tommyblair22

I'm going to try to snag this Thanks! I'll keep you updated

tommyblair22

Already sold, dang. Please keep your eyes out for me!

KonAaron Snake 

Sorry - I'll keep an eye open. They do appear on eBay with some regularity, and you have an easy to get size. One thing to be aware of is that many have a goofy proprietary bottom bracket - you can't just use any bb...phil wood makes one. You're better off making sure it comes with the bottom bracket. That's the main reason they go for less money than their riding value.

tommyblair22

Does this make picking a group difficult? Any major compatibility issues?

Chrome Molly

I see Litespeeds at that $1200 price point with some regularity. I believe they would be nice rides for that amount of money. Generally they are equipped with older ultegra or better groups, nothing too shabby. Good luck.

KonAaron Snake 

Yes and no - phil wood still makes them. It does limit you if you want a latest/greatest crank, but pretty much all systems and chains work fine with older cranks, or newer square taper. There are instructions out there, easy to find, on servicing the bearings. I just have my lbs do it.

kylarr

I rode a Merlin as my only road bike for eight years. It was amazing, they are super stable and responsive bikes. I have bombed hills at ~50 m.p.h and done 100 mile days, I never gave the bike a second thought. I would get another Tom Kellogg designed bike in a heartbeat. Especially one of those really hot Spectrum anniversary steel bikes.

The only reason I moved on is because eight years is a long time with the same bike for me and I wanted to check out vintage steel. I still have the frame and will probably never sell it, I might just want to ride it again someday.

Unfortunately I could not find any pictures of the bike built up. They must be on an old computer in my storage unit.

Here is the frame:

IMG_0700 by lelandgibson, on Flickr


I think it is from about 2000 or so because of the early campy carbon bits that were on it. I have seen other painted frames from the same era as well. They go pretty reasonably. The one thing I don't like about it is the integrated headset. Its just really hard to find parts for. you should watch for that as well as the BB.

Wildwood

Not to disagree with KA Snake, but there may be exceptions.

I have a Ti subcontracted frame from Merlin through Excel Sports in Boulder, CO. They were the USA West's largest distributor of Merlin in the 90's, and had a history of running private label frames from steel to Al to Ti models. My Macalu Cirrus is from a mixed tubeset of the early 2000s Extralight. I've never gotten a first hand story regarding the details of the Macalu line. Mine was from the years when the Merlin Mass team was transitioning production to Litespeed TN. Naturally, the seller of my frameset told the story of a frame from Mass. It has the curved seat&chainstay rear-end with thick chainstays. This model has a relatively short headtube for the 59cm size. It rides small and lightning fast with a light-weight wheelset.

I will update with pics when I can find them.

Wildwood

Here is the Macalu mentioned above. If anyone knows the detailed history of the Ti Macalu line in the early 2000s, please PM me.

This has been my go-to bike as the curved chainstays allow a triple, even with relatively short cs length. It took me across WA state a few years back. Stiff frame for its' time. There was another Macalu model that was more touring oriented and whippy in the larger sizes.


On the road = Olympic Peninsula in the summer daisy season.

Or across WA in Hwy 20

agchopz

saw a guy walking around the flee market with a vintage titanium merlin with dura ace, i asked him how much he paid, he said 90 dollars.

DVC45

I don't know why, but that makes me wanna cry.

KonAaron Snake 

This might be a good time to mention that people lie...especially about money.

RobbieTunes

By any chance, did it have "hooded" rear dropouts and a 7 o'clock rear brake cable routing, with braze-on DT bosses?

Italuminium

Maybe the guy let a 0 slip with is significant other within earshot

KonAaron Snake 

Wildwood

I added 3 photos a couple of days ago to my above post.
Rear dropouts are not hooded
Rear brake cable routing is via 2 braze-ons at about 7 o'clock (left side, lower portion of top tube)
No downtube bosses. Cable routing has head tube braze-ons.

Does that add to the understanding of this frame?

IIRC from my search years ago the 2002 Extralight had similar dropouts and HT cable routing braze-ons. The HT was appropriate for an integrated headset, while my Macalu has a traditional headtube for 1 1/8 headset. The bike also came with a Real Design fork, which was a Litespeed product (i think).

Here's a link to Velospace and a 2002 Extralight - with exception of headtube, mine 'looks' similar. Same fork, too.
https://velospace.org/node/31819
By th way, I've never said my bike is an exact copy of the Extralight, just similar in many ways.

agchopz

It was seriously all i could think about for at least a week, why didnt i get to the flee market an hour sooner!!!!! it haunted me in the shower

Narhay

I've had a mega tube Bianchi road bike and a Merlin Titanium mountain bike. I much preferred the Merlin and sold the Bianchi.

Both Craigslist steals.

FlatSix911

Any interest in building your bike with a new Ti frame?

Frameset 3AL/2.5V Butted Titanium Frameset $999
High Modulus Carbon Fiber fork with Carbon Steerer
Save Up to 60% Off Road Titanium framesets - Motobecane Le Champion Team Ti

KonAaron Snake 

^^^ That is exactly the kind of ti frame I would not go near. Ti isn't something to do on a budget (unless used), if it's out of budget (and it's out of mine) I think you're best off buying used, or going with a different material. Ti frames are, in my experience, more variable in ride quality and build quality than other materials. I have ridden some truly uninspiring ti frames and I don't think many really design well with the material. Tom Kellogg has the voodoo, Serotta had the voodoo. Folks I trust say Moots, Firefly, and Hollands have the voodoo, though I haven't ridden one. A lot of really good frame makers don't - my De Rosa Primato is a much better ride than the titanio.

I look at it this way - you're really buying the builder, and some like to work in ti. Don't buy something just because it's titanium, or SLX, or 531, etc. A good builder can make a good frame with nearly any material - and a bad frame can be made with any material too. Just because it's ti doesn't make it special.

A bikes direct ti frame? No thanks.

jr59

I'm pretty sure why these bikes ride so well is who designed them. Tom Kellogg is VERY well respected designer, fitter, and bike builder and painter. He is also pretty darn quick riding a bike as well. I sold my Merlin when I broke my back and it looked as if I would never ride again. I recovered and could not find the Merlin I wanted, so after looking at all the new Ti bikes being built. I called TK and had him build a Spectrum for me. VERY GLAD I DID!

5matt

I ride a 2002 Colnago CT1 (CarbonFiber rear triangle and fork/Titanium main); and it is the most comfortable riding bike I've ever owned-ridden up to 214 miles in a day on it. I don't know if the production was out-sourced, but I've never had any issues with the frame.

big_heineken

I have and Eddy Merckx titanium bike that was built by Litespeed. Here are a few pics of the bare frame. I will try to get some built up pics tonite.

link0

I agree, get a Merlin! It's my favorite bike.





I would also look into GT (this one is not mine):

FlatSix911

Funny thing, how is the OP going to build a custom Ti frame from Serotta, Moots, Firefly, or Hollands at the $1,200 price point ...