Best Retro Titanium Frame?

[Little Bob]

Just finished building up a 1992 Merlin Mountain.

Finished with XTR/Proshift/Syncros/Pace RC31's, it is the nicest bike I have ever ridden.

Superb build quality, feels like it will out live me. Extremely light (no scales to give exact weight) it is so flickable on the single track with the rear a strange mix of stiff for rapid acceleration and yet the Ti quality of soaking up the worst of the bumps.

I absolutely love it - certainly not cheap, but so far I consider it worth every penny.

That reminds me that I need to take some pics - if it ever stops raining I'll take some and post.

 

[neilll]

That reminds me that I need to take some pics - if it ever stops raining I'll take some and post.

Yeah...I've been waiting for pix of this

 

[Little Bob]

Yeah...I've been waiting for pix of this

...still raining...

 

[Augustus]

Without getting into a whole 'it's not a proper merlin, litespeed etc etc' debate too deeply...

A lot is all to easily bandied around about quality and ride being different or not as good.

I've had pre and post ABC Merlin's and the quality of the workmanship is not noticable if there is any. I am no framebuilder, but the double passed welds look exactly the same, the dropouts are if anything nicer on the newer one and the ride is so subjective as to one's own preferences, how can one say they suffer post take over.

The (pre take over/ move) XLM was a beautiful bike. Rode quite similarly to an early IF Deluxe (haven't ridden a newer IF), but the newer XLM is so much more responsive and aggressive and considerably less comfortable and all because of it's obvious differing geometry and tube guage.

so it's horses for courses isnt it. They differ, and of course the newer merlins don't have the 'soul' or 'kudos' of the Boston built ones, but I for one prefer my newer one. Wouldn't swap it back. (And the I.F's gone too. )

Do fancy a Hei Hei though.

 

[neebsta]

Keep them coming

Thanks for all your replies!

The geometry on the Rocky Mountain looks superb......

As I'm not a fan of GTs or elevated chainstays, that narrows the market a bit

 

[JustKev]

Do fancy a Hei Hei though.

I was about to say I prefer Sandvik frames, my own DBR Axis TT or a Hei Hei. With Ti P2's obviously

 

[ridevintagemtb]

With Ti P2's obviously

Those dont exist, really.

 

[Augustus]

I like Mr Zero's Hei Hei. Think it's the quintesential hardtail (IMO).

 

[ridevintagemtb]

 

[rody]

Flying the old flag... Grove Ti

Been a few of these on the bay the last 2 years, a bargin for what they've sold for...

cheers,

rody