Weight Weenies

Has anyone else heard about this interesting revelation... 2013 re-release of the venerable Merlin Extralight?
http://www.merlinbike.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/frame ... 36927.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

According to an email received the new frame design will be shown at NAHBS... anyone seen the booth?

Sounds like an interesting opportunity for lovers of the original Merlin aesthetic and ride. That said, I wonder about the visual effect of the enlarged tubing and BB. Hope to hear/see more. Meanwhile, I will keep working on my 1997 Extralight rebuild through the snowy winter. Will ask for some comments in the Spring after I figure out stem choice. Would love that new headbadge for my project.

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If I recall correctly, Brendan Quirk, the founder of Competitive Cyclist bought the Merlin name a few years ago and has been working to bring back the company. Velo News has posted an image of the bike http://velonews.competitor.com/files/20 ... 33x421.jpg and from reading around it sounds like a Red stock build will be about 15.5-16lbs.

Is that the original Merlin Extralight geometry? I'm going from (an admittedly faulty) memory, but I seem to recall that those frames had a more Merckx Century-like design: longer TT, slacker seat angle. It stuck in my mind because that's what tends to fit me, and I was drooling over an Extralight for ages.

From what I can tell it appears they are carrying over the top tube lengths from the originals, but not sure if the geometry is the same. It is interesting that they are selling them based on top tube length not the more arbitrary seat tube length... I wish more manufactures would do this.

Tom Kellogg from Spectrum Cycles was the geometry guy for Merlin in the past. Hopefully they stick to those original dimensions...

All of my Merlin's are 56cm top tube, 54.5cm seat tube, 73 st & 73.5 ht angles...

Looks scrumptios !
I wonder what competitive cyclist is going to do withthe brand, and were or who is making these frames ?

I owned an original Merlin (pre-extralight), and sill ride a CR-Works, both Tom Kellogg designs.
The new bikes are definitely not the same.
CR-Works geometry:
http://www.tirides.com/wp/frames/road/merlin-works-cr-32-5-compact-road-frame-size-l/
New geometry: (bottom of page):
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/frame/2013-merlin-extralight-36927.html

They made a few tweaks from the original Kellog geometry, according to the man at the show. He didn't have specifics other than to say that the headtubes they were sourcing required it. They're a bit taller, sounds like.

Great looking frame.

so who actually makes the frame and where is it made?

it sounds like all operations are based out of Utah (where Competitive Cyclist is located). If this is the case, did they move the factory from Tennessee?

How much does it weigh? The tubes look fatter than I remember.

Will the frames break like a number of the original Extralights did?

As to the tubes being fatter, from the link in the first post n this thread:

http://www.competitivecyclist.com/frame/2013-merlin-extralight-36927.html wrote:And this brings us onto the subject of engineered-in rigidity. Merlin brought the Extralight into the modern age by increasing the diameter of the tubing to 1.375in at the top and seat tubes and 0.875in at the seatstays. You'll also find that this generation features a 44mm oversized head tube that's been mated with a full carbon Enve Composites fork.

Fatter ti tubes = heavier ti tubes

Larger diameter, thinner-walled ti tubes could be lighter ti tubes.

This is a great development. An updated Extralight with a bit more stiffness around the HT especially but the similar ride quality would be a great bike. I loved mine and still do most of my riding on my Solis. I'd certainly consider getting another.

VNTech wrote:They made a few tweaks from the original Kellog geometry, according to the man at the show. He didn't have specifics other than to say that the headtubes they were sourcing required it. They're a bit taller, sounds like.

Sounds like he's talking bullocks. How can the headtube being a bit taller affect the STA, HTA & other measurement? The only effect is that your stem may require more or less spacers. Looking at the geometry now compared to Tom Kellogg's original, it looks like they've slackened the STA & HTA off by half a degree, ditched 4 sizes & dropped the BB by 4.5mm. The slacker STA has probably driven the stays being stretched by 3mm.

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