Mar 2008 BoTM. Titanium Speical

[bushpig]

Pretty spicy run of bikes so far but still could use a little Salsa! I picked this bike up from the original owner who worked closely with Ross Shafer and other MTB legends. Merlin had approached Salsa about making a Ti Salsa. Ross was interested but wanted a proto-type to test. This is that proto-type. The frame has an interesting mix of Salsa and Merlin details. The fork was hand-built by Ross.

The seatpost is a fixed angle post by WTB and the brakes and hubs are WTB as well.

 

[scant]

I love Alan's Fat Ti, but i hate the tyres..

Alan, do you have any pics of the bike with normal shoes on.... I think it would look sooooo nice with some decent amberwalls.... my opinion only ofcourse...
(I think the same about Vitors Parkpre)

its built that way for a reason, its a carbon copy of the MBA 93 test fat chance ti (theres a few wrong parts, but its generally correct

 

[scant]

Pretty spicy run of bikes so far but still could use a little Salsa! I picked this bike up from the original owner who worked closely with Ross Shafer and other MTB legends. Merlin had approached Salsa about making a Ti Salsa. Ross was interested but wanted a proto-type to test. This is that proto-type. The frame has an interesting mix of Salsa and Merlin details. The fork was hand-built by Ross.

The seatpost is a fixed angle post by WTB and the brakes and hubs are WTB as well.

deffo 1 of the rarest ever builds. top find noah

 

[kanerdog1x1]

Nasty Old Shit, Vulgar Gay Colour, yeah that sounds about right....

 

[Rich]

Ohhh, that Funk is a little bit special eh!!! :shock:

 

[Dhphat]

the stem on the Salsa would give me nightmares!

 

[24pouces]

[/quote]
I think, the more exotic and excentric titanium bike : A salsa prototype.
The stem is crazy, with the road bar…
BOTM for me : Someting else about Merlin, litespeed, Fat Chance, Ibis, Moots, … we have ever seen
It's historic, not as old the Cunnigham of last month, but before the 90ies I think.
Do you have other pictures ?

 

[bushpig]

Here is a close-up of the front-end. I'll post some more later in Reader's Rides so I won't bust the two pic BOTM max

Ross cut down the brake bosses to bring the brake as close as possible to the fork to improve brake feel and power.

 

[Defiant]

My ti,...

Bought this one from a former employee of MErlin, and according to the story behind it, this one was made by VAn der Mark
I do not have any better pictures right now but the weldings are amazing,..
It has polished Magura's with carbon boosters and metal tubes, Roox Cranks, Spinergy Wheels, Chris King headset, Titec Stem and bar, Thomson seatpost, pace fork
I guess it is not retro enough but i just wanted to show it,..

edit;
Found some more pictures in the first setup.

 

[kaiser]

The quality of these entries truly is unbelievable