My new toy - any identification help appreciated

[mikeymustard]

That bar tape's gotta go!
Despite being all stickered up as a Mercian, I don't think it is - although it does appear to have Mercian-built Mavic wheels! There's more pics on my Photobucket account
http://s250.photobucket.com/user/mikeymustard/library/steel bike

It's got a shimano 600 gearset and dura ace brakes, and overall seems a very nice ride.
The seller didn't advertise it as a Mercian so I'm not bothered about that, but it would be nice to find out what it is and what its age is. I haven't got as far as checking the date codes on the components, but I'm guessing by the 600 stuff that it's mid to late 70's, which could make part of the frame number (7593) being a date code?

It may also have had a respray at some point, and it's running 700c wheels so the fork may not be original.
I have checked with Mercian: the guy in the shop thought the seat lug wasn't quite right and the number didn't look like one of theirs, but he sent the details over to the office just in case, not heard anything since.

As long as it's nothing too historic (well, one can hope, can't one?) i think I'm gonna look at extending the gear range a little, though if it's a uniglide block as I suspect, this might involve a new back hub or even wheel.

Any thoughts?

 

[AndyRM]

You can get a blue and black version of that tape to get it more in keeping

Can't help with any identification, maybe @biggs682 might be able to help you out? Nice looking machine though!

 

[mjr]

Apollo was my first thought on seeing the general shapes, the cable runs, the top of the seat tube and what look like mudguard/rack eyes above the rear hub. Comparisons http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15351 and http://www.bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopic.php?t=37956 but I've not looked long enough to see if any had that triangle on the top of the top/head lug. Would it take a larger 630mm wheel in the back?

 

[raleighnut]

Nice looking bike, but no idea if it is a Mercian although I think it'd be difficult to get the decals from anywhere else.

 

[mjr]

H Lloyd Cycles describes Mercian decals as "no longer available as retail" which suggests that they once might have been? Presumably stopped partly because of this sort of thing.

 

[mikeymustard]

There's a set of mercian decals on "a well-known auction site" as we speak!

 

[biggs682]

@mikeymustard you can contact mercian with the frame number and for a small fee they can verify it

but i read it as 75th frame built in 93

looks nice tho

@midlife might have more to say

 

[midlife]

Looks nice, over bb guides and cables on the top tube usually mean late 70's to early 80's. Fork rake design and semi wrap over seat stays could mean a Mercian is a possibility. Wheelbase perhaps a tad long? The frame number will nail it down to a Mercian. Looks a bit Ellis Briggs ish with the wheelbase.

Shaun

 

[mikeymustard]

Well blow me; turns out it is a Mercian after all!
Email from Mercian Cycles:

Hi Mike
I have your frame search come back from our office and i happy to tell you your bike is a Mercian not much detail on it so no charge all i have is that is is a Mercian Triathlon 23.5'' made in 1993
Ray
So, @biggs682 you were right about it being the 75th frame of '93.
Can anyone tell me anything about the Triathlon? I can only find one reference to it by googling.
Strangely I'd checked the date codes on the crankset earlier today and was a little mystified that they seemed to've been manufactured in '93 as I didn't know they made 600 that late, especially since its a 6 cog set on the back and the front derailleur says "uniglide".

 

[midlife]

Mercian . That's good news I wonder if its one of their more tourist orientated models given the geometry and mudguard eyes?

In a blind tasting I'd have labeled that an Olympic with those seat stays.

Shaun

 

[biggs682]

@mikeymustard thats a new one on me

its just gone up in value

 

[mikeymustard]

Well I'm chuffed, frankly; I took a bit of a risk, given that I knew nothing about older bikes - let alone mercian!
Anybody know what it might be worth? Not that I'm gonna sell it or anything, but the wife thought I'm an idiot for buying it blind.
So, immediate next step is find it some gears that might let me get up a hill.
I've already been looking at other vintage steeds, quite addictive this innit?

 

[mjr]

Congratulations on your find.

Addictive? After stripping, repainting and now about to rebuild my first retro bike, I've NO idea what you mean...

 

[biggs682]

Well I'm chuffed, frankly; I took a bit of a risk, given that I knew nothing about older bikes - let alone mercian!
Anybody know what it might be worth? Not that I'm gonna sell it or anything, but the wife thought I'm an idiot for buying it blind.
So, immediate next step is find it some gears that might let me get up a hill.
I've already been looking at other vintage steeds, quite addictive this innit?

get a grip @mikeymustard whilst you can as before you realise you will a garage full of steelies !!!!!!!

as for value hard to say but Mercians can go for silly money take a gander on e bay

as for hill climbing gears just man up

 

[mikeymustard]

@biggs682 Looking purely for research purposes you understand -cough- besides I think the wife would actually kill me!
And as for manning up: the last time I got up a hill with a 2:1 gear ratio was probably about the same time the bike was built.