Building My First Bike, and it's a Merlin!
 

Hi BF Members,

I recently pulled the trigger on a new (old) frame, and I'm looking for your sage advice and wisdom while I stumble through updating a classic bike from parts for the first time. Mainly, I'll be sourcing the parts and have my lbs do the dirty work. ;)



What I have:

• 1992 Merlin Titanium 3-2.5 with square-taper bb and Kestral EMS fork
• Dura Ace 7402 Crankset (off of a mid 90's Allez) with square-taper cranks
• that's about it!

I'd really like to update this bb, but from what I can gather I'm basically stuck using what I have unless I send the frame to a builder for a makeover.

Questions:
Crankset

• What are you thoughts on my using the Dura-Ace crankset on hand? Are there better square-taper options that are more appropriate for this frame? (I see Merlins built up with Campy, but my spindle taper didn't like the fit. JSO, ISO, I don't know!) I plan to enter a few local races, and want something I can be confident about. I don't see many new square-taper options. What's the best route to take?

Fork

• I have a 1" headtube and don't want to use a 1-1/8" adapter for vanity reasons. Anyone familiar with this Ritchey Comp fork? (anyone want this Kestral?)

All insight is appreciated.

I think the program to get a standard ISO BB put on that is long past. You could contact Tom Kellogg at Spectrum Cycles to get the latest scoop. They would cut out the old BB, mill the seat and down tube and weld in a new BB.

Other than that, you are locked into that square taper BB and the Dura Ace crank you have is as nice as you will get. The nice thing is it will work OK with 10 and 11 speed everything else.

Nice first ride.

Nothing wrong with the older tech; people rode it for years with no issues. Most of the newer stuff was introduced to create more sales, not as real improvements.

If the DA stuff fits use it; you can always upgrade later.

The only thing I would look into would be a fork with a longer steering tube so you can go threadless. Lighter, stiffer, and the removable faceplate really simplifies your life.

Other than that build it up, ride it in good health, and post pictures...

What do you mean by this..?

I'm confused. What does OP mean by a "square taper bottom bracket" with regards to the frame. I know what a square taper bottom bracket is, but doesn't it just thread in and out of the BB shell. Isn't is just a BSA threaded 68 mm frame? How is he locked in?

I assume there is a post he could stick in his steerer which is 1 1/8 so he could use 1 1/8 stems?

I assume he wants the Ritchey fork because it has an alloy steerer instead of the kestrel's steel steerer.

As for the BB, I assume he could use anything threaded up until the press-fit stuff ... octa-link or any of that all fits the same shell as far as I know. No idea why he should be limited to square-taper ... on the other hand, he has a Dura-Ace crankset so why not stick with the good stuff?

Very clean-looking frame. Should make a nice bike.

It looks like the current fork/headset is threaded so keep in mind that you would have to change the headset to threadless if you wanted to use that Ritchey fork. But a nice quill stem always looks nice on a classic frame

Those old Merlin frames had pressed in bottom brackets IIRC.

How did you maintain and replace them?

Thanks android--I'll try what I have. Good to know the crankset won't limit my cassette options. Frame updates seem more expensive than they're worth.



..But can I upgrade it? I guess that was the root of my original question. Can I get a better square taper crankset than what I have on hand? Is it worth it given I can't upgrade the bb?


The Ritchy Comp fork is threadless. I want the threadless fork for more stem/handlebar options.



This thread provides some more info on early 90's era Merlin 'grease guard' bbs.

They're serviceable. I believe the reason why the existed is because back in the day you couldn't get Ti tubing in the correct size to make a "standard" BB, so the Merlins have a very narrow BB shell.

yeah, it is tough to find a quill stem which accepts 31.8 bars.

TY for the Merlin BB info.

Expensive, out of stock and has to be ordered direct from China, but these are rather beautiful:

https://wearefactoryfive.com/products/f5-titan-stem

Interesting!

But currently only made in 90mm with more sizes promised if that sells well enough.

not much input except, nice Titanium frame! And, I actually have a bike, my carbon Fezzari that I run a 9 speed Dura Ace 7402 Group on (sans the rear mech which is a newer Dura Ace model and the crank which also is a newer Dura Ace model triple) and I used the adapter for the BB, which on the Fezzari is a BB30.... and it runs beautiful...

They had ports for a grease gun which came with the frame. I didn't have mine long enough to need to replace it.

Ok, finally on the road with this one.

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/...%2058%20PM.jpg

Looks like you are in Australia.

Looks good. Hey just noticed that those are aftermarket decals on the frame though. I was wondering how someone kept them from scratching after this many years. Debating with myself if I should just remove the scratched labels on my bike completely, or replace them with what I can find after-market.

Adapters are readily available. I have one on an old bike set up for my computrainer.

Nashbar Stem Adaptor

I'm in Miami!

Thanks Sy. How can you tell the difference between original and aftermarket decals? As far as I know these are original as I haven't updated them. I kinda like the roughed up look.

I think @Maelochs was referring to quill stems fitting modern bars. Here's an example.

You can tell because the M and E in MERLIN are merged together

Sy, are you sure about that. I was just on ebay, and every single, older Merlin frame for sale there showed decals with the merged M and E. No matter how ratty they were and looking like they had actually never been replaced. Perhaps they had all been replaced, but isn't that a little unlikely?