My new to me Merlin Ti
08-01-18, 12:31 PM
#26
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Sounds familiar..I did the same.
..and nice color-combo!
(not a great pic..but it'll work)
..and nice color-combo!
(not a great pic..but it'll work)
08-01-18, 01:23 PM
#28
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08-01-18, 01:31 PM
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That's sweet. And, with Campy!
08-01-18, 01:42 PM
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08-01-18, 03:32 PM
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Thanks, I am really happy with how it all came together. The phone call with Tom Kellogg was very cool, I never would have thought I would talk with him.
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08-01-18, 03:34 PM
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08-01-18, 03:35 PM
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08-01-18, 03:44 PM
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Just did a national CL search..there's a fair number of Merlin's available(none by me
..) and none are close to yours in appearance..though there's a nice one up in Maine. Have to keep my eyes open locally..
08-01-18, 06:20 PM
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Road Bikes For Sale - 4477 Listings - SearchingBicycle.com
This one looks pretty sweet and it’s campy...I am thinking about asking if he’ll ship it for that price.
https://www.searchingbicycle.com/listing.php?id=23214
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08-01-18, 08:06 PM
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Keep looking- try here, good luck, and post up when you find/buy a clean Merlin!
Road Bikes For Sale - 4477 Listings - SearchingBicycle.com
This one looks pretty sweet and it’s campy...I am thinking about asking if he’ll ship it for that price.
Used 58cm Merlin Extralight Titanium Road Bike Campagnolo Record for Sale, Loveland CO
This one inMaine:
https://maine.craigslist.org/bik/d/m...651859057.html
08-02-18, 10:47 AM
#37
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I recently built this up for myself. It's a ~1996 Lemond Ti with a carbon fork. Of course, it's light and fast, though it's a bit harsh. I'm thinking of putting wide 650b tires on it.
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“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
08-02-18, 06:29 PM
#38
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08-02-18, 06:43 PM
#39
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I have one, ready to go on. The only saddle I like nearly as much as a Brooks is a Specialized Riva, which seems to be out of production. Nothing beats a Brooks, though.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
08-02-18, 07:16 PM
#40
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Total leather hammock comfort, zero break in and made right here.
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Last edited by Patriot1; 08-03-18 at 12:51 AM.
12-18-18, 07:18 AM
#41
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Thanks Fishboat, A few changes...I have been busy working my new to me Merlin with a detailed cleaning, greasing the BB, new tires, mirrors, Selle Anatomica Vintage/Silver seat, bar tape, frame pump, Ti water bottle cages.
My first ride/shake down was 35 miles...just awesome! I really like how rigid and yet comfortable the Ti frame soaks up the road and the 1992 original Campy group needed zero adjustment. This bike really brings a smile to my face when I take off for a few hours. I hope to ride it for many many years.
I have reached out and talked with Tom Kellogg (the bikes designer) at Spectrum cycle about my new to me Merlin.
A super nice guy who helped me with several questions I had about the bike..very cool. In fact the Ti welder who welded my Merlin still works for Tom at Spectrum Cycles.
I wanted a really clean Vintage Ti bike at a fair price and this barely ridden Merlin “Road” continues to exceed all my
expectations and big wow factor at a fraction of the cost of a brand new Ti bike. Winning!
Forever bike-
5 questions with Dean Bikes founder John Siegrist - Longmont Times-Call
Janus Cycle Group
12-22-18, 06:59 PM
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Great bike!
04-30-23, 04:48 PM
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Merlin Titanium Repairs
Toga Bike Shop in NYC is the place to go to fix Merlin Titanium bikes made in Massachusetts. They distributed these original Merlin Titanium bikes from 1986 on, so they know everything about them. I bought a 1990 Merlin Titanium from Ebay with a horribly loose, unrideable Grease Guard Press Fit Bottom Bracket & a Seized Hideous Stem. No other bike shop in NYC was able to fix this problem, & I was fearful that I had a dead bicycle frame on my hands. Toga was able to rebuild the bottom bracket with new sealed Phil Wood bearings, & can remove any stem seized with Galvanic Fusion between the titanium & aluminum. All for a very reasonable price.
