Merlin Metalworks XLM Serial Numbers and Lost History

[Al.Lugtenburg]

I am updating this thread with the latest information I have.

We can find the first mention to the Merlin XLM on a 1993 Mountain Bike Action article (posted earlier on this thread and mentioned on 95 Merlin catalog). The XLM is not included into the 1994 catalog though.

The 1995 Merlin Metalworks catalog shows the Merlin Mountain, the Taiga and the XLM as their mountain bikes. On the road models they have the Extralight, the Road and the RSR. Then the Newsboy.

The Merlin XLM (Extralight Mountain) was officially offered to the market by 1995 with the Extralight decal on the top tube. Maybe a few were sold by late 1994.


Probably by mid 1995 they changed the Extalight decal to XLM to match the model’s name. I don't know if they used the road Extralight decals for the first sales because they didn't have printed the XLM yet or if they changed their mind after launching it into the market.

Up to 1996 they had cantilevers brakes and on the 1997 catalog it’s shown with V-Brakes.

These are the serial numbers I have so far, the decals and years are not exact info as they rely on owners memory and the decals could be changed for new ones:

Cantiléver
XM001 Merlin XLM [1995]
XM027 Merlin Extralight [1995]
XM166 Merlin XLM [1995]
XM238 Merlin Extralight [199?]
XM277 Merlin XLM [199?]
XM3xx Merlin Extralight [199?]
XM457 Merlin XLM [1995]
XM534 Merlin XLM [1996]
XM569 Merlin XLM [1996]
XM749 Merlin XLM [1996]
XM0861 Merlin XLM [1996]
XM0884 Merlin XLM [1997]
14036 Merlin XLM [1997]

V-Brake
M60084 Merlin XLM [1998]
M62672 Merlin XLM [1998]
M62680 Merlin XLM [1998]
14597 Merlin XLM [1998]
14696 Merlin XLM [1998]
15007 Merlin XLM [1998]
18123 Merlin XLM [19xx]
18373 Merlin XLM [1999]
M60084 Merlin XLM [1999-00]
M69194 Merlin XLM [2002]
M73730 Merlin XLM [2003]
M113703 Merlin XLM [2003-04]

Any updates, corrections or new info will be much appreciated.

Cheers,
Alexandre

 

[Frank69]

Hello Alexandre;
A big thumbs up for your investigation.
I own two Merlin XLM frames and was always asking myself the same question about that decals. The serial numbers of my frames are pretty close (I have to look them up). My first frame came directly brand new from the importer to my shop for me. It had EXTRALIGHT decals on (exactly like in the 95 catalogue). The second frame had one owner before me, was build up but never ridden. It came from the UK and had XLM decals on. It never was refurbished. The style of both frames is identical with the titanium tube like seat post clamp, the magnesium seat tube insert and the finger like cantilever stud.
I‘m not sure but I guess they‘ve just put on the frames whatever they had. Like: XLM decals are gone… so let‘s take the EXTRALIGHT ones …
Merlin never was a huge company and as many of the smaller builders of this period they might just have made little changes and experiments.
I‘ll have a look for my serial numbers…
Best Regards
Frank

 

[Al.Lugtenburg]

Hello Alexandre;
A big thumbs up for your investigation.
I own two Merlin XLM frames and was always asking myself the same question about that decals. The serial numbers of my frames are pretty close (I have to look them up). My first frame came directly brand new from the importer to my shop for me. It had EXTRALIGHT decals on (exactly like in the 95 catalogue). The second frame had one owner before me, was build up but never ridden. It came from the UK and had XLM decals on. It never was refurbished. The style of both frames is identical with the titanium tube like seat post clamp, the magnesium seat tube insert and the finger like cantilever stud.
I‘m not sure but I guess they‘ve just put on the frames whatever they had. Like: XLM decals are gone… so let‘s take the EXTRALIGHT ones …
Merlin never was a huge company and as many of the smaller builders of this period they might just have made little changes and experiments.
I‘ll have a look for my serial numbers…
Best Regards
Frank

Hi Frank, I’d appreciate if you could post the serial numbers and years of your bikes.

The first new XLM 95 Merlins, although named XLM, came with Extralight decals. They probably used the decals from the road bikes until the proper XLM were made.

This is not well known and some owners may have restored later using the same road decals or just changed the Extralight decals thinking they’re not original or maybe just to have XLM stamped on the bikes.

One thing I think it’s true, in 95 we had both Extralight and XLM factory original decals on XLM bikes.

Many thanks for your info.
Best regards

 

[Al.Lugtenburg]

Hello Alexandre;
A big thumbs up for your investigation.
I own two Merlin XLM frames and was always asking myself the same question about that decals. The serial numbers of my frames are pretty close (I have to look them up). My first frame came directly brand new from the importer to my shop for me. It had EXTRALIGHT decals on (exactly like in the 95 catalogue). The second frame had one owner before me, was build up but never ridden. It came from the UK and had XLM decals on. It never was refurbished. The style of both frames is identical with the titanium tube like seat post clamp, the magnesium seat tube insert and the finger like cantilever stud.
I‘m not sure but I guess they‘ve just put on the frames whatever they had. Like: XLM decals are gone… so let‘s take the EXTRALIGHT ones …
Merlin never was a huge company and as many of the smaller builders of this period they might just have made little changes and experiments.
I‘ll have a look for my serial numbers…
Best Regards
Frank

Hi Frank, I’d appreciate if you could post the serial numbers and years of your bikes. And maybe a few pics.

The first new XLM 95 Merlins, although named XLM, came with Extralight decals. They probably used the decals from the road bikes until the proper XLM were made.

This is not well known and some owners may have restored later using the same road decals or just changed the Extralight decals thinking they’re not original or maybe just to have XLM stamped on the bikes.

One thing I think it’s true, in 95 we had both Extralight and XLM factory original decals on XLM bikes.

Many thanks for your info.
Best Regards

 

[Twozaskars]

This might sound strange but where are the frame numbers? I’ve got a Taiga and cannot see a number anywhere.

 

[Al.Lugtenburg]

This might sound strange but where are the frame numbers? I’ve got a Taiga and cannot see a number anywhere.

Usually here.

 

[Frank69]

Hi Frank, I’d appreciate if you could post the serial numbers and years of your bikes. And maybe a few pics.

The first new XLM 95 Merlins, although named XLM, came with Extralight decals. They probably used the decals from the road bikes until the proper XLM were made.

This is not well known and some owners may have restored later using the same road decals or just changed the Extralight decals thinking they’re not original or maybe just to have XLM stamped on the bikes.

One thing I think it’s true, in 95 we had both Extralight and XLM factory original decals on XLM bikes.

Many thanks for your info.
Best Regards

Hi Alexandre;
I‘ll look for the serial numbers as soon as possible but it will take some time as one frames is not here with me.
But I can say for sure that my first frame came brand new with the EXTRALIGHT decals so It must have left Merlin like that and the second frame (I‘m the second owner but the frame was only built as a bike but never ridden) had XLM stickers on and this one was never refurbished whatsoever so the decals were the original Merlin decals. Without knowing the serial numbers exactly I do remember they both start with XM and the numbers are 3 digit and pretty close… 2something I think but I‘ll check that.
Hope that helps meanwhile.
Best Regards
Frank

 

[Al.Lugtenburg]

Hi Frank,

It will help to narrow the period for “Extralight” decals before the XLM, for sure.

That’s awesome!

Thanks