Merlin Metalworks XLM Serial Numbers and Lost History

[Al.Lugtenburg]

I am updating this thread with the latest information I have.

We can find the first mention to the Merlin XLM on a 1993 Mountain Bike Action article (posted earlier on this thread and mentioned on 95 Merlin catalog). The XLM is not included into the 1994 catalog though.

The 1995 Merlin Metalworks catalog shows the Merlin Mountain, the Taiga and the XLM as their mountain bikes. On the road models they have the Extralight, the Road and the RSR. Then the Newsboy.

The Merlin XLM (Extralight Mountain) was officially offered to the market by 1995 with the Extralight decal on the top tube. Maybe a few were sold by late 1994.


Probably by mid 1995 they changed the Extalight decal to XLM to match the model’s name. I don't know if they used the road Extralight decals for the first sales because they didn't have printed the XLM yet or if they changed their mind after launching it into the market.

Up to 1996 they had cantilevers brakes and on the 1997 catalog it’s shown with V-Brakes.

These are the serial numbers I have so far, the decals and years are not exact info as they rely on owners memory and the decals could be changed for new ones:

Cantiléver
XM001 Merlin XLM [1995]
XM027 Merlin Extralight [1995]
XM166 Merlin XLM [1995]
XM238 Merlin Extralight [1996]
XM277 Merlin XLM [1996]
XM3xx Merlin Extralight [1996]
XM457 Merlin XLM [1996]
XM534 Merlin XLM [1996]
XM569 Merlin XLM [1996]
XM749 Merlin XLM [1996]
XM0861 Merlin XLM [1996]
XM0884 Merlin XLM [1997]
14036 Merlin XLM [1997]

V-Brake
M60084 Merlin XLM [1998]
M62672 Merlin XLM [1998]
M62680 Merlin XLM [1998]
14597 Merlin XLM [1998]
14696 Merlin XLM [1998]
15007 Merlin XLM [1998]
18123 Merlin XLM [19xx]
18373 Merlin XLM [1999]
M60084 Merlin XLM [1999-00]
M69194 Merlin XLM [2002]
M73730 Merlin XLM [2003]
M113703 Merlin XLM [2003-04]

Any updates, corrections or new info will be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Alexandre