Merlin Malt rebuild - finished

Slow progress recently with half term and working some evenings and weekends.

The star nut disintegrated when I tightened the top cap so that was another job but remembered I had a BBB expander in the loft. Job sorted and very neat solution.

TRP compressionless cables arrived and an FSA flat bar on its way. Not proper retro but at 180g for a 600mm wide bar it will be a good reference point for set up.

Crossmax wheels now paid for but I do need some original qr's and the avid levers don't like right (sd7) so looking for sd2.0s instead.

Better get polishing the cranks and cleaning up the cassette and shifters too. Deadline of 22nd December fast approaching...
 

Attachments

  • 20211117_213940.jpg
    20211117_213940.jpg
    233.7 KB · Views: 8
  • 20211117_214128.jpg
    20211117_214128.jpg
    257.8 KB · Views: 9
  • Screenshot_20211117-215104_eBay.jpg
    Screenshot_20211117-215104_eBay.jpg
    256.9 KB · Views: 7
  • d.jpg
    d.jpg
    15.2 KB · Views: 8
Last edited:
So put everything together to see how it looks. Cranks polished and cassette cleaned plus bars fitted. Quite like some xlite stubby bar ends and of course a flite saddle like the one pictured. I still need a few bits and bobs plus the fork serviced. Finally some white diamond high polish to protect the bare alloy but here it is for now.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20211121-130603_eBay.jpg
    Screenshot_20211121-130603_eBay.jpg
    188 KB · Views: 64
  • 20211120_073644.jpg
    20211120_073644.jpg
    334.9 KB · Views: 49
  • 20211121_102521.jpg
    20211121_102521.jpg
    516.8 KB · Views: 52
  • 20211120_073908.jpg
    20211120_073908.jpg
    416 KB · Views: 63
  • 20211121_102413.jpg
    20211121_102413.jpg
    534.7 KB · Views: 66
Parcel Arrived today...

Gil took out the white insert for me so the polished frame could be seen under the decals. Very pleased with how it looks. There's a pile of bits ready to go on but just waiting on the fork to start.

20211220_174655.jpg 20211220_174843.jpg 20211220_174753.jpg 20211220_174938.jpg
 
So its sort of finished...

The Arch Rivals were seized solid on the front adjusters so needed a full strip down of everything to get them working. Getting the Shimano Ceramic pad inserts fitted was an absoulte nightmare. After reading lots of warning online I was super careful not to snap them whilst installing but the total was two snapped. For now have fitted normal pads for test ride purposes. My m750 rear mech was bent so on went the M760.

After the first test the flat bar was agony so on went some risers, shorter stem and my fave tyres and thats how Ill leave it for off road duties for now.

Just a new XT cassette now as mine is skipping. Groan...

But its alot of fun, quick and the handling is just as I remember it. Lovely forks too. Cant wait for a proper off road ride.

51938293598_4c1fdca773_c.jpg

51938536054_c6e081fc89_c.jpg
 
Last edited:
Back
Top