amedias

I have a soft spot for Mercians, and have/had a few...



The purple Mercian is an 86/87 Olympic/Classic built with 531ST, set up SS and used for shorter Audax rides and some club runs/exploring rides, it actually has loads of clearance but a poor choice of narrow guards is currently limiting it to 'big 23s/small 25s' and until I get round to changing the guards it'll stay that way. It does currently have dynamo lighting on it too though but that was fitted after the pic.



This orange one is a 90s Mercian King of Mercia built with custom geometry and options, this is a very unusual KOM in that it's got their Audax geometry and is built from 531c, but uses canti brakes and can clear 35mm tyres with guards, or 40s without. It also has a slightly extended headtube for some extra bar height and I use this when I know the roads are going to be especially bad or include some off-road sections, or sometimes when I just want to go a bit slower and carry some more stuff. It's currently set up with 9 speed dura ace/ultegra mix drivetrain using down tube shifters and while was running a 42/26 double a while back it's now back to a 24/36/48 triple with 11-32 for a more off-road and "I'm tired and there's another 25% coming up" capable setup.



The Bianchi blue one is a Mercian Audax from early 00's and until recently* was my backup geared Audax bike option, a bit heavier than my primary bike, 32/35mm tyres, slightly different gearing using full Campag 8 speed with 48/38/24 and a 13-26. I tended to use when exploring new routes at slower pace or if I know the roads are going to be particularly awful. Despite looking tiny it has a very low BB which drops the whole bike (hence short HT) and it is just as long as the purple and orange Mericans and equally as well as the others even though it doesn't look like it!

*I've now sold this bike as something else has taken its place, I do kind of miss it though!

Steve Bauserman 

Here are my two Mercians. The first is a 1971 King of Mercia with Campagnolo Nuovo Record Group and Fiamme tubular rims.


The second is a 1982 Vincitore with Campagnolo Nuovo Record derailleurs (note long cage RD and triple crankset), Universal Super 68 brakes and Super Champion Gentlemen 27 inch rims:

plonz 

Saw your Missouri City location and then a picture of what I’m quite certain is my buddy Ben’s old Mercian. You’ve equipped it a little different but I recognize the sticker on the seat tube. I lived in Sugar Land until last fall and rode a lot of miles hanging onto the rear wheel of that bike. He was really fast on it. Will always remember him on the Mercian ending up in a rotating paceline with a bunch of Fort Bend hammerheads. Looks like you’ve retired it from those harrowing weekend warrior rides and in very nice fashion.

Kilroy1988 

Mercians are among my favorite bicycles to admire, but I still haven't owned or ridden one. I just had to bump this because I've been staring at the thread on and off lately, and wanted to say that @kc0yef and @Hoss Cartright have each shared what I consider to be among the most beautifully proportioned, detailed, and equipped bicycles I've ever seen. Two Raleigh Super Course builds that I have planned for next winter will be heavily influenced by these bicycles. Thanks very much for sharing!

@Steve Bauserman Do you have more photos of your Vincitore? Also, that's a very lovely Morgan that you have! 'Tis another of my favorite mechanical things... Mid-'60s?

-Gregory

1simplexnut

Needs a few tweaks but rides nice

Steve Bauserman 

Gregory,

Here is a photo of the Vincitore taken during an early morning ride before the change to a Nuovo Record triple crankset for Eroica California:

1983 Mercian Vincitore

Since you mentioned the Morgan here is a photo of the Vincitore's four wheel stablemates:


cars

Kilroy1988 

The Vincitore looks great, but the car collection is superb! I'm a young guy and haven't had a chance to keep more than one around at a time, but I've had a '73 450SL and an '83 240D as daily drivers, and love both Mercedes and Morgans... Still looking forward to the day when I'll have one of the latter - it will be surely be something to hold onto!

Kilroy1988 

I'm surprised that I was the last one to post in this thread more than four years ago! At that time I was only dreaming about owning a Mercian so I guess it's about time I bump it up again! I've been out enjoying my recently refurbished '79 Campionissimo and last weekend I made a saddle bag to match. Cheers!

-Gregory

P!N20

Just jumping in here to say that someone who owns a Mercian NEEDS TO BUY THIS JERSEY! https://www.ebay.it/itm/234375352938...QAAOSwCGFh3~1b

El Chaba

How about a tandem…..from about 1980, but with some gearing/drivetrain updates…

thumpism 

Another tandem seen in an ad in FB Marketplace. Not mine.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace...94454119420357

amillhench

Got out for a maiden voyage on this fixed Mercian touring frame today. Beautiful riding weather down here in El Paso lately.

356geoff 

1988 Professional track model

amillhench

I love that blurple, 356geoff !

What kind of tire clearance does it have?

Best,

Aaron

Kobe 

1980 Mercian, I believe it's an Olympic but does not match anything in the catalog exactly.

beicster 

My 55th birthday was last month. I was looking at the Mercian Cycles website and pondering the purchase of a King of Mercia for my 60th birthday. As I was building it in my head, I decided to check ebay to see what used Mercians were going for. The first one in the search was a 1991 25" green KOM frame with cantilever braze-ons. This was exactly what I was looking for at about 1/10th of the price and five years early. I had to buy it. It arrived yesterday and it is sitting in my stand getting a cleaning. These pictures are the ebay ones. I will post new pictures when I get it cleaned up. The green looks great in the sun.

Kobe 

Happy birthday to you Andy. The King of Mercia is a great present to yourself, and looks to be in great shape. I love that Mercian makes a lot of their frames in larger sizes.

Kilroy1988 

That's just because they have a good following in the United States for decades. A lot of Schwinn Paramounts and other custom frames built for US customers are also large. In the UK it is rarer to see large Mercian frames for sale (by percentage) because the average height of the buyers in decades past was a bit shorter over the pond.

The particular frame Andy got was located in the UK, as was one of mine, but if you go on eBay UK right now you can see that out of a couple of dozen Mercians for sale the average size is probably 22". Among those that appear for sale in the US I'd say there are far more 24-25" frames.

-Gregory

beicster 

This is the original build sheet. It may as well have been built for me. This is exactly what I was looking for. A touring bike with sport touring geometry. I know it has clearance for 700X35's with fenders which is great. If I can get 38's in there, it will be perfect. Also, it was delivered in Mid June 91, so I think of it as my 23rd birthday present that got delayed by 32 years.

Chuckk

Can't believe that I haven't posted to this thread!
I got it from the original owner at a garage sale, and converted it back from being hybridized.
It was mostly Shimano 600, but replacing parts with Dura-Ace as they present themselves.
1987 Mercian Olympic

beicster 

I just hit my first snag. I expected the seat post to be 27.2 but it is not. 531 Super Tourist is thicker. The 26.4 post on my straight gauge Super Course is too small. That leaves 26,6, 26.8 or 27.0. I’ll test it tomorrow with a few posts I have around.

schwinnderella

Estate sale find, I think likely bought as a frameset and built as wanted in the late 70's.

Pcampeau

Beautiful blue! Is this an Olympic model?

schwinnderella

Not sure of the model but it is one of the lower end models and may be an Olympic. I am not a big fan of blue but like this Royal Blue?

Chuckk

Nice touch!