1996 MERLIN XLM - finally completed

[Archangel]

I sold my 1995 Merlin Mountain last year but regretted it so much that I had to find me a new Merlin. This time I found an upgrade...

This one is a 1996 model year Merlin XLM or Extralight Mountain if you like. Serial XM749.

The build will be a very subtle one with silver & black parts.

Here's my old one for comparison's sake:

The old one was probably more "bling" than this new one will be.

 

[Archangel]

Somehow I feel that if a vintage Merlin is equipped with a suspension fork, it should be made by Pace Engineering. So here goes:

1996 Pace RC35 MXC hopped-up with Stage2 ti bolts, hydraulic damper and travel upgrade (to MXCD specs) plus black crown endcaps and brake bridges. The steerer is aluminum of course.
Everything else but the lower legs are NOS.

Big thanks to Tim (Justbackdated) for this!

 

[Archangel]

Some other upcoming components:

The wheels are going to have Pace RC50 front hub (again, thanks Tim!) and XTR M950 rear hub. Pace was a no-brainer of course but I thought that should I buy some exotic rear hub or something that people knew BITD that would actually work. Enter the XTR.
The rims are Specialized's top racing rims, XL21's. A bit too old for a '96 build perhaps, but I happened to have a pair of NOS rims and nothing else to use them for so here goes.
I found a good deal on DT Titanium spokes so I seized the opportunity. Just need to get them built now.

Crank area will be all Syncros. Their aluminum cranks combined with aluminum chainrings (compact 44/32/22) and Crank-o-matic ti crank bolts. Bottom bracket duties will be handled by FSA Ultimax Ti until I find a suitable Syncros Ti BB. Pedals will be Shimano's M747s.

Until I find a Selle San Marco saddle with Merlin embroidery, the seat will be Flite Transalp Ti.
Seatpost again, is a problem: Should I use Syncros Ti, which would fit nicely with the Syncros cranks or should I opt for Ringlé Moby instead which fits the stem (Ringlé Zooka) and skewers?

 

[Fudd]

Very nice . I'm pulling up a chair for this one.....

 

[racer x]

Same here going to be a top build this one

 

[renaldo]

That frame looks gorgeous from what I can see of it, and nice ideas for the build. I'd go for matching stem and seatpost if it were mine.

 

[Kestonian]

That's going to be a beauty.

My instinct says the black seatpost, but sometimes a black seatpost can look a little heavy so don't rule out the Syncros just yet (it looks great on the Mountain).

An XLM is on my "want to have" list.

 

[Fudd]

Syncros ti post and a silver Pace stem maybe?

I'm not sure when Pace started making the RC50 stem though, so maybe not period correct for the build.....

 

[jojopunx]

There will be a great wheels, great rims, spokes :shock: and hubs.

 

[Kestonian]

Syncros ti post and a silver Pace stem maybe?

I'm not sure when Pace started making the RC50 stem though, so maybe not period correct for the build.....

I tried a silver Pace stem on my Merlin Mountain and it didn't look right.