NOS Merlin 1989

[24pouces]

If you buy a frame made 89 and then collect parts for a while after, you most likely choose something new and not a ten year old design. Don't forget, this bike wasn't retro back in the days

I agree with that idea.
But the really first flite were sold in the beginning of 91 and really designed a bike from 91 to quite the end of 90ies. And your flite is a modern edition with higher titanium rails.
If you find a really early grey flite with the red logo, I would be OK

Look at the 89 and 91 catalog. The 89 Merlin is equiped with a yellow P2 and avocet saddle. The the 91 Merlin got a flite, a ritchey fork… the same dsign until 94-95. You got a 94 Merlin frame too, with quite the same design of a 91. And the part you choose woul fit nice on that bike. I would work in another way, another philosophy for your 89 : such a time capsule is so rare that I would built something different than a classic 1991-1994 merlin

 

[merlinfred]

I got this, it' grey with red Selle logo and yellow Flite logo.
Very used though and Titanium...

 

[merlinfred]

Hmm, we need to sort this out. The first Flite
Saddle I bought was in -92' one with white leather and Ti rails. The next one, -94 was in grey leather and Ti rails. Those two saddles looks exactly the same as the black one that came together with my -89 frame. The rails are low and this was always a problem together with the USE posts as the clamp cuts in to the saddle edge.
When did Selle change to higher rails?

 

[24pouces]

They change for higher rails quite early, because the really first Flite touched the top of the seatpost and some broke.
I think (but not sure) that there's difference between flite with the red rear logo (the older) and flite with white rear logo. I would say around 95.
But SellaItalia use the very high rail for their Flite's re-issue. It would be easier for them to use rail from actual saddle.

 

[merlinfred]

Just a pikture of my old grey Flite

 

[merlinfred]

Hi
I called the first owner of the 89 Merlin today. He was really sad he never know that it was up for sale, he would have bought it back on the double. He was cool about it though, and I didn’t offer him to buy it from me
He remembers most details about the frame and the build. The build took him a couple of years, which explains why some of the parts are newer than the actual frame.
He ordered the frame in -88 but had to wait about 1 year before it was delivered, it came in the beginning of -89. He was quite disturbed that his frame still had the U-brake fittings rather than cantilever ditto. The theme of the build was; Light weight, bare metal and no logos.

1991 he visited the bike show in Atlantic City, where he bought many of the parts directly from the exhibitors. He visited the folks at Merlin, they gave him the envelope with spare decals. As he remembers it, the original decals on his bike were white, same as the ones he got for spares. He also confirms that the frame was designed by Joe Murray (his own hose god).
From Dia-Compe he bought the pre-production 987 cantis and SS-5 levers. They have Titanium springs. He also bought some bolts for them at the SRP stand.

This is the spec sheet as he remembers it:
Frame: early -89 Merlin MTB size 17,5”
Handlebar: McMahon Titanium
Stem: McMahon Titanium w Ti bolts
Fork: Ritchy Logic black (he had it painted red in a Swedish bike factory)
Rear brake: McMahon
Front brake Dia-Compe 987 w SRP Ti bolts
Brake levers: Dia-Compe SS-5
Front derailleur: Shimano XT w SRP Ti bolts
Rear derailleur: Shimano XT w SRP Ti bolts
Chain: Regina Superlegera
Rims: Mavic MA 40 ceramic
Front hub: Silver Bullseye (It came together with the rear hub, that he never used)
Rear hub: Shimano Dura-Ace
Spokes: LiteSpeed Titanium
BB: Ti axle (don’t remember brand)
Scewers: Silver Ringle Ti Stix
Bottle cage: Ringle with Ti bolts
Head set: Silver Chris King
Pedals: Suntour Pro, later sold and changed for -92 Onza clipless with Titanium axles
Saddle: Flite Ti black leather
Crank set: Silver Cook Bros Racing with Shimano XT Biopace with Ti crank bolts and Ti main bolts

It was rally nice to get some intel about this bike, kind of gives it alittle more personality

 

[merlinfred]

Hi
I went to this obscure bike shop today. They stock thousands of old parts from the latest 3 decades. I came quite late because I was lost on my way out there, so I had only about 30 minutes before closing time. I asked if they had any really old cantilever brakes and he went behind into the ware house, 5 minutes he came back with a handful of small plastic bags. There was mostly some old and new LX, Tectro, XT, XTR and.. one pair of Shimano BR 732 in silver Unused of cource! He wanted 20 dollars so it was a deal. In the mean time I browsed the store, I found several 1” Rithey Tange Cro-Mo (made in Japan) 20 dollar. loads of boxes with chain rings, Biopace etc. A ware house full of NOS parts, Retro heaven so to say. I’ll go back some day when there is more time.
I bought this stuff to start with

 

[ez054098]

I say we put together a fund to buy this guy out! I am serious.

 

[merlinfred]

Need to make a correction about the prices. I made a mistake in the conversion from Swedish currency to US dollar
The brakes and forks costed $40 each, still a nice prize for something this rare. Brake cable was $4

 

[ez054098]

Need to make a correction about the prices. I made a mistake in the conversion from Swedish currency to US dollar
The brakes and forks costed $40 each, still a nice prize for something this rare. Brake cable was $4

That is still a steal!