Road Cycling - Merlin Cielo!!!

This is amazing and BEAUTIFUL! This has to be one of the most amazing frames I've seen!
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2002/tradeshows02/interbike02/day2_2/MerlinDropout.jpg
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2002/tradeshows02/interbike02/day2_2/MerlinCieloSeatLug.jpg
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2002/tradeshows02/interbike02/day2_2/MerlinCieloEngravedHeadtube.jpg
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2002/tradeshows02/interbike02/day2_2/MerlinCieloBB.jpg

That is one of the best builds I've ever seen...leave it to a merlin to be it.

All I can say is "Wow". That's a work of art.

:love:

Wow, that is amazing!

A gross of barf bags please........:roflmao:

http://www.humorasylum.com/pics/pic146.jpg
don't try to be too clever, you might sprain something

Stunning bike and killer binky - I'd love to see the look on my sisters face if I stuck that in her kid's mouth.

Scary beautiful bike. I would probably leave it in my livingroom and spend hours looking at it.

Could you imagine that frame with Record and carbon cranks?

Originally posted by velocipedio
Scary beautiful bike. I would probably leave it in my livingroom and spend hours looking at it.

Could you imagine that frame with Record and carbon cranks?
That's what I was thinking. It's too purty to ride.
The big picture:

That bike doesn't belong on the road...

Man, to simply wash that thing you'd need some holy water - the regular stuff just isn't good enough.

I suppose it falls under the catagory of "If you have to ask the price, you ought to be shot for the stupid question," but I HAVE to know- how much?

I was looking for a grocery store beater...........

Fine craftsmanship
beautiful welds
perfect attention to detail
Awesome

The person that built that machine really enjoys thier job.

Do you think those perfectly scalloped fillet welds are done by a machine or a human?

That is all CNC machined and laser cut. There maybe some handwork in fine finishing

edit;
the welds are done by hand, from what I hear

With Campy Record $6,180 :eek:
a bargain at twice the price ;)
http://www.hi-techbikes.com/cgi/display.cgi?MERL_Cielo

For $5,899, I can buy a 2003 Yamaha YZ250
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/products/unitinfo.asp?lid=2&lc=mcy&cid=7&mid=30
For $6,299, the new 2003 Yamaha YZ 450F.
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/products/unitinfo.asp?lid=2&lc=mcy&cid=7&mid=209

Originally posted by knifun

For $5,899, I can buy a 2003 Yamaha YZ250
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/products/unitinfo.asp?lid=2&lc=mcy&cid=7&mid=30
For $6,299, the new 2003 Yamaha YZ 450F.
http://www.yamaha-motor.com/products/unitinfo.asp?lid=2&lc=mcy&cid=7&mid=209

Sure, but they won't build ANY muscles! ;)

Depends... Ever try to get one of those things on to a roof rack?:p

Roof Rack - good one!
Anyway, I was just trying to make a point about my beliefs is that the cycling industry is pricing itself out of the market - especially in a DOWN economy. The cycling industry is complaining that there are fewer and fewer bikes sold, more and more retailers and companies are going out of business and yet, the industry builds $900 Campy cranksets and $6500+ bicycles.

In a second case of the cycling industry shooting itself in the foot is in all of the drug rumors. If you look at the top professional athletes in this industry - during a Tour De France, they ride 120+ miles 6 days a week for 3 weeks. I asked an ex-pro racer about this and he said the same thing...the industry is doing it to itself, you can't perform like at that at that level "without" drugs.....

Just my 2cents

I like the look of the Serotta version
looks really nice with full campy record with carbon
cranks.

and the detail

Expensive or not, I think that merlin is quite ugly.....it has no soul to it....

Originally posted by H20.1
Expensive or not, I think that merlin is quite ugly.....it has no soul to it....
This may be one of the truest statements I've read here
at BF. Both the Cielo and Ottrott have NO mojo, no soul.
A mid 70's De Rosa, or Masi, now there's MOJO.

Just my 2 pennies worth.
Marty

Originally posted by H20.1
.....it has no soul to it....

And according to Dirtgrinders picture, it has no valve stems.

Originally posted by Greg


And according to Dirtgrinders picture, it has no valve stems.
I think that kid with the big teeth bit 'em off. :)

Originally posted by lotek

This may be one of the truest statements I've read here
at BF. Both the Cielo and Ottrott have NO mojo, no soul.
A mid 70's De Rosa, or Masi, now there's MOJO.

Just my 2 pennies worth.
Marty

Oh brother, that just sounds like retro-grouching to me. How can you even say that without riding the frame?????
Those lugs and etchings all had to be designed by someone's hand. The welds and assembly of all the tubes was by hand and the attention to detail rival anything I've seen.
Soul? Mojo? Give me a break, in 10 years you'll be saying the same thing about the 2012 Masi or DeRosa, "No soul like the Cielo..."

All the soul and mojo on my machines come from time on the saddle, not because it's old.

I love most bikes. From the old Hetchins and Flying Scot to the newest Fondriest and Ciocc. And I like this one too, but it strikes me as a bit odd that the bike has such nice frame etching/molding - unusual for a performance bike from what I have seen, but such ugly (in an artistic, not industrial, sense) unfinished welds. Is that because you can't file them smooth on a Ti frame without issues later on?

Cheers...Gary

that just sounds like retro-grouching to me
well, yeah it is. . . :lol:

Not to say that either the Ottrott or Cielo are
bad, etc. I just happen to like old Masi's and
De Rosa's, and feel they have a certain
"je ne sais quois" that the newer frames don't.
And I have ridden new/current frames. I think that
Pegoretti's have mojo (whatever the hell that is),
Richard Sach's has mojo, Ibis had mojo.
So it isn't entirely a retrogrouch thing. and yeah
in 2012 I might think the cielo has mojo, but I doubt
it. The lugwork is nice, the welds aren't (as Gmason stated),
Artwork? well for that one I'd say Magnum Bonum.

Marty

Anyway, I was just trying to make a point about my beliefs is that the cycling industry is pricing itself out of the market - especially in a DOWN economy. The cycling industry is complaining that there are fewer and fewer bikes sold, more and more retailers and companies are going out of business and yet, the industry builds $900 Campy cranksets and $6500+ bicycles.

This may be true and I'd agree 100% except for the fact that manufactures are starting to make cheaper road bikes (again). Specialized line took a price cut at the lower levels for the 2003 bikes (making it fun for retailers to price the 2002 models). Fuji came out with a new model priced at $350 for 2003. IronHorse came out with an entry level road bike priced at $450 for 2002. These are all available at your LBS, if you jump to mail order there are even more choices. The decline is not because Merlin makes a $7k bike, going to have to dig much deeper than that.

There is always going to be a high level of everything including bikes, along with Campy's $900 crankset they also make one for $60. It's hardly fair to blame the bike manufactures because of the lack of popularity of the sport/hobby. That would be like blaming Ferrari because of poor sales of the entire auto market.

Just my 2 rupels.
Andrew

Well, the welds may not be very smooth, but this bike is spectacular in person. I spent a few minutes poring over it at a show today. It is a real beauty.

Cheers...Gary