Merlin Lunaris
 

So a couple of years ago I decided it was time for a new bike. I had been riding the same bike since 1976 with the same grouppo and thought since I had not bought a bicycle forever, I could splurge. I looked around for awhile, thought about the Colnago -50, but ended up thinking I did need the C-50 and bought the Merlin Lunaris. This is a frame with carbon fiber tubes and beautiful titanium lugs that are engraved. The next year I see it is no longer offered and furthermore, the whole offering of merlin is downsized. Does anyone know what happened? The bike rides like a dream but it left me wondering if there were problems with the technology or design of the composites. Should I have gotten the Colnago?

im not sure what happened i got a cielo and they discontinued that as well, still its a bike i would never contemplate getting rid off.

http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL103.../275696527.jpg

Your bike is fine.

Merlin as a brand, isn't.

Their sales are slipping, which is unfortunate, because their stuff is better than most titanium builders out there.

Not familiar with the Lunaris, but I can't imagine anything being inherently wrong with it -- Merlin makes outstanding bikes. These manufacturers are always moving products around trying to keep up with the trends -- just think of how many fine automobiles have been discontinued.

That Cielo is an outstanding bike that will last forever, just like my Cyrene.

btw, that Cielo deserves a much better photo than that.

Nice dog. :)

I have a Merlin Agilis, also discontinued. I wouldn't sweat it.

The Lunaris is a very nice bike.

I think the problem is that when Merlin was bought out by Litespeed/ABG, there was a real problem in figuring out why a company had 2 lines of Ti bikes. I prefer Merlin to Litespeed, but that's mostly aesthetics.

As it stands, Merlin is down to just a few frames styles. Maybe that makes sense, but the implementation over the last two years wasn't the best.

Herbert on BF works for ABG and is very good at answering questions about Merlin products.

Herbert started his own marketing firm, he is no longer affiliated with ABG.

btr picture of dog but non of bike yet


http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL103.../132897632.jpg

a few close ops of the lug work..:thumb:

http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL103.../331085412.jpg

http://pic19.picturetrail.com/VOL103.../331085405.jpg

Hey, Thanks for the support and info, yes I love the Lunaris, same model as the Cielo but with compact geometry. I will not get rid of it, best ride I have ever had.

IMHO, Merlin was a great manufacturer of Ti bikes. When the market started to go CF, they struggled to find their place. One response was to do CF/Ti bikes. That proved not to be the salvation (not a comment on the bikes, but it wasn't a marketing coup),and they dropped CF.

Complicating the whole thing was being acquired by the American Bicycle Group (aka the evil empire, no bias as pre ABG Merlin owner here;))

Being in the same company as Litespeed,Merlin again struggled to find its niche. Unfortuantely, ABG has allowed Merlin to be passed up by Litespeed as a cutting edge Ti builder (see e.g. the Archon.)

Typical story: Great small niche player acquired by larger corporation that erodes the value of the company they acquired.

IMHO. Merlin should have been maintained as the cutting edge high end line, and Litespeed more the commodity line. Instead ABG milked the Merlin name for what they could, devalued the brand by allowing it to be sold online, selling cut rate "works" bikes with hideous graphics and put all the new innovation in the Litespeed line.

I'm sure an MBA could run some numbers to show ABG milked enough cash out of Merlin in the process to more than cover the acquistion cost, but it still sucks that they have largely destoryed the preimminent manufacter of Ti frames.

just a thought my merlin frame came with lifetime warranty; if it developed a unrepairable fault what would the outcome be, money back or a cheap merlin, i bought the cielo as not only a bike but a work of art and realistically i would want it replacing with a cielo, do they still carry stock just for this or is it tough luck and here is a refund

There was a thread here where a guy had a Litspeed that was no longer made. Litespeed(ABG) offered him a bike that wasn't really comparable, or an Archon, but at an upcharge. Not sure what they'd do with a Merlin Cielo now.