Old Titanium Advice

[charliedid]

Truth is I have always wanted a Merlin from this era but you know a nice one.

I'm here all week...

[jr59]

The only way you are going to know is to go see.

If it fits, quit trying to talk your way out of it. If it fits, it will make a very fine riding bike. And your money will go towards a good cause.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Truth is I have always wanted a Merlin from this era but you know a nice one.

I'm here all week...

Little kids are going to go hungry because of you...

(jk, of course)

[Frankwurst]

Originally Posted by johnnylarue

It’s certainly a legitimate silver lining to what would normally be an intoxicating cocktail of annoyance heartbreak.

You can always sell it and maybe lose some time and money but if you let that break your heart your to sensitive. Buy it and a new saddle,stem bars ect.,ect. and make it fit and one day say damn this is the schiznit. Part of the fun is buying one and hanging parts on it and riding it and knowing it's right. Sometimes you eat the bear. Sometimes the bear eats you.

[johnnylarue]

Originally Posted by charliedid

Truth is I have always wanted a Merlin from this era but you know a nice one.

I'm here all week...

Alright, will somebody get this guy away from the damn mic!

Originally Posted by jr59

The only way you are going to know is to go see.

If it fits, quit trying to talk your way out of it. If it fits, it will make a very fine riding bike. And your money will go towards a good cause.

Absolutely true. It bears mentioning (misplaced pun intended) that most Ti bikes on the market around here are well over $1K, with many falling into the realm of the truly delusional (ex: early 2000’s Litespeed Vortex for, wait for it, $7000!!) So there’s that. I’m early in my search, but the fact remains that bikes ain’t cheap in LA. Maybe this is fate. IF it fits.

Originally Posted by Frankwurst

You can always sell it and maybe lose some time and money but if you let that break your heart your to sensitive. Buy it and a new saddle,stem bars ect.,ect. and make it fit and one day say damn this is the schiznit. Part of the fun is buying one and hanging parts on it and riding it and knowing it's right. Sometimes you eat the bear. Sometimes the bear eats you.

There’s the bear! Indeed, this was how it went with my Tuscany and I’ve never looked back. Such a glorious ride. Though in that instance the seller actually let me borrow it for a weekend (!!) which was uncommonly nice and the polar opposite of this situation. But absolutely: the joy of cleaning and rebuilding a new-to-me bike is undeniable.

Much obliged for sharing your wisdom, my good people. I’ll let you know how it all turns out.

[2oldTi]

I still ride my 1990 Merlin ExtraLight. It is still a great ride and I still have it because honestly, nothing I've tried rides that much better that it's worth the expense/trouble. My only change was a new set of carbon wheels.

Buy it. You'll enjoy it!

[robt57]

If that is a 1" carbon steerer fork it will be quite flexy. If you want really nice ride,+++. if you want razor handling and weigh more than 175 lb, not so much.

I note it looks to have some chainstays of longer variety. Again, that and if the fork is carbon steerer and 1" this is going to be a limo, and I mean that in a good luxury ride way. Your shoulders/body may thank you over mine for example. I have a 1" HT 98 Spectrum XL Ti Super, basic Merlin Extra light if you understand Mark V speak. It is short, stiff and razor handling. I actually ride more calm bike a lot more in truth..

Shifters = Chevy parts on a Benz IMO. Ride it until they wear out and keep an eye out for NOS 6603 STi maybe. At that point you may well need a new chain and cassette and you can up it to 30 speeds..

[zap]

That Look fork is not very good. Never was.

NOS Alpha Q would be a great find for that Merlin frame. An all black Wound Up fork would also be pretty nice.

Someone is asking US$7K for a Litespeed Vortex......knock off a zero and I still wouldn't recommend it.

[Mike V]

Retro Mod that sucka

[johnnylarue]

Originally Posted by robt57

If that is a 1" carbon steerer fork it will be quite flexy. If you want really nice ride,+++. if you want razor handling and weigh more than 175 lb, not so much.

