Yes and no - phil wood still makes them. It does limit you if you want a latest/greatest crank, but pretty much all systems and chains work fine with older cranks, or newer square taper. There are instructions out there, easy to find, on servicing the bearings. I just have my lbs do it.

I rode a Merlin as my only road bike for eight years. It was amazing, they are super stable and responsive bikes. I have bombed hills at ~50 m.p.h and done 100 mile days, I never gave the bike a second thought. I would get another Tom Kellogg designed bike in a heartbeat. Especially one of those really hot Spectrum anniversary steel bikes.

The only reason I moved on is because eight years is a long time with the same bike for me and I wanted to check out vintage steel. I still have the frame and will probably never sell it, I might just want to ride it again someday.

Unfortunately I could not find any pictures of the bike built up. They must be on an old computer in my storage unit.

Here is the frame:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2945/...5712710c7d.jpgIMG_0700 by lelandgibson, on Flickr


I think it is from about 2000 or so because of the early campy carbon bits that were on it. I have seen other painted frames from the same era as well. They go pretty reasonably. The one thing I don't like about it is the integrated headset. Its just really hard to find parts for. you should watch for that as well as the BB.

Not to disagree with KA Snake, but there may be exceptions.

I have a Ti subcontracted frame from Merlin through Excel Sports in Boulder, CO. They were the USA West's largest distributor of Merlin in the 90's, and had a history of running private label frames from steel to Al to Ti models. My Macalu Cirrus is from a mixed tubeset of the early 2000s Extralight. I've never gotten a first hand story regarding the details of the Macalu line. Mine was from the years when the Merlin Mass team was transitioning production to Litespeed TN. Naturally, the seller of my frameset told the story of a frame from Mass. It has the curved seat&chainstay rear-end with thick chainstays. This model has a relatively short headtube for the 59cm size. It rides small and lightning fast with a light-weight wheelset.

I will update with pics when I can find them.

Here is the Macalu mentioned above. If anyone knows the detailed history of the Ti Macalu line in the early 2000s, please PM me.

This has been my go-to bike as the curved chainstays allow a triple, even with relatively short cs length. It took me across WA state a few years back. Stiff frame for its' time. There was another Macalu model that was more touring oriented and whippy in the larger sizes.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409104http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409105http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409107

On the road = Olympic Peninsula in the summer daisy season.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409111
Or across WA in Hwy 20
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409114

saw a guy walking around the flee market with a vintage titanium merlin with dura ace, i asked him how much he paid, he said 90 dollars.

I don't know why, but that makes me wanna cry.

This might be a good time to mention that people lie...especially about money.

By any chance, did it have "hooded" rear dropouts and a 7 o'clock rear brake cable routing, with braze-on DT bosses?

Maybe the guy let a 0 slip with is significant other within earshot :)

:roflmao:

I added 3 photos a couple of days ago to my above post.
Rear dropouts are not hooded
Rear brake cable routing is via 2 braze-ons at about 7 o'clock (left side, lower portion of top tube)
No downtube bosses. Cable routing has head tube braze-ons.

Does that add to the understanding of this frame?

IIRC from my search years ago the 2002 Extralight had similar dropouts and HT cable routing braze-ons. The HT was appropriate for an integrated headset, while my Macalu has a traditional headtube for 1 1/8 headset. The bike also came with a Real Design fork, which was a Litespeed product (i think).

Here's a link to Velospace and a 2002 Extralight - with exception of headtube, mine 'looks' similar. Same fork, too.
http://velospace.org/node/31819
By th way, I've never said my bike is an exact copy of the Extralight, just similar in many ways.

I've had a mega tube Bianchi road bike and a Merlin Titanium mountain bike. I much preferred the Merlin and sold the Bianchi.

Both Craigslist steals.

Any interest in building your bike with a new Ti frame?

Frameset 3AL/2.5V Butted Titanium Frameset $999
High Modulus Carbon Fiber fork with Carbon Steerer
Save Up to 60% Off Road Titanium framesets - Motobecane Le Champion Team Ti

http://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...ameset_600.jpg

^^^ That is exactly the kind of ti frame I would not go near. Ti isn't something to do on a budget (unless used), if it's out of budget (and it's out of mine) I think you're best off buying used, or going with a different material. Ti frames are, in my experience, more variable in ride quality and build quality than other materials. I have ridden some truly uninspiring ti frames and I don't think many really design well with the material. Tom Kellogg has the voodoo, Serotta had the voodoo. Folks I trust say Moots, Firefly, and Hollands have the voodoo, though I haven't ridden one. A lot of really good frame makers don't - my De Rosa Primato is a much better ride than the titanio.

