Merlin Ti

[ulsterfifer]

Got a bid on the bike now... which to be honest I had a little pang when it appeared... I hope you agree I've been totally straight in the description!

Fear not, either way I'll be continuing to cycle back and forward to work... I've currently got slicks on my old diamondback mtb - which means i cant get in a bit of ad hoc action in innerleithen with pals there without switching tyres...

But if this one ends up selling I'll just buy something on the cycle to work scheme...

The enthusiasts in the office have been very helpful... but are clearly directing me to a local bikeshop which is "very good" rather than volunteering to sort it for me

 

[mrgumby]

The frame looks a bit like a Marin... The way the drop outs are joined to the stays and also the (unused) cable hanger on the seat stay for the rear (cantilever) brake.. They used Tange Prestige Tubing for their Team Marin bikes in the 90's..

If you look at the Marin serial number decoder (at the bottom of this post) then ignoring the W (frame builder?) , your frame could maybe be built at Fairly, mystery model number 9 (one off?) built in 1996.. is the frame a 17"? it looks like it to me...

I guess it's possible... Maybe it got resprayed and random decals put on along with more recent components, nothing on there looks like it's from '96...

If you keep it then get some new jockey wheels for the rear derailler! That bikes seen quite a few miles in that get up..
Have fun with it,
MAtt

eg for my '94 Team Marin

Frame number : M24JAC003

The M is the factory. M is Marvel, F is Fairly and T is Ti sports

2 is the model number.

1 Team Issue
2 Team Marin
3 Pine Mountain
4 Eldridge grade
5 Bear Valley
6 Muirwoods
7 Palisades Trail
8 Bobcat Trail

4 is the year ending number. That would be 1994.

JA is month and date code, not really relevant!

C is the size centre to centre.

A is 14 inches
B is 15.5 inches
C is 17 inches ( this makes it 19 centre to top)
D is 19 inches
E is 20 inches

003 are production numbers that are factory use only

 

[wookiee]

...looks Marin-ish to me....

 

[ulsterfifer]

Had a mail from a chap via ebay, probably on here as well

States that it is definitely a Diamondback Axis/Apex from the late 90s... confidence based on the fact he has 5 of them... said that these bikes originally sold for ~£1850...