Serial number is 8964
I am unconvinced that it is 80's for the following reasons:
built for 27 x 1 1/4 wheels
brass grease nipple in bottom bracket
braze ons for over bb cable routing
Rake of the fork - looks much closer to the french/ jack taylor style which they changed to the very slight rake more familiar to mercians
Here is an example from 89, where you can see things like
canti mounts,
a tubular rear cable hanger (mine is a shaped plate),
multiple mounting points for panniers etc, engraved seatstay caps,
TT cablerouting is different
shallow fork rake,
brazed shifter bosses
*BIKE NOW SOLD* This beautiful Mercian was built in March 1989 (frame No. 17189) and has now been stripped and professionally rebuilt using a mixture of original and new high spec components. If you’re looking for something unique to turn heads around town or on L’Eroica then this is the bike...
www.retrobike.co.uk
RE price:
I bought it for £300 as pictured but I made the mistake of doing so in the dark when I couldn't tell ho bad the coading was. As soon as i tested it I could tell it was an excellent bike.
@Suffolk roads The fact that you say that makes me think I shouldn't.... Like I say Im in no hurry to sell. Could I be cheeky and ask what you think it's worth?