Mercian Photo Thread
03-09-12, 12:16 PM
#26
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Yes, that is the way I received it and I like it. The gentleman I got it from was a retired bike shop owner and siad he tried to talk his customers in to being set up this way. The theory is with single pull brakes you need your dominant hand on the brake that does most of the stopping, the front.
03-09-12, 01:21 PM
#27
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What about the shift levers? Does the right hand shift the front derailleur?
03-09-12, 04:51 PM
#28
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No the shifters are normal. The rear gets more action than the front so it makes more sense to stay on the right.
03-09-12, 10:11 PM
#29
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I keep returning to Mercian's "Build-a-frame" page and playing with the online toys. Lately I've "built" a A Vincitoire in orange enamel with cream head- and down-tube panels with violet lug-lining. I'm only about 900 GBP short of affording one, too!
03-10-12, 08:16 AM
#31
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04-30-12, 03:01 PM
#32
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I just stumbled across this thread - and had to add my new acquisition, which comes with a Facilitation Story (some of you might have seen the thread):
More pics to come when I get the bike reassembled (currently doing some service).
NOTE: stem/bar/levers combo in above pic is not mine, but a loaner from Drillium Dude (explanation in the above linked thread).
Original Cinelli 1A and matching bar are on their way back to me, and I think the Dia Compe Aero levers with ill-fitting hoods that were on there when I acquired the bike are going in the bin in favour of Shimano 600 EX non-aero levers (the slotted/drilled type) w/NOS hoods - black hoods, black tape, black cables (the properly matched Campy levers might come along later). And simple-looking classic skewers to replace those red anodized suckers.
Nice to see a thread for the Mercians. Great bikes, all!
More pics to come when I get the bike reassembled (currently doing some service).
NOTE: stem/bar/levers combo in above pic is not mine, but a loaner from Drillium Dude (explanation in the above linked thread).
Original Cinelli 1A and matching bar are on their way back to me, and I think the Dia Compe Aero levers with ill-fitting hoods that were on there when I acquired the bike are going in the bin in favour of Shimano 600 EX non-aero levers (the slotted/drilled type) w/NOS hoods - black hoods, black tape, black cables (the properly matched Campy levers might come along later). And simple-looking classic skewers to replace those red anodized suckers.
Nice to see a thread for the Mercians. Great bikes, all!
04-30-12, 03:45 PM
#33
my name is Jim
a '72 Mercian Professional. I'll have more pics of this when it is complete.
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70 Pogliaghi ItalCorse, 72 De Rosa, 72 Masi Gran Criterium, 75 Masi Gran Criterium, 77 Melton, 79 Bianchi Super Leggera, 79 Gios Super Record, 81 Picchio Special, 82 Guerciotti Super Record, 82 Colnago Profil CX, 83 Colnago Superissimo, 84 Fuso
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ebay: cicloclassico
70 Pogliaghi ItalCorse, 72 De Rosa, 72 Masi Gran Criterium, 75 Masi Gran Criterium, 77 Melton, 79 Bianchi Super Leggera, 79 Gios Super Record, 81 Picchio Special, 82 Guerciotti Super Record, 82 Colnago Profil CX, 83 Colnago Superissimo, 84 Fuso
Last edited by BlueDevil63; 09-27-12 at 04:32 PM. Reason: completed!
04-30-12, 04:57 PM
#34
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09-27-12, 01:50 PM
#36
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The majority of the Mercian that I have seen built go totally old school. I wanted to do something slightly different when I built this about 5 or six years ago. I want to change outs some stuff, chiefly the cheapo Specialized seat.
King of Mercia- Ultegra Components, Durace Headset, Ritchey Stem (which I badly want to replace Velocity AeroHead Rims, Shimano STX Cantilever brakes.
10-25-12, 10:06 AM
#38
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I bought this 531c Pro frame new in 1988 while passing through Colorado Springs. Here it is stripped for a rebuild in 2007, I'll get some updated shots of it's current state:
I visited it's birthplace a year or two later...
I visited it's birthplace a year or two later...
10-25-12, 11:39 AM
#39
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Rode my 1973 Pro to work today. Took a few pics later in the morning.
I'm the original owner. It's a very special bike for me--lots of fond memories, rides, and friends (some who've passed) associated with it.
I'm the original owner. It's a very special bike for me--lots of fond memories, rides, and friends (some who've passed) associated with it.
Last edited by Mercian Rider; 10-25-12 at 11:59 AM.
10-25-12, 12:39 PM
#40
Senior Member
That's a beautiful pro. I love the purple chainring bolts, too.
My 1985 KoM:
My 1985 KoM:
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1959 Hilton Wrigley Connoisseur (my favorite!)
