My Merlin, Reborn! (Lots-o-pics)

Who are you (no off-topic talk please)

Moderators: MrCurrieinahurry, maxim809, Moderator Team

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lung
Posts: 75
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:54 pm
Location: Funky Town, USA

by lung

Acquired in 2002. Sold in 2005... reacquired in 2009... rebuilt and ready to ride! Pretty much done save a few little bits I wanna add. Rides as awesome as I remembered... and the SRAM stuff is great! Hope you like.

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Only planned upgrades now are a new fork, KCNC Skewers, a Ti seat post collar.

As a first time SRAM owner.... here's a quick Review:

I just built up this bike with the following:

Rear and Front Dérailleurs: Force (2010)
Brakes: Force
Shifters: Rival
Crankset: Rival

This is to me the best combination of performance, value, and great looks. The shifting is fantastic. The Force Dérailleurs are smooth and easy to dial in. The Rival shifters do a great job and the carbon levers are a nice touch. A big surprise was the Rival crankset. I had my heart set on Force or Red but when I saw the stiffness numbers on the Rival (one of the stiffest out there) I took the chance. Let me tell you that crankset is a steal for the money. Stiff as hell and looks great. With a KCNC scandium post and a Thomson stem... the black aluminum cranks on the Rival compliment the look great. I was skeptical of all the praise Rival gets on these boards... but the gang here is right on. Sram is awesome and Rival "rivals" anything out there at twice the price. Lastly, DoubleTap shifting makes more sense to me than both Shimano and Campy's versions. Just great stuff. Brakes also work great and were easy to dial in.
Via Dolorosa

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Redddraggon
Posts: 982
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:59 pm
Location: North Wales

by Redddraggon

This is exactly the reason I want a Ti bike - 7 or so years down the line and it still looks good and hasn't gone out of fashion.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



User avatar
lung
Posts: 75
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:54 pm
Location: Funky Town, USA

by lung

Redddraggon wrote:This is exactly the reason I want a Ti bike - 7 or so years down the line and it still looks good and hasn't gone out of fashion.


Very well said. I agree 100%!
Via Dolorosa

RihardsR
Posts: 73
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 4:53 pm
Location: Latvia

by RihardsR

what handlebar did U use?
very col looking bike :thumbup:

User avatar
lung
Posts: 75
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:54 pm
Location: Funky Town, USA

by lung

LV wrote:what handlebar did U use?
very col looking bike :thumbup:


ITM 101. Sanded down logo free, refinished and buffed down to a matte finish. :thumbup:
Via Dolorosa

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Cheers!
Posts: 1483
Joined: Sat Aug 05, 2006 2:29 am
Location: Mountain View, California
Contact:

by Cheers!

10/10

:thumbup:

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micky
Posts: 5765
Joined: Thu Sep 21, 2006 8:57 pm
Location: Vicenza
Contact:

by micky

It must be love! :D

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Redddraggon
Posts: 982
Joined: Thu Jul 24, 2008 10:59 pm
Location: North Wales

by Redddraggon

I hope my Ti frame looks this good in 7 years

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fa63
Posts: 2533
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2007 7:26 am
Location: Atlanta, GA, US

by fa63

Great looking bike; enjoy.

User avatar
lung
Posts: 75
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:54 pm
Location: Funky Town, USA

by lung

Redddraggon wrote:I hope my Ti frame looks this good in 7 years


It has to... it's Ti!
Via Dolorosa

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TheBugMan
Posts: 2213
Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2008 7:08 am
Location: Seattle ZOO - AfterReceivingComplaints, MyAvatarIsNowChanged. IGiveYouMySexyMug.

by TheBugMan

WOW! You did a great job restoring your old fling to her most beautiful.
CLICK HERE to see my weenie

Click THIS to hear what happens when I see your and my weenie.

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Mads Kock
Posts: 2750
Joined: Thu May 26, 2005 7:52 am
Location: Malmö, Sweden
Contact:

by Mads Kock

did you get shorter arms in the 7 years? :-)

great looking bike.

bencolem
Posts: 954
Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2008 9:36 pm
Location: GA

by bencolem

Its a beautiful looking bike but exactly the same post in four different topics :noidea: C'mon man, don't overload it...

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Timo
Posts: 1380
Joined: Mon Jan 24, 2005 12:10 am
Location: Amsterdam, the Netherlands

by Timo

VERY nice Merlin :thumbup:
And if I ever meet an aardvark, I'm going to step on its damn protruding nasal implement until it couldn't suck up an insect if its life depended on it.

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



User avatar
lung
Posts: 75
Joined: Fri Aug 22, 2008 9:54 pm
Location: Funky Town, USA

by lung

Mads Kock wrote:did you get shorter arms in the 7 years? :-)

great looking bike.


Not sure what that means.
Via Dolorosa

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