Anyone ever heard of this bike? I believe it's a 70s model, and I have an opportunity to trade for one (other guy has a frame that's too big, I have one that's too small, we both want to build fixies...)

Any info on the Raleigh Merlin will be appreciated

Never heard of one. More likely an 80's model. Would be instructive to know where the badge says it was made. Raleigh Canada models had different names through much of their line-up than did Raleigh USA and Raleigh England models. Again - this was the case in the 80's.

Gotcha. Thanks for the tip. I'll have to investiage when I go take a look at this thing. I suppose I'm just impatient to find out what my next fixie will (hopefully) be

Update: apparently it's a Nottingham frame with moustache-ish bars. I'm slavering with anticipation

Well, wipe your chin before you go pick it up -- you'll scare the guy.

You're right! I just got the bike and it's an 80's model. It even has Shimano Positron shifters+derailers (the notoriously inauspicious beginning of indexed shifting ). The badge definitely says Nottingham, England. It's a pretty nice looking frame, and I'm very happy to find something in the 25" size, but it's certainly a low-end bike. The rims were steel (I let the previous owner keep those...)

I got the same bike, I'm trying to restore it. Anyone has extra decals for this bike?
Please let me know

Thanks

I would have kept the steel rims & stored them. Later, if the bike becomes a collectible, it may enhance its' value.

OP's thread is 3.5 years old.

I HAVE FOUND SOME INFORMATION ON MERLIN BICYCLES ON THE WWW.

I also see them come up on bicycle auctions in New Zealand for example. These are older road bikes late 40s, 50s. I bought a Humber frame yesterday with double bladed forks. There was a nice decal on the seat post in vertical font, head badge removed. Another decal on the front down tube in script reads Sports Tourist. So it looks like a Humber Sports Tourist. However the seat post decal says MERLIN and has the flying bird rather like the RAF ( :.

Humber bought Merlin and then Raleigh consumed or bought Humber. Merlin being a great frame maker.So the Merlin in your Raleigh model relates to the frame being of high quality and the Merlin name being retained for frame identification.

Web findings below and url accessed wihtin the last month October 2009..

Merlin

https://www.flickr.com/photos/shiftnyckel/2770173825/

" Merlin frames come from Leeds, Yorkshire - this one a 'new old' one in that it was made in 2005, but stricly following the canon of vintage racing bikes, with lugs, diagonal dropouts - the works.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/shiftny...7606779701152/
https://www.bobjacksoncycles.co.uk/history.php
In 1935 J. R. Jackson opened the first "J.R.J. Cycles" with money borrowed from his mother but upon the outbreak of World War II, the shop shut whilst Bob served in the Royal Air Force.

On his return Bob restarted his old business and soon built up a successful line of lightweight racing cycles, as well as building frames for many of the well known cycle companies of the day. The purchase of the historic "Merlin" brand in 1955 brought new life to this classic marque & soon there were parallel ranges of "JRJ"s & "Merlin" frames. By 1964 The "Bob Jackson" special edition framesets & cycles were starting to make their mark & were featured in the 1964 catalogue.1969 saw the company move to 148 Harehills Lane, soon to become famous both here & across the Atlantic when "JRJ “ cycles showed at the only stateside show at the time, New York. Massive sales were followed by subsequent trips to the states & by the early 1970`s Bob had an unrivalled reputation in the USA & the UK.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

A Brief History
In 1935 J. R. Jackson opened the first "J.R.J. Cycles" with money borrowed from his mother but upon the outbreak of World War II, the shop shut whilst Bob served in the Royal Air Force.

On his return Bob restarted his old business and soon built up a successful line of lightweight racing cycles, as well as building frames for many of the well known cycle companies of the day. The purchase of the historic "Merlin" brand in 1955 brought new life to this classic marque & soon there were parallel ranges of "JRJ"s & "Merlin" frames. By 1964 The "Bob Jackson" special edition framesets & cycles were starting to make their mark & were featured in the 1964 catalogue.1969 saw the company move to 148 Harehills Lane, soon to become famous both here & across the Atlantic when "JRJ “ cycles showed at the only stateside show at the time, New York. Massive sales were followed by subsequent trips to the states & by the early 1970`s Bob had an unrivalled reputation in the USA & the UK.

More overseas sales followed & by the early eighties more of the traditional framebuilders & painters were turning to JRJ cycles for their production needs & it was to one of these companies that Bob turned to when he wanted to retire. The owners of the "Hetchins" brand had used JRJ Cycles exclusively to build their curly stayed frames from the late 70`s & so seemed a natural buyer for the company in 1986 as Bob felt he had been at the helm for long enough. Things did not go well during the following years but fortunately Bob was cajoled by Donald Thomas to help rescue the company that he had spent so long in running & in 1993 Bob Jackson Cycles started from the low point of the rented industrial unit that the old management had landed the company in.

