walkmanman
Senior Retro Guru
I'm reluctantly selling my Merlin bike. Size is Small/Medium, with 53.5cm c to c downtube and 55cm toptube. I believe the frame to have been built for time trial riding, going by the single gear lever braze on/ single cable chanel under the bottom bracket, so that only a single speed chainwheel would have been fitted. And also the frame is pretty purist, with racing dropouts which don't cater for mudguards, as well as the frame having racing geometry and almost straight bladed/unforgiving forks. l've kept the above set-up, only making the bike a little more practical by not fitting a straight-through block, but a similar era seven speed, wide ratio one. I've researched the frame and discovered it's not one of Merlin's original London made frames but one from a period when Bob Jackson and similar quality builders made the frames. Most Merlins I've seen from this period were a bit special and I believe mine is a better than normal example, with the excellently finished chromed rear triangle and forks. Generally though, the frame displays all the hallmarks of a quality road bike, per the nice details of it's lugs being cleanly thinned and filed and with many cut outs, and the rear brake bridge with its reinforcing lugs on either side. It also has the cast Campagnolo front and rear dropouts and RGF bottom bracket shell.
The paintwork really is in very nice condition, although I can see that it's not the original one as indicated by the 531 Respray badge on the frame. There are a fair few minor paint chips around the frame though, but overall its in wonderful shape along with the transfers. Also, chrome around the fork crown area is showing some noticeable rust spots/flaking, although strangely everything on the rear end is near perfect.
All components are in fine fettle and work very smoothly out on the road. It’s a very fast machine, with quick acceleration and great road manners. The fork blades give plenty of feel through the handlebars and their minimal rake provides crisp changes of directions at the whim of the rider. The Modolo brakes offer good progressive feel and strong braking as well as being one of the more attractive brake sets. There's a fair bit of Campag around the bike- the gear lever and headset are Super Record, rear mech is Nuovo Record and rear hub is Record, although this example is one of the famous one without the actual Record writing but with all the other details (except I've had to use a non original skewer). It’s a splendid road machine that will provide many miles of pleasure, and with the more practical gearing you should still be able to climb all but the steepest hill with ease.
I've built and serviced the bike from the bottom up, fitting all period correct (besides bar tape and chain) and appropriate quality parts. It was a nice project but from the start I knew it was a little small for me and really I think that when riding my posture agrees more with slightly too large, instead of small, so have decided to find another Merlin and let this one go.
The bike/frame is also a pretty rare one- I've only seen one other same era example of the same quality: it had the same chromed rear end/green painted main triangle, and this one had tube endings and lugs chromed, so telling that the frame would be fully chromed- just as mine evidently is, as per chrome showing where there are scratches to the paint. The rest of the frame is also similar with its near straight leg forks, single chainwheel set-up and race geometry, with the only difference being that it had track dropouts. So, despite it being in slightly better condition than mine, I've factored in that mine has some better quality parts and have decided to sell mine for around the same price, so my asking price is £250 plus postage.
Questions are welcome, and viewing is also acceptable if you might live locally to me (NW London). If there's no serious interest shown here after a week or so I'll be posting it up with the LFGSS chaps.
The paintwork really is in very nice condition, although I can see that it's not the original one as indicated by the 531 Respray badge on the frame. There are a fair few minor paint chips around the frame though, but overall its in wonderful shape along with the transfers. Also, chrome around the fork crown area is showing some noticeable rust spots/flaking, although strangely everything on the rear end is near perfect.
All components are in fine fettle and work very smoothly out on the road. It’s a very fast machine, with quick acceleration and great road manners. The fork blades give plenty of feel through the handlebars and their minimal rake provides crisp changes of directions at the whim of the rider. The Modolo brakes offer good progressive feel and strong braking as well as being one of the more attractive brake sets. There's a fair bit of Campag around the bike- the gear lever and headset are Super Record, rear mech is Nuovo Record and rear hub is Record, although this example is one of the famous one without the actual Record writing but with all the other details (except I've had to use a non original skewer). It’s a splendid road machine that will provide many miles of pleasure, and with the more practical gearing you should still be able to climb all but the steepest hill with ease.
I've built and serviced the bike from the bottom up, fitting all period correct (besides bar tape and chain) and appropriate quality parts. It was a nice project but from the start I knew it was a little small for me and really I think that when riding my posture agrees more with slightly too large, instead of small, so have decided to find another Merlin and let this one go.
The bike/frame is also a pretty rare one- I've only seen one other same era example of the same quality: it had the same chromed rear end/green painted main triangle, and this one had tube endings and lugs chromed, so telling that the frame would be fully chromed- just as mine evidently is, as per chrome showing where there are scratches to the paint. The rest of the frame is also similar with its near straight leg forks, single chainwheel set-up and race geometry, with the only difference being that it had track dropouts. So, despite it being in slightly better condition than mine, I've factored in that mine has some better quality parts and have decided to sell mine for around the same price, so my asking price is £250 plus postage.
Questions are welcome, and viewing is also acceptable if you might live locally to me (NW London). If there's no serious interest shown here after a week or so I'll be posting it up with the LFGSS chaps.
