Tomac signature Mongoose/Merlin frame

[swannymere]

On eBay in California, I know nothing about these but curiosity got the better of me. So bike nerds, inform me!

Tomac Mongoose/Merlin

 

[swannymere]

Sold apparently

 

[pw_pw_la]

Not surprised.

Very rare, and highly sortafter.

 

[M-Power]

Rumpfy the guru’s, guru is an expert on these afaik. Think this might be crazy rare maybe one of 10 or 13 ever made

 

[Retobikestand]

Rumpfy the guru’s, guru is an expert on these afaik. Think this might be crazy rare maybe one of 10 or 13 ever made

I've seen at least 10 on the internet. A Merlin employee of the days building these, said 400 total.

 

[M-Power]

I've seen at least 10 on the internet. A Merlin employee of the days building these, said 400 total.

Not gonna argue with you. Merlin also cranked out a huge number of Ti frames bitd.

 

[2teWind]

Not gonna argue with you. Merlin also cranked out a huge number of Ti frames bitd.

From 1991 onwards, right…

 

[2teWind]

At the beginning Merlin didn't have the capacity to build 400 frames a year for other brands. Have a look on their frame no history
The former German Mongoose importer for example had not purchased a frame. There was no market for such high-priced mountain bikes back then. That changed with the MTB boom in 1991 onwards

 

[BoyBurning]

Yep.

Merlin made about 10 thousand frames upto around 1997.

And @newsboy has about 9 thousand of them...

 

[CCMDoc]

That’s a 1990 Mongoose IBOC Signature, marketed after Tomac went to Yeti for a year.
Front triangle and 1/3 of chainstays are made by Merlin and are Ti.
Rear monostay, dropouts and 2/3 chainstays are steel, the tubing being Prestige.
The 1989 all Merlin Ti monostay frame is the Mongoose John Tomac Signature model.