I look at it this way - you're really buying the builder, and some like to work in ti. Don't buy something just because it's titanium, or SLX, or 531, etc. A good builder can make a good frame with nearly any material - and a bad frame can be made with any material too. Just because it's ti doesn't make it special.

A bikes direct ti frame? No thanks.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409517I'm pretty sure why these bikes ride so well is who designed them. Tom Kellogg is VERY well respected designer, fitter, and bike builder and painter. He is also pretty darn quick riding a bike as well. I sold my Merlin when I broke my back and it looked as if I would never ride again. I recovered and could not find the Merlin I wanted, so after looking at all the new Ti bikes being built. I called TK and had him build a Spectrum for me. VERY GLAD I DID!
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=409517

I ride a 2002 Colnago CT1 (CarbonFiber rear triangle and fork/Titanium main); and it is the most comfortable riding bike I've ever owned-ridden up to 214 miles in a day on it. I don't know if the production was out-sourced, but I've never had any issues with the frame.

I have and Eddy Merckx titanium bike that was built by Litespeed. Here are a few pics of the bare frame. I will try to get some built up pics tonite.
http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps2acf5a92.jpg

http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps6206357d.jpg

http://i649.photobucket.com/albums/u...ps1c9eccc6.jpg

I agree, get a Merlin! It's my favorite bike.

http://www.pedalroom.com/p/2011-merl...um-14825_4.jpg



I would also look into GT (this one is not mine):

http://www.pedalroom.com/p/1998-gt-e...ium-2329_1.jpg

Funny thing, how is the OP going to build a custom Ti frame from Serotta, Moots, Firefly, or Hollands at the $1,200 price point ... :lol::roflmao2:

Which is why everyone recommended Merlin, which you can get around that number. You might want to read the post again - I don't think you understood it.

Can you post a link to a new Merlin frameset for $1,200?

I'm not sure people were recommending he get a new one...this is C&V after all.

This set the tone for the thread. The op never asked for a recommendation for a new frameset. I inferred from the beginning he was looking for help on suitable brands in the used category, as it is C&V.

Let's not crap on the op's thread. A Bike Direct frameset may be suitable fodder for the road cycling forum, but let's keep the info stream relevant for the op.

The BD Motobecane Le Champion titanium frames are reportedly built by ORA Engineering, Taiwan, which has a two decades long history of building quality OEM Ti frames for others. Knowing how susceptible Ti welds are to contamination and the necessity of using argon shielding gas on both sides of the weld to prevent contamination, I wouldn't have any reservations buying one of the BD frames based on ORAs experience and overwhelmingly positive reviews (very few negative ones that I could find).

While they might lack the cachet of a Moots, by most accounts they're competent and a great value.

For C&V bikes stay away from this - mines a wall hanger because I don't want to break it

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...f/IMGP3869.jpg

But definitely look at this if you can find one (I do see them on Craigslist once in awhile):

http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m...m/IMGP6341.jpg

Tom Kellogg built, Merlin frame, fantastic finish and ride. This Spectrum is a 1989 model that probably had close to 25,000 or more miles on it before my dad passed it on to me. I would easily own another - no questions asked.

I'd rather have an excellent steel bike for the same money as a competent ti one. I'd rather have an excellent used ti frame than a competent new one. As far as positive reviews - people also rave about lots of other bikes I don't like. So much of this is taste.


I also suspect that what ORA calls a flagship ti bike might not be one I think of as flag ship ti. I think I read they built the old Panasonic ti frames - I did own one of those...it doesn't change my perspective.

Scooper - you are hands down one of the most knowledgeable here, but I think there's a reason that a dozen people have spoken about Serotta and Spectrum/Merlin and why not many are attesting to subcontracted ones. Tom Kellogg and Ben Serotta understood how to use ti.

I wouldn't hesitate to buy a BD ti bike. With as many frames as BD sells, if anything about their construction were marginal you would know it.

Ti seems to have fewer variables to work with (non butted tubing, fewer grades, consistent means of joinery, etc). Even with fewer variables, if you know exactly what you want in terms of how it rides, then there may be offerings more closely suited to your wants than the moto.

Check this thread.

Absolutely loaded.

http://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...titaniums.html

...I have yet to think more about a bike than Sophia Loren.