Rock Lobster 853 1998 - Picture Request

Hi,

Hope this is in the right bit of the forum.......

Does anyone have a high res picture of a Rock Lobster 853 from 1998?

Sadly we didn't archive these things and we need one for potential inclusion into a book on cycling. If you do please email it in via our contact page http://www.merlincycles.com/contact-us.html

If its used you will receive appropriate credit and a copy of the book. This is not our project its something being done by an independent publisher.

Obviously its for a book so it will need to be a pretty decent picture, either a plain background or "action shot" is preferable.

Hope you can help and thanks in advance! - Merlin Cycles

They did a review in the September 2000 or 2001 issue of MBUK which would include some pretty good action shots, although the bike (red frame) was disc equipped so you might not want that if it has to be period correct.

im a professional photographer and ive got loads of shots of old bikes...i've just had a look at my old pictures and unfortunately i dont have one of that particular rock lobster so cant help you this time


By strange co-incidence i was thinking that i would love to have one of the new rock lobsters, if you could send me one free of charge id be really grateful...obviously i would reciprocate your offer and give you credit whenever people ask me about the bike and direct them to your shop

look forward to your reply

I think my 853 is a 2000 frame with a disc tab, so presumably no use to you.

I do have a copy of the July 1999 MBUK, in which the 853 was rated 5/5 in a group test. The frame has no disc tab, so I guess it may be from the first batch? For some reason, the frame tested by MBUK has a top tube decal 'team tig sl', even though it was a red 853 - the adverts showed the blue aluminium frames with 'team tig sl' decals and the red 853s with no decal, so perhaps this was an aberration (mine has no top tube decal either)? I could scan the magazine page for you, but I wonder whether MBUK has a high-res copy of the picture on their files? It's Volume 12, number 8,page 121. Or there's an action shot on page 120.

Have you stopped selling Rock Lobsters now? A used fairly recent 853 frame sold strongly on eBay recently, so there must surely be some kind of a market for such a great frame.

Thanks for the info Anthony, we'll have a word with MBUK and see if they still have them on file, I think we would indeed need the originals for book form. But thats really helpful thank you.

We have stopped selling Rock Lobsters now as sadly the sales for them have dropped off dramatically,