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Throwback Thursday: John Tomac’s 1994/95 Raleigh Technium Race Bike on Ebay

Written by Zach Overholt
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Tomac bike ebay

Calling all bike collectors – not only is there a rad vintage mountain bike up for sale on Ebay, but it once was raced by the John Tomac. According to the seller, the Raleigh Technium Titanium race bike was given to Pearl Izumi USA Co-founder Stan Mavis by Tomac after PI sponsored him. The seller then got the bike from Stan and is now putting it up for sale. The 18.5″ bike is currently up to $5,200 which includes almost all original parts. Apparently the tires are the only spec that might not be original since Tomac raced for Tioga at the time and the bike is currently wearing Continentals.

Tomac bike ebay 2

Tomac bike ebay 3

Most the parts on the bike have been etched with dates of when they were installed, including the Tioga Disc Drive Pro wheel. Head on over to Ebay to place a bid, or check out more pictures of the bike here.

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Zach Overholt
5,722 articles

Zach Overholt is the Editor in Chief of Bikerumor. He has been writing about what’s new in the bicycle world for 12+ years. Prior to that, Zach spent many years in the back of a bicycle shop building and repairing nearly every type of bike, while figuring out how to (occasionally) ride them.

Based in Ohio, Zach is now slowly introducing a new generation to cycling and still trying to figure out how to fit the most rides into a busy schedule as a new dad.

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Frippolini
Frippolini
10 years ago

This brings back many memories…
Like running low pressure in the tires to feel suspension when running the occasional downhill run, or wearing what today would be considered a bucket-full-of-holes for a helmet… sweet memories.
Looking at the XTR derailleur… good thing that I never got around trading a kidney for what at the time was the “creme-de-la-creme” components group. 😉

As for the bike, does anyone know if Raleigh actually built the frame or if it was built by somebody else (Litespeed)?

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Tony
Tony
5 years ago
Reply to  Frippolini

I know this is a few years old, but came upon this thread while researching something else. These frames were indeed made by ti Raleigh in England. I worked for Sampson sports at the time, and we imported them in bulk to finish stateside and sell as private label Sampson bikes. They were made to be a budget ti frame, utilizing “CP” or “Commercially Pure” tubes (not as strong as 3-2.5 or 6-4.) Note the rough finish on the dropout and the crimped/swaged stays (plus the ugly welds noted by others.) I had one and a matching road bike. They rode well, despite their humble materials and craftsmanship. It just goes to show it’s the rider and not the bike!

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Ligero
Ligero
10 years ago

@Frippolini The frames were not made by Raleigh, I believe that it was Merlin that was making them.

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Rich W.
Rich W.
10 years ago

I don’t know about this one. The whole thing doesn’t seem to add up. Tomac always raced a half carbon half titanium frame. I don’t recall him ever running dia compe brakes. And the welds are discolored and look a bit like pigeon poop. If this was one of his earlier bikes when he first joined Raleigh, it wouldn’t have an aheadset. I could be wrong, but I think this is BS.

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j
j
10 years ago

At first I was stoked thinking it was a Tomacnium (I believe those were tie lugs/carbon tubes or vice versa), but this…isn’t. Still brought me back though.

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Slow Learner
Slow Learner
10 years ago

He rode a very similar bike at the Australian Nationals in 94 I think, old TV news report/video link below, all titanium frame with what looks like the same kit but, the mag 20/21s are blue.

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Slow Learner
Slow Learner
10 years ago

I remember that they grumbled in the Aussie mags at the time that we only go to see his russian made bike and not the ti-carbon wonder bike.

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kc
kc
10 years ago

I agree Rich W. Haven’t one JT ridden bike with Dia Compes. The bike was even introduced with Grafton’s Same goes for the main frame tubes. The were carbon/ti.

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Dodin
Dodin
10 years ago

It’s legit. I happen to know the seller and the whole back story.

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satisFACTORYrider
satisFACTORYrider
10 years ago

throw it back further BR! his yeti c-26 w/drops!

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bummer
bummer
10 years ago

@ Rich W. & kc – You make good points but aside from Tomac’s bikes where did you ever see one of those Tioga stems?

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King Country
King Country
10 years ago

I bought a Tomac model, new. It was a 1994 Raleigh MTi1000, see link:

http://www.bikepedia.com/quickbike/BikeSpecs.aspx?year=1994&brand=Raleigh&model=MTi+1000

My parts are similar to the bike in the article, except not blue, and downgraded from John’s race bike. The frame looks identical, except that I got a 16″. From what I read back then, its English-made from Russian tubing.

I still have it and take it to the trails often enough. The geometry is great. In ’94, most headtubes were short for a frame that size. At the time, this bike was one of the only models with a tall headtube, which I prefer. Original parts still on mine are: frame, fork, headset, bb, crank, rings, chain, wheels, cassette, seat, post, clamp. It now has V brakes, shorter stem, riser bars, and a rock ring.

I used to feel outdated, but then people started riding rigid/rigid single-speeds, so I figured my set up was adequate.

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bummer
bummer
10 years ago

@Rich W & kc: You raise good points but where else but on Tomac’s bikes did you ever see one of those Tioga stems?

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Bielas
Bielas
10 years ago

The spec doesn’t seem to match Tomac’s sponsors. I think this is the Russian made replica MT2000. Tomac was riding much nicer carbon/titanium frame, Showa-Tioga fork and Grafton cantis and levers. Even the Tomac grips came up later than 1994, I think he raced on ODI mushrooms back then.

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greg
greg
10 years ago

from Retrobike.uk, dated 2012:
“This style of all titanium frame wasnt Tomacs main race bike for the 94/95 season. Tomacs main race bikes changed from the first well known merlin & litespeed ti/carbon bonded frames from 91. ”
it was definitely his, just not his main ride.
blue fork was the Showa fork, never sold aftermarket that i ever saw.
from MTBR’s Official John Tomac Picture Thread:
“Ad for the all Ti bikes.
I knew he rode one of these all Ti bikes in some race(s) in Australia but hadn’t known he’d done so in Europe as well.”

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Offrhodes
Offrhodes
10 years ago

To this day I still want a Tioga disc drive.

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Paul Mckenna
Paul Mckenna
10 years ago

sorry, that is not the bike that Tomac rode. I worked for Raleigh at the time that Tomac was racing for them. he was my hero and like every most bike guys I was into the equipment as much as the rider. The complete bikes that he rode did have Grafton brake levers and canti’s. they also had Ringle seatposts and Tioga tires. The frame was ti-carbon. The frame pictured here uses the Russian ti. I do not remember where it was made, but it sure wasn’t a 3-2.5 blend of ti. It was some brittle stuff that didn’t hold up very well. On the bike that tomac rode the rear end and head tube were welded by lightspeed and the 3 main tubes were labeled Easton carbon. At the time Tomac rode for Raleigh he was sponsored by Nike, not pearl Izumi. So I don’t really think he would be giving stuff the the pearl guys. This bike looks like the stock production bike raleigh sold at the time.

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nakre
nakre
10 years ago

Amusing, you say you worked for Raleigh and that his bike had a Ringle seatpost, his bikes never had Ringle seatposts, they had Tioga seatposts. You should know that. He only used the Ringle Quick releases.

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derek brooke
derek brooke
10 years ago

He is riding a Raleigh here and he sure is sponsored by Pearl Izumi
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=226966

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Dargo14
Dargo14
10 years ago

Tomac races the carbon tubed bikes until 94 when he switched to a bike called the experimental which was an aluminium frame that later became the giant atx 890. He did wear pearl Izumi clothing through 93 and 94 . He used Magura brakes in 94 too . This is not his bike

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