Tom Boyden, of Garland, Texas (Dallas suburb), built racing bikes for at least ten years, beginning in the 70s. Later, he developed some timing devices for bike races that he used throughout the Midwest. Tom died last year of lung cancer (though never a smoker).
I came to know Tom in 1971, shortly after he'd been fired from Texas Instruments for designing and building a seatpost on company time. Though I counted him a good friend, he must be considered one of the stranger rangers of the bicycle world. His seatpost was a marvel of simplicity: there was no adjustment of seat angle, but it was a light, sturdy, one bolt job. His attitude was "I know what your seat angle is supposed to be, so why should I build in adjustability?"
He took the same approach to frame design and construction: I never owned one of his frames, but beauty was not a criterion in design or construction. Utility was. There was a time that he was importing Witcomb frames, but he built his own as well. He had little use for the Campagnolo mystique, again favoring utility. He wore EEEE shoes, and equipped his bike with cheap rattraps because they fit any foot.
His brand name was "Fastab,", fas+his initials, tab. I knew him only as a friend, and would be delighted to hear, on or offlist, any good Tom Boyden stories.
Morgan in DeKalb 93 and muggy.
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