Merlin Extralight 1996

After a long search I finally found a Merlin Extralight in my size. I always wanted a Merlin roadie, and hasn´t dissapointed me!
The set up is modern, with a 7900 Dura Ace, R-Sys wheels, and little more. The weight is very good, around 7kg, but with another handelbar and pedales will go to 6,9-6,8kg! Not bad for a bike with 16 years, and not an ultralight setup.

This is how it arrived ;)

And now how it looks...

Alpinestars Ti-mega

Alpinestars Ti-mega 1992

This is the second Ti-mega I own. I sold the first one to a good friend, but after some months I managed to get another one. This one came with a Manitou I fork, and the only idea I already have is building it with some green colour bits; The saddle will be a Concor NOS green one, and the grips are an Oury set, also in green.

 

Here a scan of the original brochure:

Actually the build is finished, full XTR m900, with it´s matching Alpinestars titanium fork! Most of the bits are NOS, and really like how it looks!

I´ll be adding some  mores pics soon!

Merlin Newsboy 1994

The Newsboy is finished! Just tested a few km today, and it feels son nice. My LBS helped me with it, Mikel from Pedalier did a great job puting together all the bits, specially the wheels, thanks!

I´ve tried to use only period correct bits, but haven´t gone for a NOS build because I´m planning to ride it some times. The fork is a Ritchey one, with a no logo black Chris King headset. A black Control Tech stem and an Ibis titainum handlebar are ahead, with XT thumbies and Kooka brake levers. The front brake is a Grafton Speed controlers one, and the rear the very hard to find WTB rollercam.

Cook bros cranks, with a rear black Paul and a XTR front mech are the other parts of the transmision. The wheelset is a Bulleseye hubed one, and finally Syncros ti seatpost with a nice Flite saddle.

Some black Oury grips and a pair of Tioga Psycho are the last bits of the bike, with the 737 pedals.

This is the hardest frame to find I have. I was after one of this for a long time, and finally, in June 2009 I saw it for sale in Canada. It´s a Medium size, and the Number 103 of the first run they did. That means that it has the complete curved chainstays, with no welds on them, and of course the WTB rollercam.
It´s a stunning frame, with an incredible craftmanship, so now I´ll have to build it as it deserves.
This is the 1994 brochure:

The frame arrived in the biggest box I´ve ever seen for a frame! It was a wood box that could easily weight about 40kg! Of course better not to mention the shipping costs...

This is the serial number:

And this is a pic of the frame as it is now. Hopefully will begin it´s build by 2011...

Ibis Bow ti 1998

Another long search for this one... But with the help of a good friend at last is here! I´ll pick it up this weekend, and the build is almost done. It´s a small bow ti, with a XTR m950 set up. Titanium spoked wheels, Ibis titanium stem and handlebar, CK headset, and the White Bros SC70 fork.
First some nice reviews from the last ´90s:

And for the moment this is the pick I´ve got...

This is the result! Haven´t got any idea about how it rides yet, but hopefully will update this soon with some riding pics and conclusions:

Fat Chance ti 1995

It´s been almost three years since I found this frame, but now is the moment for building it. I bought the frame, including a Chris King no logo headset, Paul seat binder and the very rare IRD titanium fork.
Here some pics of this combo:

The complete set up will consist in a NOS Shimano XTR m900 groupset, with titanium laced wheels, Ringlé  stem and Syncros post, a Bontrager ti saddle and a NOS Race Face cowbar.

Anyway, this is how it looked built by the previous owner:

It´ll be difficult making something nicer, but I´m after something less blue...
I´ll keep posting here pics of the build, but untill then it´ll be interesting some magazine scans...

Finally is finished!!!! Here some pics, the pedals aren´t the ones will go, but for the moment this is...