1990 Marin Team Titanium - updated 5th June page 3

[Benandemu]

Well,
The frame is 'as new' and almost unridden. That's how the other one used to look up until a few years back.
These particular ones were made by Merlin, as it was the 1993 model that was made by Litespeed. Gary Helfrech played a large part in the production with Marin.

The forks will be Black Marin rockstar style, but custom made in Titanium for the job.

I have a small stash of Air-B tubes that I dip into when I need one.

Thanks for the comments and appreciation...it will motivate me further.

 

[scant]

Well,
The frame is 'as new' and almost unridden. That's how the other one used to look up until a few years back.
These particular ones were made by Merlin, as it was the 1993 model that was made by Litespeed. Gary Helfrech played a large part in the production with Marin.

.

the frame on the left has litespeed dropouts, which are nothing like merlins from the same era. litespeed characteristic 2 hole.
check the dropout pic http://www.kalimotxo.com/mtb/merlin_newsboy_014.html
thats a merlin dropout

 

[newsboy]

mike, the newsboy is from 1995... but the dropout design don't have to say much. the changed it daily... :?

http://www.kalimotxo.com/mtb/specialized_ultimate_253.html
http://www.kalimotxo.com/mtb/merlin_mountain_296.html

another newsboy

but the frame looks really like a litespeed. i made some picture of an old litespeed with false decals. http://www.kalimotxo.com/mtb/litespeed_titanium_2657.html

 

[JS1500]

I thought that mech said 'Sausage Pro'.

 

[scant]

mike, the newsboy is from 1995... but the dropout design don't have to say much. the changed it daily... :?

http://www.kalimotxo.com/mtb/specialized_ultimate_253.html
http://www.kalimotxo.com/mtb/merlin_mountain_296.html

another newsboy

but the frame looks really like a litespeed. i made some picture of an old litespeed with false decals. http://www.kalimotxo.com/mtb/litespeed_titanium_2657.html

wow, lots of info
the dropouts on the ultimate & merlin mountain above look the same as the standard newsboy dropouts? (IE not carstens proto pictured above ) .. or is it that just my weary eyesight..

hell if nothing else at least the titanium expert agrees with me on the litespeed dropouts

 

[Benandemu]

I'm getting confused.

Here is another pre 1991 frame with 1" head tube, but take a look at the dropouts.

These are very similar to my 1995 Marin dropouts.

I thought Gary Helfrech designed the dropouts when he worked for Merlin. I know that Litespeed made most of the frames until their contract ended in 92/93, and Marin brought production in house.

Any explanations?

 

[Benandemu]

Just to update the slow progress on this project.

Finally got some White porcs through ebay, but they were from a Retrobike forum member...which is nice!

He even cleaned them for me.

I'm well chuffed with them, as prices have been getting astronomical for NOS ones, which kind of makes them unusable.

These will get ridden, but only about as often as Santa rides his sleigh!

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[purplewicked]

why push push shifters on such a great build? heavier and w/mechanical issues.
thumbies would round everything perfectly.

 

[Benandemu]

Th original idea to build the bike was based around my 'dream bikes' that would float around in my head whilst I was at college. I had this one, a Colnago Master with full C. Record and a Merlin with full C. Record.
(I actually ended up with a Raleigh Dyna-Tech Ti/853 with C.Record and then swapped it for a Beetle)

The 'push push' shifters were brand new on the market then, and I never liked thumb shifters despite their admiration from so many.
In fact I even had a 4 year spell at just using gripshifters!

So, it may not read like everybody's wet dream bike, but it was mine in 1990, whilst staring into space, outside the college windows!

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[Benandemu]

Time for an update again.
I have been busy finding little bits and pieces here and there.
It's a slow project as there are others in the queue, and people keep showing me other Team Ti's for sale!

You will see XT M-735 rear mech that needs a bit of an overhaul with Black alloy bolts on the cards. There is a carbon backplate as well.
My uncut Black Hyperlites. The Silver Marin Lite bars will go on the other '90 Team Ti, as that's standard Marin spec.
Odyssey Svelte Ti seat bolt that will need trimming to fit.
Odi Tomac grips.
XT rapid fire. Push push first edition.
Lastly, there are some some Magura Hydrostop mountain levers that will require some restoring. I needed them for their left and right bodies as you will see in the later pics.

In the next picture you will see the complete Magura brake set. These need stripping and repainting. This set has 2 levers from the same side, but the correct brackets. All the combined parts will make a mint set. Also worth noting that the booster plates were Aluminium on the early models.
All brake components will be painted Black again.

In the next picture, you should see that one of the calipers use a smaller version of the usual Magura brake blocks. They are factory cast, and not cut down. Plus, they are hardly used. The only ones I've ever seen!

Hope you like my build thread.
I will post pics as I go along with the restoration of parts.