1963 Hetchins Mountain King
1971 Gitane Tour de France (original owner)
* 1971 Gitane Super Corsa (crashed)
* rebuilt as upright cruiser
1971 Gitane Super Corsa #2 (sweet replacement)
1980 Ritchey Road Touring (The Grail Bike)
1982 Tom Ritchey Everest
(replacing stolen 1981 TR Everest custom)
1982 Tom Ritchey McKinley (touring pickup truck)
1985 ALAN Record (Glued & Screwed. A gift.)
1959 Hilton Wrigley Connoisseur (my favorite!)
1963 Hetchins Mountain King
1971 Gitane Tour de France (original owner)
* 1971 Gitane Super Corsa (crashed)
* rebuilt as upright cruiser
1971 Gitane Super Corsa #2 (sweet replacement)
1980 Ritchey Road Touring (The Grail Bike)
1982 Tom Ritchey Everest
(replacing stolen 1981 TR Everest custom)
1982 Tom Ritchey McKinley (touring pickup truck)
1985 ALAN Record (Glued & Screwed. A gift.)
10-28-12, 01:52 PM
#43
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Some better pics after swapping out the Brooks for a concor.
10-28-13, 05:31 PM
#45
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In 1972 there was this high-end bike shop in downtown Lafayette Indiana. (The Wright Bicycle Company) A guy named Wright was the money man and the guru mechanic was a guy named Ross Duckworth,
In 1972, my friend Pierce and I were 15-years-old, really into road bikes. (He had a Schwinn Sports Tourer and I had my Motobecane Grand Record) We were frequent visitors to this shop. The usual place a kid goes to dream and ogle the cool bikes. Hanging on the wall was a new MERCIAN frame-set that happened to be Pierce's size. You can imagine that we spent a great deal of time looking at this. And it was crazy expensive. (I think it was about $350.00 if I remember correctly)
Anyhoo, one day in the fall it was gone and Pierce was really bummed as he had been trying to raise the cash to get this frame and do a build.
On Christmas morning 1972, Pierce found the MERCIAN sitting in the living room! His Dad had bought the frame and had them build it in Campagnolo stuff.
It is Reynolds 531 DB tubing, exquisite scrolled lug work, Campagnolo Nuevo Record group with 3TTT stem and bars, IDEAL saddle, even Campy bar-cons. (It was originally equipped with tubular tires, but later, Pierce had the wheels re-laced for clinchers with Mavic rims.) But Pierce continued to ride the Sports Tourer most of the time and we did a bunch of touring. As the MERCIAN had sew-ups and was real prone to flats, and was such a work of art, it spent it's time in his bedroom as wall art. (later I had a chrome 1973 P-15 Paramount that also spent most of it's time hanging as an art object.)
I can remember some times we had, probably the summer of 1973, he on the MERCIAN and I on the PARAMOUNT. In fact, I took a very cool photo of Pierce holding the MERCIAN upside-down above his head on the front lawn of some mansion we were riding by at that time. It is a color slide, and I've not been able to locate it for a number of years, but now I am going to be on a mission to find that photo!
Anyoo, fast forward to a couple of months ago and I am talking to Pierce on the phone, he says:
"Jimmy, why don't you buy the MERCIAN from me. It's been hanging around my houses for 40 years and I haven't ridden it more than 100 miles since it was new. It is a cherished possession but there is only one person in the world who I can imagine appreciating it as much as I do. You know it's whole story, you were with me every step of the way when I was dreaming of getting it, I'd like you to have it if you want it. This is not about money, this is a hand off. You have the collection, you deserve to be it's custodian from now on. But there is one condition. I'm not offering it to you so you can flip it and make a profit."
WOW! So, we met this past Saturday, - October the 19th 2013 - in Lafayette and I took possession with the agreement that it was not to be flipped, traded, or parted out. And that when he wants to come over to my place and touchy-feely it, it will always be there. - If you didn't live this, maybe you don't know what a solemn moment this was, but this is for me, an unbelievable moment in a life-long friendship.
So, anyhoo... It is very "tight" with dried-out grease - It has been in heated storage all these years, but everything will need to be torn down, cleaned, and greased. - This is my winter project. - The paint and all components are pretty much new. The paint is lacquer and has some fine cracking, but the patina is exquisite! There are no scratches or dents in the frame! My frame size is 24" This is a 25" but I can ride it!
In 1972, my friend Pierce and I were 15-years-old, really into road bikes. (He had a Schwinn Sports Tourer and I had my Motobecane Grand Record) We were frequent visitors to this shop. The usual place a kid goes to dream and ogle the cool bikes. Hanging on the wall was a new MERCIAN frame-set that happened to be Pierce's size. You can imagine that we spent a great deal of time looking at this. And it was crazy expensive. (I think it was about $350.00 if I remember correctly)
Anyhoo, one day in the fall it was gone and Pierce was really bummed as he had been trying to raise the cash to get this frame and do a build.
