn't change out including the mavic concealed spring brakeset...i could have but rarely do i mess with success....the owner of cane creek which took over some of dia compe's line sent me detailed instructions on tightening the spring and centering ,a little tricky,and not something I could just figure out

[kvnmuadib]

We sold several in the late 80's as well. From what I remember Bob Stowe worked for a while at Serotta and many/most of the design and details of "his" bikes were VERY close to what Serotta was putting out at the time.

I could be wrong and if I am I apologize but I think he had a tagline in his brochures that read "feel our steel". It seemed like he was taking a shot at his former employer with things. The build quality was okay but I don't remember anything original.

no need to apologize ,and I believe more stowes come to market from upstate new york..did you sell a lugged variety made with columbus as well...the ones I have seen looked like italian steel....one thing he definitely shared with serrota was an american flag decal...made in usa

[soulspinner]

At the end he was building down the street from me. He caught on with the locals (tri folks too) and I have ridden with a guy who has one and still rides it ( he is farkin fast). He has nothing but good things to say but it was made for him.............................