1993 Merlin Mountain

[Minifreak]

What headset are you looking at running if going threaded? If you know the stack height/ can find it out and give me the head tube length of the frame I can check the threaded steerer I have to see if it will work.

 

[Skynet]

Would think Chris King 2Nut unless someone has a better suggestion.
http://chrisking.com/specs/headsets_all

Edit: Been looking and the Campag Record has good reviews but doesn't look quite as well finished, perhaps it's just the photos. Or the Dura Ace might be closer to the XT on yours.

 

[Minifreak]

I'll have a check of the length and get back to you. What's your headtube length though?

 

[Skynet]

Don't you read any of the rubbish I write? 4¼" but will double check when it arrives.

 

[Skynet]

Frame has just arrived, thanks Ash, along with the Smoke & Dart tyres. Only ordered them on Monday so impressive delivery time from Germany. Good price too £64.69 including postage.

Mini, the head tube is 107mm.

Best I can weight it it's 1511g which makes it about ¾lb lighter than the 18" '97 853 Hot.

 

[Skynet]

Spent an hour or so scouring the frame. My hands look like I've been polishing aluminium. It has come out fine. Should have really waited until new decals arrived and the old ones were off but you know how it is. Anyway will only take a few minutes to go over those areas.

The wheels are done, brother's picking them up tomorrow.

Still no fork so don't know if it's going to be threaded or threadless so can't get a stem either, not that there's many around I like anyway. Hadn't really considered threaded before but, the more I see pics of Merlins with quill stems, the more I like them.

Also like the look of the Tange Switchblade/Bontrager... style fork, or RC30 I guess. Not sure how comfortable they'd be though, but it's not my back or fillings

 

[Skynet]

Sorted out the bottom bracket, NOS Syncros Ti double row.

Looking more likely it will be threaded, will perhaps try and get both a rigid and a rc35 fork.

Anybody know whether people were given the option of black or white lettering? Seen pre-'93's with white and '93's with black, not sure if they were supplied like that or wrong ones added later. Think I prefer the black lettering.

 

[Skynet]

Have a Salsa stem or two sorted and a Syncros seatpost, so getting there. Retro wise I'm down to needing:

1. Forks
2. Handlebars
3. Chainrings
4. Cable hangers
5. Skewers

Watching a couple of forks and some skewers. Bar wise, there's a pretty nice Titec bar but it's a alloy 141 and a tatty Titec ti, not much else. Having said that the Titec ti is only a cheap Chinese made thing anyway so perhaps a Hyperlite would be better, we'll see.

 

[Minifreak]

What sort/ brand of cable hangers are you looking for?

I have the ones shown in these pics of the below thread going spare

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=309139

 

[Skynet]

Was thinking black Chill Pills/Paul Moon Units, the ones in those pics look a bit too modern. Could always get some black ones from Ash.