On Christmas morning 1972, Pierce found the MERCIAN sitting in the living room! His Dad had bought the frame and had them build it in Campagnolo stuff.
It is Reynolds 531 DB tubing, exquisite scrolled lug work, Campagnolo Nuevo Record group with 3TTT stem and bars, IDEAL saddle, even Campy bar-cons. (It was originally equipped with tubular tires, but later, Pierce had the wheels re-laced for clinchers with Mavic rims.) But Pierce continued to ride the Sports Tourer most of the time and we did a bunch of touring. As the MERCIAN had sew-ups and was real prone to flats, and was such a work of art, it spent it's time in his bedroom as wall art. (later I had a chrome 1973 P-15 Paramount that also spent most of it's time hanging as an art object.)
I can remember some times we had, probably the summer of 1973, he on the MERCIAN and I on the PARAMOUNT. In fact, I took a very cool photo of Pierce holding the MERCIAN upside-down above his head on the front lawn of some mansion we were riding by at that time. It is a color slide, and I've not been able to locate it for a number of years, but now I am going to be on a mission to find that photo!
Anyoo, fast forward to a couple of months ago and I am talking to Pierce on the phone, he says:
"Jimmy, why don't you buy the MERCIAN from me. It's been hanging around my houses for 40 years and I haven't ridden it more than 100 miles since it was new. It is a cherished possession but there is only one person in the world who I can imagine appreciating it as much as I do. You know it's whole story, you were with me every step of the way when I was dreaming of getting it, I'd like you to have it if you want it. This is not about money, this is a hand off. You have the collection, you deserve to be it's custodian from now on. But there is one condition. I'm not offering it to you so you can flip it and make a profit."
WOW! So, we met this past Saturday, - October the 19th 2013 - in Lafayette and I took possession with the agreement that it was not to be flipped, traded, or parted out. And that when he wants to come over to my place and touchy-feely it, it will always be there. - If you didn't live this, maybe you don't know what a solemn moment this was, but this is for me, an unbelievable moment in a life-long friendship.
So, anyhoo... It is very "tight" with dried-out grease - It has been in heated storage all these years, but everything will need to be torn down, cleaned, and greased. - This is my winter project. - The paint and all components are pretty much new. The paint is lacquer and has some fine cracking, but the patina is exquisite! There are no scratches or dents in the frame! My frame size is 24" This is a 25" but I can ride it!
Last edited by Hoss Cartright; 11-03-13 at 06:41 PM. Reason: better photos
10-28-13, 07:06 PM
#46
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Great story and a wonderful looking Mercian.
08-06-15, 11:01 PM
#48
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Thread resurrection with a 1970 Superlight
[IMG]
Mercian Superlight Original 8-6 by Matt.zilliox, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]
Mercian logo by Matt.zilliox, on Flickr[/IMG]
[IMG]
Mercian Superlight Original 8-6 by Matt.zilliox, on Flickr[/IMG][IMG]
Mercian logo by Matt.zilliox, on Flickr[/IMG]
Likes For MZilliox:
08-07-15, 12:05 AM
#49
verktyg
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@MZilliox I really like that Legnano chartreuse and white color combination. 
An orange and light blue Vincitore was on my bucket list for many years. I found this mint mid 70's Mercian Olympic frame on eBay. It's so nice that I've scratched the Vincetore off of my list?
I'm going to build it up with almost NOS 1st generation Shimano DuraAce brakes and derailleurs with a 1st generation Stronglight 99 crankset.
verktyg
Chas.
An orange and light blue Vincitore was on my bucket list for many years. I found this mint mid 70's Mercian Olympic frame on eBay. It's so nice that I've scratched the Vincetore off of my list?
I'm going to build it up with almost NOS 1st generation Shimano DuraAce brakes and derailleurs with a 1st generation Stronglight 99 crankset.
verktyg
Chas.
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Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....
Chas. ;-)
Don't believe everything you think! History is written by those who weren't there....
Chas. ;-)
10-28-15, 07:13 PM
#50
Senior Member
This is a custom 2005 Mercian Vincitore fixed-road frameset, built for a fella a bit taller than me: 64cm c-c, with an extended head tube. Built with Reynolds 531ST, though there's no sticker. Fits fairly wide tires, 32s in the pix, will try 35s soon. Changed to a Dura Ace -17deg stem after I shot the photos, so the stem looks a little less slammed now. French fit on a British bike. Sports my usual component mish-mash, with 'cross levers. The long-/std-reach last-gen Spb Pro calipers aren't often seen, I've been holding on to this set since '84. She rides very nicely.
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