Like a new broom Donald, with Bob advising part time, swept all the bad practice that had accumulated, out. Now all work was to be done in house, all painting to be done in house, perfection was the goal, with no shortcuts, no fudging round the edges. By 1997 the company had long outgrown the industrial unit & the hunt was on to find not only premises where the factory could continue to expand but also where there could be a return to proper retailing & service as the company had done in all the years when Bob had control.

The Station Parade on Stanningley Road , Bramley, Leeds became the new home for Bob Jackson Cycles in June of that year & since then the shop & the factory have continued to grow with new contracts, new frame designs, improved efficiency & better products. Sadly Bob died in 1999, but with Donald still at the helm the business founded in 1935 is stronger than it has ever been, offering better quality, better products & better service. "

that's sure a Lazarus post...

there is another Merlin bike company, still existing, making titanium and steel framed bikes in the US since the 80s (now it's all Ti).

https://www.merlinbike.com/home.aspx

Very cool info!
And here's a picture of ours...
Thanks again to Fender1 for sending me the frame!!

Yes they are entirely a separate venture, no relation, but may have launched on the show and racing success of the British progenitors of that marque name? imho.

Thanks for posting this link to your bike . It is fabulous.

I bought a Humber Sports Tourist Frame in the weekend. It has a Merlin decal in vertical font on the seatpost.
I think Humber bought Merlin[UK], then Raleigh Industries consumed Humber and number of other makes like Rudge. Merlin it appears specialised [we spell it that way] in frame building. The frame had double bladed forks and is appx early 60s violet hued blue. All very original too.

Not a "raleigh" merlin, but here are some pics of one I passed on, for obvious reasons:

I'm getting close restoring this old bike, but still no luck for the sticker

I am intoxicated by these images of your Merlin.

Wow what a feast of info on the frame.

which decal do you require? can you obtain artwork on one decal or 'sticker'?

You can make them.

Most graphics places can make them up even if you have a picture. They are quite sophisticated but a set up pair costs 60-80 nz dollars for an example, then they diminish in cost after that.

Sorry guys I got the posts merged into one..OMG where is that one you "PASSED" on ( :

Post deleted by moderation. Non-paying members cannot sell on BikeForums and even they must do so in appropriate forums.

Walter
Moderator

I bought mine in 1981 and still have it they go for Ģ150/Ģ200

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there is a Merlin connection with the cycling historian, the late Andrew Ritchie

in 1973 he returned to Berkeley, California from a trip home to the UK and brought with him two pre-owned road frames

the first was a Pat Hanlon in opaque medium blue with black panels, constructed with a full-sloping crown and a Brampton Victor seat cluster, size was 24 1/2" c-t-t

the second machine was a Merlin in white with opaque red panels and Zeus Gran Sport road ends, it was of 22 1/2" stature

both irons appear to date from the mid-to-late sixties

never learned if the Merlin was pre or post fire; it appeared to be from right around that time...

the lady who purchased it was a tenant in a building i managed. built it up into a complete cycle for her. she subsequently decided to have it resprayed in the original livery. this work was performed by none other than Ed Litton who was able to obtain the correct varnish-fixing transfers.

​​​​​​https://classicrendezvous.com/countr...-isles/merlin/

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acknowledging this is a Zombie thread (but then again even a Zombie has to earn a living, right?) I once did a homebrew restoration on a Bob Jackson-made Merlin and could.t find the correct decals (I never thought to ask Ed Litton, but...) so I drew the vector artwork and had adhesive vinyl stickers printed by the then-still-alive Velocals.
I might still have a few extras that I didn't use, no idea if the material would be 'good as new' or even just usable, but JR (Velocals' sole proprietor) generally used good materials and durable inks.
So if anybody is looking to do the same, PM me and I'll take a look thru my archives...but that won't be quick.

Let's see if I can find a visual ref


my decals placed on the BJ Merlin

the 531 was supplied by somebody else (maybe Lloyds?)


Huh! I sure picked some weird stuff for this build, but then it was destined to be flipped so I just picked thru my bins.

I had no idea there ever was any Merlin built by Raleigh but that red example has the Carlton-only "Capella" lugs...so there ya go!
I doubt BJ would have been able to acquire those lugs, if he had wanted them, but what do I know?