1995 Merlin Newsboy

[halaburt]

I’m the original and only owner of this. The build was documented on this webpage in about 2002: http://homepage.mac.com/halaburt/bicycles/PhotoAlbum7.html

I just completed a round of minor upgrades and tweaks to it -- most focused even furthering the “Cunningham-ness” of the bike. The photos below show it in its current form. Modern tires and toe straps -- but everything else is vintage correct/appropriate.

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Frame: 1995 Merlin Newsboy #55 (size “Large”, one-piece bow, custom 140mm rear dropouts)

Fork: Steve Potts Type-II (118mm dropouts, suspension-corrected, powder coated “clear”)

Headset: Chris King Two-Nut (No Logo)
Stem: Axis Design (quill-style, custom Titanium by Chris Paretich)
Handlebar: WTB Titanium Flat-Bar
Grips: Magura Ergo (modified by Charlie Cunningham)

Brakes: WTB ToggleCam front & rear (plus custom rear mud guard and other setup/tweaks by Charlie Cunningham)
Brake Pads: WTB Gripmaster (black compound)
Brake Cables: Shimano?
Front Brake Cable Hanger: Paragon Machine Works
Brake Levers: Shimano M900 XTR

Shifters: Shimano M900 XTR
Front Derailleur: Shimano M900 XTR
Rear Derailleur: Shimano M900 XTR
Derailleur Cables: Shimano?
Cassette: Shimano M900 XTR
Chain: Shimano?
Cranks: Cook Bros. Racing “CBR” 181mm
Chainrings: Shimano M900 XTR
Bottom Bracket: WTB-supplied
Pedals: Suntour XC-Pro, Fisher (double steel) Clips, Kashimax Straps, Specialized buttons

Hub Skewers: Cunningham Slo-Release
Rims: WTB PowerBeam
Hubs: Cunningham (using Hi-E parts) 118mm front; WTB New Paradigm 140mm rear
Nipples/Spokes: DT?
Tyres: WTB ExiWolf 2.1 rear, 2.3 front
Tubes: WTB

Saddle: WTB SST Titanium
Seatpost: Cunningham Fixed Angle
Seatpost Binder: Cunningham Lightweight Quick Release

Bottle Cage(s): King Cage Titanium

 

[Shamus]

I cant close my mouth anymore... :shock:

Not so much to say after that...great bike!
Well..you must be quite tall?

 

[24pouces]

Newsboy frame, steve pott's fork, Cook bros… Only dreams bike parts on one bike

 

[orange71]

I'm not a fan of Newsboys, but if I had to have one - this would be the perfect build - looks great

 

[al]

Yep!

 

[Inigo Montoya]

outstanding!
thats the very first newsboy build that is doing justice to the awesome frame. great, great work!
love the one-piece bow ones.
is it a rider?

 

[Elev12k]

In general a Newsboy is a bit to romantic for my taste, but I do really like all the effort, thinking and other input that went into it to accomodate the WTB kit.

edit: When I visited your link, I learn't the under chainstay bosses are a std feature of Newsboys. Didn't knew that. The 140mm spacing isn't of course, I knew that.

I do like that mudguard feature. Where I live you do not really need that, except with the two or three occasions each year, when riding elsewhere on muddy soil. Type of soil really varies here in the small country. The guard is a cool feature though, due to its rareness, level of customization for function matter and that by no less the CC.

Overall the bike is a fine display of the finest of pretty much everything in the WTB/Cunningham line up. Impressive.

 

[Martin]

Very nice build you have here. The bikes just looks awesome with all the specific components.

What size it is, I thought that Newsboys laregst size is 19" or is this a larger one?

Cheers and enjoy,
Martin

 

[john]

Great build and great site. Well worth checking out.

 

[Kestonian]

Outstanding!