A Sporting Life

Tom Robinson was a professional cyclist who, in his time, held every SA cycling record from half a mile to 100 miles. He raced against Sir Hubert Oppermann several times.

Upon his return from the war, Tom Robinson won the 1-mile Maidens event and also the 1-mile Harrison Stakes in 1919. With Robinson’s persistence he was awarded the 1921 Champion of the Dunlop Road race.

Tom’s style of riding was one of perfect form; he is noted for his 10 championships in one year and riding a 5-mile road race on a deflated tyre while still acquiring a race record for the distance.

Robinson studied the sport of cycling and became employed by Super Elliott as their frame builder, building frames at the Gawler place premises he soon began to specialise frames for the Super Elliott team members.

His offerings were a variety of designs and upon request his designs featured special hand cut lugs which he incorporated into the frames, his designs varied and the Super Elliott Special " E" was seen as their top model embossed on the front of the frame. Robinson became known as one of Super Elliott's top frame builders.

Robinson was still working with Super Elliott past his retirement and had produced hundreds of frames for the store and by the late 1970's Robinson was still riding his bike aged in his 80's for Sunday lunch, it was his key to longevity and recalled "The war was the saddest part of my life" "The best part was the cycling".