Black_puma
GT Fan
Topline had this, I know as I had some on my 1993 GT Zaskar BITD, nice red anodised cranks!
Merlin Titanium - the honest 'Brit' build
- Thread starter TreaderSteve
- Start date
TreaderSteve
Senior Retro Guru
Anyone know why the rear dropouts are 132.5mm (as per catalogue and near as dammit measured in reality)? So either a 130 or 135 could go in?
I've bought an earlier XT hub so will be getting the rear wheel re-built. Shall I space it to 132.5mm before re-build as I have the opportunity to? The wheel would only be for this frame. I'd have to choose axle length carefully and mock-up to make sure the axle doesn't protrude the dropouts if I chose a '135' axle.
I'd still love to know who made the Ti seatpost so I can eventually state it on the list of build parts. It's 25.4mm. Rusty bolts now replaced with Ti and a new 1992 Vetta Lite fitted.
Cheers
I've bought an earlier XT hub so will be getting the rear wheel re-built. Shall I space it to 132.5mm before re-build as I have the opportunity to? The wheel would only be for this frame. I'd have to choose axle length carefully and mock-up to make sure the axle doesn't protrude the dropouts if I chose a '135' axle.
I'd still love to know who made the Ti seatpost so I can eventually state it on the list of build parts. It's 25.4mm. Rusty bolts now replaced with Ti and a new 1992 Vetta Lite fitted.
Cheers
Once A Hero
Old School Grand Master
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Perhaps an IRD or Syncros seatpost?
Here's what the re-pros look like for comparison:
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads...-ringle-bullseye-cook-syncros-fat-wtb.332892/
Here's what the re-pros look like for comparison:
https://www.retrobike.co.uk/threads...-ringle-bullseye-cook-syncros-fat-wtb.332892/
TreaderSteve
Senior Retro Guru
Yes, similar, but not quite from what I can find pics of! The upper collar on mine is 'proud' - looks like a U.S.E one (but with a collar), and is not 25.0 so I don't think it's a U.S.E one...someone'll come along and 100% for sure which'll be great!
TreaderSteve
Senior Retro Guru
Cool, thanks - a 135 came out of it, the (brand) new XT one is currently 130 and so pinches-in the stays a teeny bit. I might as well space it to 132.5 as it's a one-off - it'll be a chance to put new grease in - even though Shimano grease seems to last decades.
Cheers
The crown on the right is also the same than on '93 Mag 21.
Have you seen these? The 130 rear spacing would suit your frame as would the Ti upgrades
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TreaderSteve
Senior Retro Guru
No Matt, but jeez, lightened like that for touring - not!? Nice though! Now, where to find a Dura-Ace Ti freehub body...
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TreaderSteve
Senior Retro Guru
As it's pretty miserable here in Cambridge, UK, and as the wife's at the gym, what better to do than have a quick mock-up in the lounge?! She'll have no idea 
The rear rim's been laced onto a new M732 hub which is more befitting than the later XT hub that it came with. This meant I could get it on two wheels! Air-B latex tubes inside which do seem to hold air quite well - I had the front one pumped up for weeks and it still had some decent pressure in it. Fairweather tyres (made by Panaracer) from Blue Lug in Japan.
The P2s are stamped 90 so a year or two too early - they're a bit spindly too but they'll do fine once spring has sprung and the weather will allow a garden re-spray. The steerer needs some chopping-down too which is a bit of a shameful thing to do to them as they're probably quite scarce with such a long steerer.
The chainrings came up almost new - the cranks have no scrapes or anything nasty - great! The BB grease ports worked excellently - it all feels new.
I wonder if it was built up here in the UK from half-decent parts available from a half-decent shop? Not imported as a finished bike? Other than the cranks and seatpost there were no boutique-y bits on it.
Dug out from the stash/ shed the stem and Tioga bars look great together IMHO - the photos don't do the bars justice. The stem's black chrome but shines different shades - an unusual finish.
Excellent nick cassette - one of the things I'm glad I bought years ago thinking it'll come in useful at some point. I'll probably have to trim the T-Gear Ti allen bolt - the rear wheel's been spaced to 132mm so it's a tad long. TNT lock-ring tucked-away
The mechs that came with it scrubbed-up nice. The front mech's only XC Comp. A hollow alloy main mounting bolt from the stash added to the rear mech - both will of course be going back on - there's nothing wrong with a bit of non-matchy-matchy and the fact it's a road rear mech. I feel it's how it was built and specced by the OG owner whilst chatting to the bike shop worker who was selling the bits for the build - the parts had their merits - even for an MTB.
The Sedis chain that came off it is in excellent condition following a soak in petrol and a good scrub. It's sat in a bag with lashings of Finish Line lube waiting for a rub-down and fitting.
There's not a lot more I can do until I can spray the forks. I could powder-coat but I like an enamel finish. I'll be using this stuff in an aerosol. I was looking for a decent enamel in a 1930's pale green colour to restore an Anglepoise lamp. I sprayed a flat piece of steel as well as the lamp - it goes on really really nicely. Now that the enamel's well-cured, I thought I'd twat that square of metal with a spanner to see how it stands-up. It took a right good whack to chip it! Eventually I'll use it on my Explosif - it seems to be great stuff.
https://www.paragonpaints.co.uk/
The rear rim's been laced onto a new M732 hub which is more befitting than the later XT hub that it came with. This meant I could get it on two wheels! Air-B latex tubes inside which do seem to hold air quite well - I had the front one pumped up for weeks and it still had some decent pressure in it. Fairweather tyres (made by Panaracer) from Blue Lug in Japan.
The P2s are stamped 90 so a year or two too early - they're a bit spindly too but they'll do fine once spring has sprung and the weather will allow a garden re-spray. The steerer needs some chopping-down too which is a bit of a shameful thing to do to them as they're probably quite scarce with such a long steerer.
The chainrings came up almost new - the cranks have no scrapes or anything nasty - great! The BB grease ports worked excellently - it all feels new.
I wonder if it was built up here in the UK from half-decent parts available from a half-decent shop? Not imported as a finished bike? Other than the cranks and seatpost there were no boutique-y bits on it.
Dug out from the stash/ shed the stem and Tioga bars look great together IMHO - the photos don't do the bars justice. The stem's black chrome but shines different shades - an unusual finish.
Excellent nick cassette - one of the things I'm glad I bought years ago thinking it'll come in useful at some point. I'll probably have to trim the T-Gear Ti allen bolt - the rear wheel's been spaced to 132mm so it's a tad long. TNT lock-ring tucked-away
The mechs that came with it scrubbed-up nice. The front mech's only XC Comp. A hollow alloy main mounting bolt from the stash added to the rear mech - both will of course be going back on - there's nothing wrong with a bit of non-matchy-matchy and the fact it's a road rear mech. I feel it's how it was built and specced by the OG owner whilst chatting to the bike shop worker who was selling the bits for the build - the parts had their merits - even for an MTB.
The Sedis chain that came off it is in excellent condition following a soak in petrol and a good scrub. It's sat in a bag with lashings of Finish Line lube waiting for a rub-down and fitting.
There's not a lot more I can do until I can spray the forks. I could powder-coat but I like an enamel finish. I'll be using this stuff in an aerosol. I was looking for a decent enamel in a 1930's pale green colour to restore an Anglepoise lamp. I sprayed a flat piece of steel as well as the lamp - it goes on really really nicely. Now that the enamel's well-cured, I thought I'd twat that square of metal with a spanner to see how it stands-up. It took a right good whack to chip it! Eventually I'll use it on my Explosif - it seems to be great stuff.
https://www.paragonpaints.co.uk/
Last edited:
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