any idea what year hei hei is this?
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1993 assuming decals are original
else it could be 1992.
seatclamp is on the wrong way around, forks probably not original, should be silverish) etc..
else it could be 1992.
seatclamp is on the wrong way around, forks probably not original, should be silverish) etc..
I was in touch with the owner of this bike a while back as he was concerned to establish exactly what it was. I think he was hoping that it was built by Merlin, but I haven't yet found definite evidence of a Merlin-built Hei Hei and I don't think this bike can be one. It has features in common with TST-built frames and it has a very low number in the TST format. Hei Hei serial numbers don't establish the year of manufacture, but the number of this one was so low that I think it must be a 1991 frame. As far as I can recall, the dimensions were consistent with a 1991 dating too, and all the features seem correct. I can't see any problem with the fork, other than it lacks its decal. It looks like a steel P2 and it is the correct length. There weren't any ti P2s as early as 1991 as far as I'm aware, and even in later years they were only an (expensive) option on Hei Heis.
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Hadn't realised they made them in 1991 
, so I'd go with Anthony.
Bazil, looking in the 1991 cats it looked the same as the 1992 and 1993 with clamp and hanger, no dog colar came in 1994 when they switched design/manufacturer ?
, so I'd go with Anthony.Bazil, looking in the 1991 cats it looked the same as the 1992 and 1993 with clamp and hanger, no dog colar came in 1994 when they switched design/manufacturer ?
I should perhaps have added that although the owner was thinking about Merlin as the builder, this was only in the sense of rarity value. There is no question that TST, then a subsidiary of Sandvic, is a very high quality builder and up there with Merlin in the as-good-as-it-gets category. I can only guess, but it wouldn't surprise me if Merlin never built a Hei Hei, in which case this would be one of the very first ones made.
It looks to me like a size 18 (or what they called an 18 in 1991, with an 18.75" seat tube), but I recall that the serial number says it is a size 19. That could mean that TST built to a slightly different geometry at that point, as they certainly did from 1994 to 96. Not a problem, but worth establishing that the top tube length is to your liking before you make an offer.
If the size is right, I would guess this is a very good bike. The caramba kid has two early Hei Heis if you would like an expert's view.
It looks to me like a size 18 (or what they called an 18 in 1991, with an 18.75" seat tube), but I recall that the serial number says it is a size 19. That could mean that TST built to a slightly different geometry at that point, as they certainly did from 1994 to 96. Not a problem, but worth establishing that the top tube length is to your liking before you make an offer.
If the size is right, I would guess this is a very good bike. The caramba kid has two early Hei Heis if you would like an expert's view.
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