I note it looks to have some chainstays of longer variety. Again, that and if the fork is carbon steerer and 1" this is going to be a limo, and I mean that in a good luxury ride way. Your shoulders/body may thank you over mine for example. I have a 1" HT 98 Spectrum XL Ti Super, basic Merlin Extra light if you understand Mark V speak. It is short, stiff and razor handling. I actually ride more calm bike a lot more in truth..

Shifters = Chevy parts on a Benz IMO. Ride it until they wear out and keep an eye out for NOS 6603 STi maybe. At that point you may well need a new chain and cassette and you can up it to 30 speeds..

Very nice evaluation. I’m 175lbs, right on the flexiness threshold for larger steel/Ti frames. But I’m all-in for comfort over handling at this point, no question: limos are where it’s at for me. (I’m only timing my rides to prove to myself that it’s still possible for my body to improve rather than perpetually deteriorate!) I would still hope the BB is stiff enough to prevent chain rub, though. I think I read that was an issue for some XLight riders, not so much on the standard Road.

Those shifters are indeed a bummer. Thankfully they don’t draw too much attention to themselves...

Originally Posted by zap

That Look fork is not very good. Never was.

NOS Alpha Q would be a great find for that Merlin frame. An all black Wound Up fork would also be pretty nice.

Someone is asking US$7K for a Litespeed Vortex......knock off a zero and I still wouldn't recommend it.

Thanks for the fork tips. I had high hopes for that Look fork so kind of a bummer to hear it’s not up to snuff. (Always been a sucker for their logo for some unknown typographical reason.)

Yeah that fellow with the Vortex is possibly from another planet...

Originally Posted by Mike V

Retro Mod that sucka

HOT HOT HOT!! Oh man, that’s a sweet build. Definitely sparks the imagination.

As of today I might not get to check the Merlin out until the weekend, but the seller has graciously given me first dibs on it, so it’s all good.

[johnnylarue]

While the Merlin waits safely in the nice church lady’s living room, another significantly more pragmatic option has presented itself: this 1999 Litespeed Classic.
82341663-EA85-407C-882C-1A7B854B7142.jpg

The seller in this case is an avid, experienced cyclist and a really nice guy. This bike has been hanging in his stable for five years since his last century on it, and he’ll be giving it a proper clean/tune-up before letting it go. All Dura Ace, nice wheels, exactly my size, and about $200 less (!!!) than the Merlin.

As I mentioned earlier, I already own a Tuscany (which I’m not likely to see for several months), so this frame is a bit less exotic to me than the Merlin... though looking at both frames the decals and badges are probably the most significant differences between the two...

And to complicate matters further, I’ve also got a C40 on my radar all of a sudden. Great problem to have, I suppose...

[lookout2015]

There’s really only one option: buy all 3

I’ve preferred my Merlins from that era to my Litespeeds from then - the price delta seems reasonable. But YMMV, and fit trumps all...

[Matthew]

I think those cranks on the Litespeed are Ultegra.

[johnnylarue]

Originally Posted by lookout2015

There’s really only one option: buy all 3

I’ve preferred my Merlins from that era to my Litespeeds from then - the price delta seems reasonable. But YMMV, and fit trumps all...

I know! If I had the space I would grab all three and let them battle it out. As it stands the Litespeed is the only one I know for sure is a perfect fit. The other two are gambles.

The Merlin badge certainly has mystique going for it—I’ve been ogling them since the 90s. But the Classic comes ready to ride with nicer wheels and better components... And I mean, $650 is kind of a no-brainer.

Originally Posted by Matthew

I think those cranks on the Litespeed are Ultegra.

I think you’re right. Dura Ace cranks from that era are a bit flatter/less sculpted than these.

[ojingoh]

I don't even like ti bikes, but HAWWWT

Originally Posted by Mike V

Retro Mod that sucka

That's a post-Helfrich ABG-made Merlin?