Reimagining a 1988 Merlin Mountain

[pw_pw_la]

Friend of mine swears by Merlin as the best mtbs he ever rode. He knows his bikes.

Here's hoping.

I'm really looking forward to experiencing a ti ride, finally.

And the earliest possible version of one, too, pretty much!

Should be... bouncy?

So weird to build a bike from afar, with someone else's hands. I haven't even seen the frame for myself, never mind with the stuff I'm throwing on it!

 

[Prodigal Son]

Here's hoping.

I'm really looking forward to experiencing a ti ride, finally.

And the earliest possible version of one, too, pretty much!

Should be... bouncy?

So weird to build a bike from afar, with someone else's hands. I haven't even seen the frame for myself, never mind with the stuff I'm throwing on it!

Imo titanium, steel or aluminum make less diference than fit, geometry and tube diameters. I had a bad ti bike but maybe it was slightly too big or i did not build it right. Some like flexy frames and early Merlins are flexy at the BB. I find titanium harder on the builder: more difficult to place stiffness at the right places while keeping the flexy grooveness where it is fun. I hope you like it.

 

[pw_pw_la]

So a few more parts have been purchased, or fleeced off of other bikes, and are about to be shipped to New York.

Just need to go ring shopping now.

Oh, and decide whether I'm going to sell-out and try a tubeless setup for the first time or not.

Oh, and I need a front brake, still!

But otherwise, nearly there with the part collecting part.

Had an update from the fork builder, Darren, and it looks like those should be completed this week. The only process photos he took were of the dropout construction, so I'll leave those here for now as a kind of teaser:





More when they're in hand and on the bike!

 

[pw_pw_la]

Oh, and on the subject of forks, an additional option for the period correct build has now been sourced too:



Once again thanks to @RetroRider_IT.

My Fairy Bikefather!

Now, it's not really the usual look for a Merlin, but I'm really interested to see how a chrome fork might look against the ti frame. I have a feeling I'm going to like it, but I guess we'll see.

I'm definitely keen to try something different, and as previously mentioned I did want a polished look for the components on this build.

Anyway, I'm thrilled to try a Koski for the first time.

And if I don't end up liking the look of these when the time comes, then I may well explore what's needed to repaint a chrome fork!

These will need the steerer extended eventually, too (as do the Ritchey's). Which means lots more to do and months to go before I'm at the point where I can try out either and a make a final decision.

Still, nice to know I have options when the time comes!

 

[Prodigal Son]

I am riding tubeless but that´s because i am on cactus land and there is no option: tubeless or go home. As for ride quality, traction, etc... i believe it´s a bit overblown.

 

[br0qn]

The present and future build are going to be equally epic, I think you just need another Merlin.

 

[pw_pw_la]

Figured I'd post another update, as I'm packing up this second batch of parts today, to ship over to New York:



A couple of recent purchases in there, but most of this batch has been pilfered from other bikes/projects, just to get this one on the road for the Nutmeg.

Again, not everything will make the switch over.

The Toggle Cam may not work on the chainstay, but I have an option to maybe try running it as a regular Roller Cam too. Anyway, we're going to play around back there and see what we can come up with. If nothing works out, the MRC Powerlink will stay.

Anyone who's run a TC/RC on a chaninstay before have any advice for me?

 

[pw_pw_la]

If anyone out there has got a decent, not flawless, set of Suntour XC-II traps they'd be willing to let go for a reasonable price, I'd love to run those instead.

 

[pw_pw_la]

The forks should be arriving at my friend's shop this evening, so updates should quicken in pace shortly...

 

[pw_pw_la]

Okay, so things moved pretty rapidly in the end!

Which means this thread needs a little housekeeping to bring it up to date.

Basically: the first version of the bike is now complete!

Well, more-or-less.

There's just a couple of things to mention first:

1. This first version was built entirely to serve one purpose: a mile a 100-mile-ish bike camping weekend. Which is actually due to take place THIS weekend! However, life and work converged in a hell storm of bad luck and circumstance, which has sadly resulted in me being unable to make it to New York, and thus Connecticut. Which is heartbreaking and incredibly frustrating for many reasons, and means that the bike sits, finished and begging to be ridden, in Brenden's bike shop in Brooklyn!

2. We're still working out how and when to get it sent over to me here in LA, at which point I plan to ride it as is, and assess what immediate changes I'd like to make, if any.

I'm curious to ride a bike with a modern 1x drivetrain for the first time, and I'm actually really pleased with how the bike looks from afar. It's not for the purists, but for a bike that's probably at least 50% things I had in parts bins, it looks kind of alright, I think!

My plan, as of right now, is to ride and enjoy it while I collect the remaining few pieces needed for the 2.0 period build. At which point most of what's on this one will migrate over to another frame, once I've found something suitable.

Based on how it looks right now, I'm tempted to look for another, later Merlin and just switch everything over to a frame I feel much less precious about.

And, if not, I'll aim for something in the late 80s steel mode, ideally fairly slack geo'd and thus suitable for a camping bike!

Anyway, before I get to photos and notes on the completed 1.0 build, I do want to talk a little about the forks.

So sit tight for a minute... I'm about to get to that.