Mercian - King of Mercia - Touring Geometry 653 - update Page: 6
- Thread starter Jamiedyer
- Start date
PeterPerfect
Senior Retro Guru
I've always liked that particular Blue that Mercian did.
Finally got round to putting the tourer back together.
It was done and posted last week but decided to wait until I could get a couple of better photos outdoors today. I did post a few but they were taken indoors in the spare room and on a bed that was being dismantled, but all anyone noticed was that I had a bike on the bed
So here are a couple that I managed to take this afternoon before I went out for a ride. It still needs finished off, cables cut, chain shortened slightly with the main things being fitting my guards ready for a Scottish winter but most of all fitting new hoods to the Mafac levers. These hoods are my nicest Mafacs as they are the smooth slim blades but I put on some Dia Compe hoods a long while back, they looked good and functioned fine but when I fitted them last week I noticed that they don't come right down to the bar. Not sure how in the world I missed that but anyway am sourcing new hoods. This meant that I had to be a bit creative with taping the bars and while it does look very crap it will be replaced hopefully by next week. The tape will still be white but will be my nice Silva white cork. Thankful that I realised before putting the good bar tape on and was lucky to have this cheaper stuff in the shed to use.
Also had to use my front Shimano derailleur off of the repainted Mercian as the matching XT I bought with the rear is a top pull, which again, I only realised when I fitted it. So hopefully before the end of winter I will have swapped for another XT.
Mix of parts used as more a creature of function than of looks. 8 speed Dura Ace shifters, XT rear Derailleur, XT front soon, Stronglight triple crankset and Stronglight adjustable bottom bracket, Tange Mercian headset, Nitto B135 randonneur bar with 80mm Nitto stem, Mafac brake levers and Mafac Cantis.
Current wheels Ultegra hubs on Open pro rims with Jackie Brown Mile Muncher 130mm tyres. These wheels are temp until I finish my Dura Ace 36hole hub to Wolber Gentleman GA rims with the same Jackie Brown tyres.
When the weathers better will take better photos.
Jamie
IMG_4504 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
IMG_4507 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
IMG_4508 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
It was done and posted last week but decided to wait until I could get a couple of better photos outdoors today. I did post a few but they were taken indoors in the spare room and on a bed that was being dismantled, but all anyone noticed was that I had a bike on the bed
So here are a couple that I managed to take this afternoon before I went out for a ride. It still needs finished off, cables cut, chain shortened slightly with the main things being fitting my guards ready for a Scottish winter but most of all fitting new hoods to the Mafac levers. These hoods are my nicest Mafacs as they are the smooth slim blades but I put on some Dia Compe hoods a long while back, they looked good and functioned fine but when I fitted them last week I noticed that they don't come right down to the bar. Not sure how in the world I missed that but anyway am sourcing new hoods. This meant that I had to be a bit creative with taping the bars and while it does look very crap it will be replaced hopefully by next week. The tape will still be white but will be my nice Silva white cork. Thankful that I realised before putting the good bar tape on and was lucky to have this cheaper stuff in the shed to use.
Also had to use my front Shimano derailleur off of the repainted Mercian as the matching XT I bought with the rear is a top pull, which again, I only realised when I fitted it. So hopefully before the end of winter I will have swapped for another XT.
Mix of parts used as more a creature of function than of looks. 8 speed Dura Ace shifters, XT rear Derailleur, XT front soon, Stronglight triple crankset and Stronglight adjustable bottom bracket, Tange Mercian headset, Nitto B135 randonneur bar with 80mm Nitto stem, Mafac brake levers and Mafac Cantis.
Current wheels Ultegra hubs on Open pro rims with Jackie Brown Mile Muncher 130mm tyres. These wheels are temp until I finish my Dura Ace 36hole hub to Wolber Gentleman GA rims with the same Jackie Brown tyres.
When the weathers better will take better photos.
Jamie
IMG_4504 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrIMG_4507 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrIMG_4508 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
PeterPerfect
Senior Retro Guru
Stunning but the bottle cage screams " wtf, get me out of here ".
PeterPerfect":13o76281 said:
I did have the bottle cage handy and thought it may well match the 653 decal, though it is all just to see at this point.
I did have it out for a ride on Boxing day and then also yesterday had it out for a while for a shakedown ride, not far at all due to all the roads up here being layered in ice, but enough to make sure everything fitted and was working ok.
Brakes, gears etc were all good and smooth and size felt really good so just need to sort some guards and some replacement hoods and retape the bars and we are good to go. Maybe a bottle cage as well
I dug out some of my guards I had in the loft, my blue Bluemels and some Black Sovereigns but neither seemed to suite. I think it may need to be silver.
Jamie
8 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
4 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
3 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrHere is a couple with the mudguards both in blue and in black but personally I don't think either suite. Silver is looking the number one option I think.
Jamie
IMG_4541 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
IMG_4542 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
IMG_4538 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
IMG_4539 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickr
Jamie
IMG_4541 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrIMG_4542 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrIMG_4538 by Jamie Dyer, on FlickrIMG_4539 by Jamie Dyer, on Flickrgaranti_construit
Dirt Disciple
Re:
The Mercian is looking great Jamie, You could be right on silver mudguards.
These look very good https://berthoudcycles.fr/en/71-fenders but no experience of them myself.
The Mercian is looking great Jamie, You could be right on silver mudguards.
These look very good https://berthoudcycles.fr/en/71-fenders but no experience of them myself.
Thanks for the kind words guys, much appreciated.
I knew the silvers always looked alright but thought I would try what I have in the loft and seen as I had three sets of these, though wasn't going to even attempt the red ones, just sitting about I had to try.
Thanks for the links and suggestions, I have always liked the Velo Orange style, much like the Honjos with the really nice stays. Though looking at the G Berthoud link, the smooth look my suite it nicely as well.
I do realise that I am building it a my winter Mercian while my other KOM waits for warmer weather but I do like the geometry and angles of the touring version, so want it to be the best it can for putting in some longer miles over the winter.
Jamie
I knew the silvers always looked alright but thought I would try what I have in the loft and seen as I had three sets of these, though wasn't going to even attempt the red ones, just sitting about I had to try.
Thanks for the links and suggestions, I have always liked the Velo Orange style, much like the Honjos with the really nice stays. Though looking at the G Berthoud link, the smooth look my suite it nicely as well.
I do realise that I am building it a my winter Mercian while my other KOM waits for warmer weather but I do like the geometry and angles of the touring version, so want it to be the best it can for putting in some longer miles over the winter.
Jamie
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