Toga Bike Shop
110 West End Avenue @ 64th Street
NYC, NY 10023
1-212-799-9625
lv@togabikes dot com att: Louis
shipbikes the best & cheapest way to ship a bicycle
If not at or around NYC, strip your bike down & get a used shipping box or frame box from a bicycle shop, tip them $10 or $20
You pay by the size & weight, so a frame box is cheapest to ship.
Remove the wheels, pedals, crank/crank arm, chain, seatpost/saddle.
Vintage Merlin Titanium bikes are great looking, light weight, & should always be saved to ride whenever possible.
Toga Bike Shop
110 West End Avenue @ 64th Street
NYC, NY 10023
1-212-799-9625
lv@togabikes dot com att: Louis
shipbikes the best & cheapest way to ship a bicycle
If not at or around NYC, strip your bike down & get a used shipping box or frame box from a bicycle shop, tip them $10 or $20
You pay by the size & weight, so a frame box is cheapest to ship.
Remove the wheels, pedals, crank/crank arm, chain, seatpost/saddle.
Vintage Merlin Titanium bikes are great looking, light weight, & should always be saved to ride whenever possible.
04-30-23, 08:48 PM
#44
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Very nice Ti drool worthy bikes here.
I did the same as many of you … got a frame in great condition and moved parts over from another bike. Except for the fact that Serotta forks need a proprietary Ti brake bolt, it was pretty straightforward.
I knew I’d like the bike. I’m just surprised at how much I like it. Old skool polished Ti bikes are beautiful, and wherever I go, it gets a lot of attention. ❤️
I did the same as many of you … got a frame in great condition and moved parts over from another bike. Except for the fact that Serotta forks need a proprietary Ti brake bolt, it was pretty straightforward.
I knew I’d like the bike. I’m just surprised at how much I like it. Old skool polished Ti bikes are beautiful, and wherever I go, it gets a lot of attention. ❤️
Last edited by Biker395; 04-30-23 at 09:00 PM.
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05-01-23, 03:36 PM
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No pictures of my Merlin yet because I'm still waiting for the new 2 x 7 black gear/brake levers with no advertising with both cables that hug the handlebars. I'll just have to black out with a sharpie small RT, LT letters on top. Generic, but work with Dura-Ace, Shimano. $75 from China. Only problem, they initially sent me a car water bottle holder, not quite that close, & my biggest Ebay miss. They said they checked better this time, we'll see. There's 1 other seller for the same unbranded shifter, cheaper, but they spelled Shimano incorrectly, so that did not give me confidence.
05-01-23, 05:07 PM
#46
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You might post a thread in Early Brifter after you've used those awhile. Folks are always looking for available alternatives.
05-02-23, 06:59 AM
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Wow, some really nice bikes above, With that kind of frame, it's worth putting the money in to upgrading to newer (better) components like the brakes, brifters, wheels, etc...
I have 2 decent steel bikes; the one I've kept completely original which rides nice and the other with upgraded wheels and cassette. Neither are super high end bikes so doesn't seem worth doing a full upgrade.
I have 2 decent steel bikes; the one I've kept completely original which rides nice and the other with upgraded wheels and cassette. Neither are super high end bikes so doesn't seem worth doing a full upgrade.
05-05-23, 03:01 PM
#48
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A revived Ti thread. . I'll pile on.
Here's my Ti frameset I assembled with Campa10 triple.
Macalu was an in-house Ti brand from Excel Sports, Boulder. Cirrus was the 'race' model.
Not sure who welded it!
. I'll pile on.Here's my Ti frameset I assembled with Campa10 triple.
Macalu was an in-house Ti brand from Excel Sports, Boulder. Cirrus was the 'race' model.
Not sure who welded it!
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05-09-23, 04:46 AM
#49
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Very nice Ti drool worthy bikes here.
I did the same as many of you … got a frame in great condition and moved parts over from another bike. Except for the fact that Serotta forks need a proprietary Ti brake bolt, it was pretty straightforward.
I knew I’d like the bike. I’m just surprised at how much I like it. Old skool polished Ti bikes are beautiful, and wherever I go, it gets a lot of attention. ❤️
I did the same as many of you … got a frame in great condition and moved parts over from another bike. Except for the fact that Serotta forks need a proprietary Ti brake bolt, it was pretty straightforward.
I knew I’d like the bike. I’m just surprised at how much I like it. Old skool polished Ti bikes are beautiful, and wherever I go, it gets a lot of attention. ❤️
