Advise for a rebuild needed! 1970/80's Merlin Road Racer

Once you have a respray and make it look spanking you won't want to commute in all weathers, you'll "save it for best" and look for a tattier racer to commute on.
Then one day you'll feel sorry for the commuter and treat it to a respray, and then you'll not want to ride it in all weathers and, and........
 
Re:

Soooo respray happened and its beautiful.......

Now I want new wheels! This is addictive. Any recommendations on hubs/rims?

Collecting bits slowly all coming together :D
 

Attachments

  • 14316956_10154535471302661_473860217701196067_n.jpg
    14316956_10154535471302661_473860217701196067_n.jpg
    82.1 KB · Views: 267
Re:

And some more pictures .... Sorry a little love!
 

Attachments

  • FB_IMG_1475354715299.jpg
    FB_IMG_1475354715299.jpg
    74.7 KB · Views: 264
  • FB_IMG_1475354703806.jpg
    FB_IMG_1475354703806.jpg
    83.9 KB · Views: 264
  • FB_IMG_1475354735551.jpg
    FB_IMG_1475354735551.jpg
    70.2 KB · Views: 264
  • FB_IMG_1475354783977.jpg
    FB_IMG_1475354783977.jpg
    37.4 KB · Views: 264
That looks really lovely!
How nice is that?
Don't really know which wheels to go with it but the rest of your parts will look great on it.
Who did the paint for you?

Jamie
 
Hi! Thankyou,
A company called art attack who specialise in spray painting motorbikes and helmets in Plymouth which is where I am from and they recommended someone to shot blast it :) it's come out really good!
 
Depending on the value of the frame, either respray (if it's worth it) or power coat it (if it's not worth much except the use you'll have out of it). There's a thread with reviews of powder coaters on here somewhere I think.

For a commuter bike the one thing I'd say is don't go retro on the tyres. Get some schwalbe Marathon Plus which are about as puncture proof as you'll get. Nothing worse than having to change an inner tube in the dark in the rain with cold fingers.

Oh and don't go fixie. Not even a flip flop. Unless you're a hipster.
 
The frames looks super now it is refinished. And a lovely set of components, too. The TA chainrings remind me of a a 47T/50T set-up I rode back in the 1960s. To me, the frame and components look too good to commute on.
 
Cefnbikie":30aq1x7q said:
The frames looks super now it is refinished. And a lovely set of components, too. The TA chainrings remind me of a a 47T/50T set-up I rode back in the 1960s. To me, the frame and components look too good to commute on.
Click to expand...
Very nice! I agree with Cefnbikie - far too good for a commuter! I refer you to my earlier post :)
 
Re:

Questions:
Are there any top tips, mistakes I could make easily?
Click to expand...
Since you ask, I believe the maintenance-friendly convention is to orient the chainrings on the driveside crank in such a way that the crank is between two of the spider-arms, rather than being parallel with one spider-arm? I think it was like that in your 'before' picture at the top of the thread... but I won't be reporting you to the TA/Stronglight police.. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
Mercier Formule 1, 80's aero road bike
2
Replies
14
Views
5K
Fifthgrace
F
walkmanman
Merlin 53.5cm road bike 70s/80s *closed*
Replies
1
Views
1K
walkmanman
walkmanman
andym999
94 Team Marin (sort of neo-retro)
Replies
4
Views
3K
andym999
andym999
A
1970’s Peugeot road bike
Replies
1
Views
425
t47b
t47b
M
Rudge Ulster Sports: Advice needed for the next resto
2
Replies
16
Views
3K
Guinessisgoodforyou
G

Latest posts

Back
Top