My Merlin Extralight (new pic on page 1)

[Tinea Pedis]

God it just reeks class!

What a fantastic build!

[gregclimbs]

Bike is shown here with training/cobbles wheels (Record/DT competition/Mavic Open Pro with Chorus cassette)

Timo... Looks a lot like my extralight:



Downtube front shifter, challenge roubaix tubies on ambrosios, 3x 32h record hubs...

Nice.

g

[SLight]

Greg, your bike is just WOOOOOW !
very close to perfektion.
just one question, isn't it a little too flexy? extralights are known to be a little "soft" no? and I remember that I could twist my handlebars a lot with the grammo stem.

[Timo]

WOW, Greg, did you try Paris-Roubaix on that or what? Lovely build, I especially like the wheelset and the good old Grammo stem! Is that also a 1" headset?

I used an SLR saddle for two years but a few weeks ago I returned to my old Flite Genuine Gel. Must say that the added comfort is very welcome and beats the extra grams.

[Cyclist in the Sun]

Way back when I had an Extralite, you could sense it was moving in the BB area out of the saddle (wierd for someone used to Vitus frames). A CODA MM crankset took care of it, totally transformed the ride.

[Timo]

I must say that Schmolke handlebar made the bike less flexy compared to the previous bar (Syntace Racelite) but the combination of an Extralight with a titanium BB and Storck Powerarms will never be stiff. The bike is indeed quite flexy but I like it that way. I don't race but do long distance solo rides so comfort beats stiffness for me.

[gregclimbs]

Greg, your bike is just WOOOOOW !
very close to perfektion.
just one question, isn't it a little too flexy? extralights are known to be a little "soft" no? and I remember that I could twist my handlebars a lot with the grammo stem.

The grammo stem is a noodle...you can visibly move the bars... but I ride the bike from the end of racing (when I hang up the slc-sl) until the end of our "spring classics" which ends in a dirt road roubaix style race. So in some ways, the cush is appreciated during the bad months.

WOW, Greg, did you try Paris-Roubaix on that or what? Lovely build, I especially like the wheelset and the good old Grammo stem! Is that also a 1" headset?

Yes, it is a 1" reynolds fork, king hs, and 1" grammo (no shims for me ).

Long time slr user and really like them - but saddles are personal preferences

Normally my bike has m5 brakes on it, but I stole my wife's record calipers to fit the fatties for this race:



Glad I did... needed the clearance!

g

[tochnics]

ditto on the schmolke bar, i have a tlo thats looks fragile but is quit stiff
i recently changed my pro plt stem to a pro vibe and its way stiffer
need a shim for the 1 inch fork in both cases but that does not hurt
so get a more solid feel and keep the plush ride with a stiff stem

[Timo]

Greg, do post some pics as well of the bike after it was cleaned

[TheBugMan]

I love how your bike looks classic from a distance, but when you look at the details the modern tech appears.

Timo, do you still ride around in big baggy shorts? Or maybe that was someone else?

[Timo]

Yupz, that's me and a bit less baggy but such shorts are still there. The classic/modern tech combination confuses quite some fellow cyclists. I randomly run into people who ask me if the frame is Reynolds or Columbus or why I don't buy a lighter bike

Some Campagnolo Neutrons coming up in a few days. A special custom classic/modern tech wheelset is coming in July.

[Timo]

Got myself a set of Neutrons. Removed the red decals to match the bike...

[tochnics]

looking good with those wheels
mayby u should ad a sticker with " Titanium " on the seattube or headtube to teach the noobs to look better before talking

[Timo]

The first upgrades for 2010 have arrived. Just small details.

A clamp...




...and a shifter...

[Timo]

This season I dropped the stealth look of the saddle and the bar tape in favour of a bit more color...