Mercian Canyon project

[Cavalier]

That is a lovely bike!!

 

[narcotitlan]

Thanks Cavalier,

Got a few more bits and bobs for it, gradually coming together, Tressostar cloth tape, Suntour XC9000 derailleurs, plus cables that I already had, quite like the colour combo! Generally colour has grown on me and now I'm thinking get the stem sprayed by Mercian in the same colour that they did a respray of the frame in '97, flam orange and pear white according to the guy I got the bike from. Still need to sort out the rear wheel!

 

[raidan73]

Very nice, need to see some more pics

 

[narcotitlan]

Re:

Here's a couple more

 

[Cavalier]

Maybe you could clear lacquer the stem to show off that lovely brazing which would also match the handlebars and headset as well?

 

[narcotitlan]

I did think of that, also of spraying the stem silver, to match the post, would definitely be the more tasteful option. I kind of think though that a stem with the matching orange and white is more in line with the bike's general shiny spangliness (if that's a word), the paint really sparkles in daylight. It will eventually have silver cranks that may help to tone it down a little bit.

 

[narcotitlan]

Bit of of update on Mercian backboiler, decided on a pretty much complete change of direction - xt 730/732.

 

[narcotitlan]

 

[narcotitlan]

these are the wheels I've been after for ages, xt/Mavic M231, I got them from the forum spaced for a 130mm rear but dished for 135 rear, seller neglected to tell me, hey ho. re-dished now and I found a new cassette to match.

 

[narcotitlan]

somehow the xt cants seem right on the accutrax forks, probably because of Yeti. I actually owned a second hand Yet Fro for a little while in about 1993, raced it twice, then it got nicked, then I recovered it (West Cornwall is a small place) but then got nicked again permanently So I guess it feels right the Mercian looks a bit more Yeti-ish now!