For Sale Mercian Reynolds 531 competition 58cm C to T seat tube cantilever VGC with headset and Mercian stem £125,00

[chickendrumsticks]

Ha ha, I assumed that was not the frame number, but the rest of the frame looks genuine to me, almost identical to the 52cm KoM frame I have for sale futher down the forum. Except mine has the wrap over seat stays unlike this one. Mine is a 1997 and my assumption is that this one is a later model.

Do people really go so far as to recreate the "MERCIAN" stamped seat stays to fake things?

EDIT TO ADD

Just looked up te postcode. EH332PR is Winton Ct, Tranent just to the east of Edinburgh.

​

I don't think there's any doubt that it's a Mercian. A frame number should definitely be under the bottom bracket. If you can be arsed to remove the forks it'll be there too, on the steerer, and easily read.

 

[Chest_Rockwell]

Please don't feed the troll. If that isn't a Mercian, I'll eat mine and Richard's hats...

 

[kermisking]

In my vast experience of buying and selling road bike related items it would be an absolute first to find a frame with " faked top eyes " . I once sold a Confente bicycle to a Japanese collector for 11500 US dollars so I am used to doing in depth detective work to establish a frames true identity .
This is my first Mercian frame so my knowledge is limited on the brand , it looks like the real deal to me . It does not help that my eye sight is old and weary forty years of welding , grinding and assorted nasty I industrial processes doesn't help reading frame serial numbers ! .

 

[winjohn]

I have to say that the serial number of my own Mercian frame was difficult to read on the BB and I read it wrong initially. Much clearer on the fork steerer though.
I have now sold my own frame and can't wait to get my hands on his one. All parts are cleaned and ready to be bolted on. Apart from the wheels that need rebuilding.

 

[peetee]

Ha ha, I assumed that was not the frame number, but the rest of the frame looks genuine to me, almost identical to the 52cm KoM frame I have for sale futher down the forum. Except mine has the wrap over seat stays unlike this one. Mine is a 1997 and my assumption is that this one is a later model.

Do people really go so far as to recreate the "MERCIAN" stamped seat stays to fake things?

EDIT TO ADD

Just looked up te postcode. EH332PR is Winton Ct, Tranent just to the east of Edinburgh.

​

You would have a hard job faking the ‘Mercian’ seat stay caps.
They are usually castings and too hard a metal to be stamped.

 

[winjohn]

UPDATE
The frame arrived this morning perfectly packaged, if the Royal Mail van had crashed on the way, the frame would have survived intact!
The frame is in really excellent condition too.
The frame number, stamped on the fork steerer is 39592 which I take to mean the 395th frame built in 1992 but I am happy to be corrected.
Very happy chappy here. Thanks again Stuart.

 

[winjohn]

Just a final footnote on the serial number. I attach a photo showing how the postcode is much bolder than the serial number and agree that a magnifying glass would be a great aid to reading either.

 

[winjohn]

You know when you get a new toy...

The package arrived this afternoon, I unwrapped it and looked longingly at it, the beautiful Mercian paint work with the usual immaculate pinstriping around the sensuous lugs. I put it on the bike stand in the workshop and went on with my chores for the rest of the afternoon. Then 4 o'clock came and I had a coffee and a McVities chocolate digestive and the sugar and caffeine rush got the better of me.
The old Mercian bits lay in a box in the garage and I had about forty minutes before Mrs W would be needing a lift home, just enough time to offer the components up and see what the completed bike will look like.
And here she is. Can't wait to properly build her. I have a brown leather Brooks and the lovely Mercian stem that came with the frame will have to go back on, then just some brown bar tape (can I splash out for leather) and a decision on pedals and the jobs done.