Classic & Vintage - This baby is going to be mine

Not exactly vintage, but a vintage bike builder:

Mercian 26" (http://www.mvsara.co.uk)

New steel (631), and unicrown forks (actually, they're early 90s style). friction bar-end levers, etc. :) I'm going to see her this weekend. If I buy (unlikely not to), I'll put a carradice saddlebag and bagman support on her.

That is by some way the wierdest looking Mercian I ever saw! Good bikes though, one and all.

It definitely has a venerable pedigree, and friction barcons are always a nice touch.

Looks very Bridgestone-ish! I mean that in a good way.

Neal

Mercian told me it was a custom build. They do 26" semi-compacts bikes normally for women - short top tube and no toe clip overlap.

This one is different - 20" seat tube, and 22.5" top tube.
It's an oddball. At first glance, it's an 'expedition' tourer. Then you notice the steepish head & seat tube, lack of rack bosses. canti brakes (which I prefer, can't stand the 'snatch' of V brakes).

Mercian said that the frame alone cost over 600 sterling. I'm getting the whole bike for 300. :) Unfashionable, you see - it isn't a carbon F racer-type, or a flat-barred mountain bike.

What was impressive was how quickly Mercian identified it. They took one look at the photo and confirmed immediately that it was legit and what it was. Guess the guys in the shop have good memories for custom builds.

Very nice bike ! I love roadbars on mtb's and have two conversions, a touring bike and ss. This is is not a bike for technical singletracks but for bombing on gravelroads and forest roads there is nothing better. Very nice on ice with studded tires too. The longish wheelbase and the balanced "middle" position gives great control of the bike.
More pics please, seems to be fillet brazed.

It is fillet brazed - I'll put more pics on the website after Sat.
I want the bike for long commutes - 25 miles each way - on bitumen roads that are rough and unlit. Comfort, stable handling and nice 'feel' are the priority. Modern bikes just don't seem to offer this.
We don't get much ice here, just wet and grit with a bit of slush.

Are you in England somewhere?

Yup - I live near York and work in Leeds.

Aha. I'm in Southampton. Although you could probably see that from my account!

Yeah, the location "Southampton, UK", was a bit of a giveaway. So what do you ride down there?

What do I ride? There's a question. Currently:

EG Bates track bike
Gazelle Trim Trophy roadie (my "long ride" bike)
Raleigh Royal tourer (my errand/load lugging bike)
Falcon Westminster tourer (my lockup beater bike)

In the pipeline are a couple of fixed gear bikes (one flat bar, one drop bar, the drop on a Nigel Dean road frame, the flat on an unidentified chrome frame), a Raleigh Gran Sport, an HR Bates Cantiflex path racer style.....I'm missing something, but I'm not sure what.

I'm one of the guys who snipes off old bikes cheap on ebay (or anywhere else) and sells the parts on for profit.

Hey Sammyboy, post some pics of your Raleigh Gran Sport. I'd like to compare to my 73 model.

Here she is. Came without the original derailleurs (there were Shimano Light Action fitted instead). I've sold the Cinelli bars and stem, the Campy shifters, the brakes, and the RDm but kept the pedals and cranks, seatpost (stuck!), the FD, and the wheels (one of them is not the Campy original). I'm rebuilding it with a 300 ex RD I have, a pair of Nashbar moustache bars that look more like Laterwasser bars than Nittos, and whatever brakes I might have lying around. It'll still be a nice bike, and it'll be free!

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Samuelw72/DSC00307.jpg
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http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Samuelw72/DSC00309.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a322/Samuelw72/DSC00310.jpg