https://forums.naimaudio.com/to...85#49577346743367785
In a spasm of Christmas Spirit, my young protege and I sent the now-his wounded Mercian back to the factory for a re-do. I bought this bike used for $300 in 1977.
Shipping a bike across the pond these days is not a trivial exercise.
They do some cool stuff.
http://www.merciancycles.co.uk
It will have been cheaper to replace it with a modern bike, but steel is now cool in the bike world and now he loves it too.
Fingers crossed this ends well. Stay tuned. Merry Christmas.
Posted on: 22 December 2016 by Bruce Woodhouse
Interesting. Mostly traditional steel frames by the look of the website. Certainly a very old british bike brand.
I own 2 custom steel frames, a lugless fillet brazed Burls made from Columbus Zona that has seen service as a winter hack for a number of years but was recently retired and a Zullo Vergine stainless steel (Columbus XCR) that is both a thing of beauty and a delight to ride. Very distinctively different to my two other road frames in Ti/carbon respectively.
Modern steel frames for road and MTB definitely have had a resurgence. Not too expensive compared to exotics, easy to customise and with good design and build still relevant performance. Don't have to be completely retro style either.
Bruce
Posted on: 22 December 2016 by Nich
Mercian bikes are lovely, and the company still do very high quality work. For me steel bikes are still the best - ride quality, durability and looks! Carbon frames are so vulnerable to damage, often completely unseen to the naked eye but resulting in potentially dangerous weaknesses, and are difficult to repair, I doubt very much that 40 year old carbon frames will be refurbishable like vintage steel frames are nowadays!
Posted on: 22 December 2016 by Bruce Woodhouse
I do love my stainless steel bike (and my carbon Parlee is a thing of wonder) but if I absolutely had to have just one bike made for me that did everything I wanted, in all seasons, and also would last me an age it would be made from Ti. I have a semi-custom Ti bike now that is a brilliant all-rounder.
I'm not sure carbon is as fragile as all that if well built and designed but if I had to choose a single bike that could stand all abuse it would be Ti.
My Ti bike will outlive me, and probably the next generation too!
Bruce
Posted on: 28 January 2017 by David S
Good luck with the Mercian Skip. They are not always the friendliest of people at Mercian so I hope the repairs are received with happiness.
Old steel bikes are highly addictive. I built up a late 1985 Colnago Master Piu a few years ago with precise period Campy C Record. This led to a 1971 Cinelli that I have ridden at a few Eroicas. Now I also have a 1962 Merlin and a couple of boxes of interesting components for a build.
The bikes to come include a curly Hetchins and a space frame Moulton. But I need to decide if I will part with some of the other bikes first.....
David
