hello everyone,just joined up toay,im looking for more info on a vintage merlin racing cycle ive cam

[jay73]

hello everyone,just joined up today,im looking for info!

hi everyone i thought i would just pop in to say hello,ive just got hold of a vintage "merlin" racing cycle but im stuck on the year,frame material etc,i thought the frame may of been titanium? the front & rear dropouts are campagnolo but so are most of the other parts on the bike,ive looked on google and i cant see much coming up for vintage merlin frame builders,the transfers say merlin cycles,leeds,yorks,it also has the vintage ctc transfer still intact,the crank is stronglight,the hubs are milremo,if anyone can help with more info that would be super,heres a few pics of the bike,many thanks


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[DJ]

I like it.

 

[spandex]

now that is a nice bike


BTW Welcome to cc

And I wonder if you have just won the title for the longest thread title?

 

[PpPete]

Nice looking bike but much more likely to be steel frame than titanium.
Don't let that put you off though, lots of people prefer a good steel frame to the more modern Aluminium ones.

The frame geometry is more "tourer" than "racer" - which means it will be more comfortable to ride.

From position of bars and especially the saddle, it looks like it's been ridden by someone too small for it.

 

[jay73]

hi,many thanks for the replys,i go on a bit dont i,yeah im struggling to get any info on it like the year-frame material etc,i just waiting for some merlin guru to come along and end my frustration-i hope

 

[Sully]

WONT LET ME VIEW

 

[jay73]

WONT LET ME VIEW

hello,ive just changed the pics over it might of been that causing the prob,regards

 

[jay73]

Nice looking bike but much more likely to be steel frame than titanium.
Don't let that put you off though, lots of people prefer a good steel frame to the more modern Aluminium ones.

The frame geometry is more "tourer" than "racer" - which means it will be more comfortable to ride.

From position of bars and especially the saddle, it looks like it's been ridden by someone too small for it.

hi,yeah it may be steel,i love the chromework on the front and rear dropouts,the seat was alot lower but it was stripped down and cleaned then rebuilt so needs pushed down again-but im glad you mentioned it,have you any idea of the year built? also is it the same company thats still going today,the word "bob jackson" also pops up alot on the web under a merlin cycle search

 

[briank]

Two Merlins I know of currently operating.
1. The Californian titanium masters. No chance yours has anything to do with them. Apart from anything else, the rake on your forks is from an era before Merlin Ca was set up.
2. the south Lancashire MTB shop/mail order specialists. Nothing to do with them either!

If you don't turn up a guru, you could perhaps contact Bob Jackson in Leeds: pound to a penny soomeone there could tell you more.

 

[jay73]

Two Merlins I know of currently operating.
1. The Californian titanium masters. No chance yours has anything to do with them. Apart from anything else, the rake on your forks is from an era before Merlin Ca was set up.
2. the south Lancashire MTB shop/mail order specialists. Nothing to do with them either!

If you don't turn up a guru, you could perhaps contact Bob Jackson in Leeds: pound to a penny soomeone there could tell you more.

hi,thanks for the info,will do

 

[HF2300]

...the seat was alot lower but it was stripped down and cleaned then rebuilt so needs pushed down again...

I think Porkypete meant how far forward it is on the post; it looks about the right height. IIRC the rule of thumb was about a fistful of seatpost showing. You'd expect at least some of the saddle to be behind the seatpost; it's as if someone very small's been riding it and trying to shorten the reach, and it doesn't even look to be a big frame.

Nice bike though. Try this page at Classic Rendezvous for more info, or perhaps this one

Seems to be a connection with Adam Hill - read more here

 

[spandex]

I think Porkypete meant how far forward it is on the post; it looks about the right height. IIRC the rule of thumb was about a fistful of seatpost showing. You'd expect at least some of the saddle to be behind the seatpost; it's as if someone very small's been riding it and trying to shorten the reach, and it doesn't even look to be a big frame.

Nice bike though. Try this page at Classic Rendezvous for more info, or perhaps this one

Seems to be a connection with Adam Hill - read more here

What is that all about?

 

[asterix]

Going by the style of the bike and it's components, I would guess it would be from the early to mid 1980's.

The seatpost has about the right amount showing altho' in this age of compact bikes a lot more is also usual. Make sure there is plenty inside the seat tube!

Ideally the seatpost ought to be facing the other way so the clamp 'points' backwards.

Another company in the Leeds area who go back along way are Ellis Briggs. I would bet they know something about Merlin bikes and offer a first class service in my experience.

 

[mickle]

Steel frame from a small custom builder from the style (fancy paint and chromed lugs).
Not as tight as a full on 'road bike' and not as slack and sturdy as 'tourer' but what used to be known as a 'Clubman' and now known as a an Audax bike.
C1980 judging by the componentry.

It wasn't unusual to see saddles in that extreme forward position although it seems odd to our eyes. Manufacturing a frame with standard lugs doesn't allow for any adjustment of frame angles so it was impossible to make frames very much smaller than the size you have with the horizontal top tube dictated by the seat and top head lug.

 

[tyred]

Whatever it is, it's a very nice bike.