Merz MFG. photos by James Mason 1977
05-13-23, 11:02 AM
#1
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Big Sur California
Posts: 217
Bikes: 1946 Holdsworth Cyclone, 1969 Cinelli SC, 1972 Raleigh Pro, 1973 Merz road bike, 1974 Alex Singer Sportif, 1974 Merz track bike, 1975 Teledyne Titan, 1976 Ritchey road bike, 1977 DiNucci built Merz track bike, 1977 (?) Exxon Graftek, many more!
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 138 Post(s)
Liked 1,431 Times
in
174 Posts
Merz MFG. photos by James Mason 1977
https://goo.gl/photos/1LZfa6acYue3cmsx6
James Mason took these great shots of my shop, 2115 NW Everett St. in Portland Oregon. Not positive on the year, but I think 1977. Mark DiNucci was working for me then, also Katie Larsel was my manager. Last photo (AX equipped bike makes this photo 1981 at least) shows Mark, Bruce Gordon and me going for a ride after work. Fun times! Jim Merz
James Mason took these great shots of my shop, 2115 NW Everett St. in Portland Oregon. Not positive on the year, but I think 1977. Mark DiNucci was working for me then, also Katie Larsel was my manager. Last photo (AX equipped bike makes this photo 1981 at least) shows Mark, Bruce Gordon and me going for a ride after work. Fun times! Jim Merz
Last edited by Portlandjim; 05-13-23 at 11:08 AM.
Likes For Portlandjim:
AdventureManCO, bikemig, brian3069, cheffyjay, cudak888, cycleheimer, cyclic_eric, Dfrost, droppedandlost, Ex Pres, FrejusFlyer, georges1, gugie, Hummer, icemilkcoffee, jamesdak, JulesCW, madpogue, merziac, mhespenheide, non-fixie, panzerwagon, philpeugeot, Roger M, SoCaled, Soody, steelbikeguy, The Golden Boy, zookster
05-13-23, 11:17 AM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 1,234
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 174 Post(s)
Liked 243 Times
in
114 Posts
There is something special about the grain of film. Nice scanning, too.
__________________
The Simplicity of Vintage Cycles
The Simplicity of Vintage Cycles
05-13-23, 11:22 AM
#3
Phyllo-buster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Nova Scotia
Posts: 8,846
Bikes: roadsters, club bikes, fixed and classic
Mentioned: 133 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2297 Post(s)
Liked 2,054 Times
in
1,254 Posts
doo doo doo doodle ooo doo...
Nice, vice, baby...
Nice, vice, baby...
Likes For clubman:
05-13-23, 11:26 AM
#5
Senior Member
05-13-23, 11:34 AM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2013
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 1,989
Bikes: ‘87 Marinoni SLX Sports Tourer, ‘79 Miyata 912 by Gugificazione
Mentioned: 166 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 500 Post(s)
Liked 466 Times
in
256 Posts
Great photos that really illuminate the craftsmanship that went into your frame builds! Thanks for sharing. Your contributions to this forum are always worth perusing.
05-13-23, 11:36 AM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Corvallis, OR
Posts: 1,234
Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 174 Post(s)
Liked 243 Times
in
114 Posts
Sorry. I had to say it. My apologies for the derail.
__________________
The Simplicity of Vintage Cycles
The Simplicity of Vintage Cycles
Last edited by The Thin Man; 05-13-23 at 01:31 PM.
Likes For The Thin Man:
05-13-23, 11:52 AM
#8
ambulatory senior
Join Date: Dec 2016
Location: Peoria Il
Posts: 5,998
Bikes: Austro Daimler modified by Gugie! Raleigh Professional and lots of other bikes.
Mentioned: 76 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1955 Post(s)
Liked 3,661 Times
in
1,679 Posts
Excellent pics!
05-13-23, 01:00 PM
#9
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Big Sur California
Posts: 217
Bikes: 1946 Holdsworth Cyclone, 1969 Cinelli SC, 1972 Raleigh Pro, 1973 Merz road bike, 1974 Alex Singer Sportif, 1974 Merz track bike, 1975 Teledyne Titan, 1976 Ritchey road bike, 1977 DiNucci built Merz track bike, 1977 (?) Exxon Graftek, many more!
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 138 Post(s)
Liked 1,431 Times
in
174 Posts
James Mason took a bunch of bicycle racing photos in Portland Oregon. Check out his Galleries here: https://pbase.com/zidar/root&page=3
He had a bike shop in San Francisco after he left Portland, in the Marina District.
He had a bike shop in San Francisco after he left Portland, in the Marina District.
Likes For Portlandjim:
05-13-23, 02:58 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Central Virginia
Posts: 4,777
Bikes: Numerous
Mentioned: 150 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1676 Post(s)
Liked 3,089 Times
in
911 Posts
Nice pics, I like the compositions. You can tell they’re old because there is a full Campy tool kit and it’s not the center of the photo.
__________________
N = '96 Colnago C40, '04 Wilier Alpe D'Huez, '10 Colnago EPS, '85 Merckx Pro, '89 Merckx Century, '86 Tommasini Professional, '04 Teschner Aero FX Pro, '05 Alan Carbon Cross, '86 De Rosa Professional, '82 Colnago Super, '95 Gios Compact Pro, '95 Carrera Zeus, '84 Basso Gap, ‘89 Cinelli Supercorsa, ‘83 Bianchi Specialissima, ‘VO Randonneur, Ritchey Breakaway Steel, '84 Paletti Super Prestige, Heron Randonneur
N = '96 Colnago C40, '04 Wilier Alpe D'Huez, '10 Colnago EPS, '85 Merckx Pro, '89 Merckx Century, '86 Tommasini Professional, '04 Teschner Aero FX Pro, '05 Alan Carbon Cross, '86 De Rosa Professional, '82 Colnago Super, '95 Gios Compact Pro, '95 Carrera Zeus, '84 Basso Gap, ‘89 Cinelli Supercorsa, ‘83 Bianchi Specialissima, ‘VO Randonneur, Ritchey Breakaway Steel, '84 Paletti Super Prestige, Heron Randonneur
05-13-23, 04:07 PM
#11
Steel is real
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Not far from Paris
Posts: 1,941
Bikes: 1992Giant Tourer,1992MeridaAlbon,1996Scapin,1998KonaKilaueua,1993Peugeot Prestige,1991RaleighTeamZ(to be upgraded),1998 Jamis Dragon,1992CTWallis(to be built),1998VettaTeam(to be built),1995Coppi(to be built),1993Grandis(to be built)
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 667 Post(s)
Liked 967 Times
in
641 Posts
Thanks for sharing 
Nice to see that you had a bike with Dura Ace Ax
Nice to see that you had a bike with Dura Ace Ax
05-13-23, 04:10 PM
#12
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Big Sur California
Posts: 217
Bikes: 1946 Holdsworth Cyclone, 1969 Cinelli SC, 1972 Raleigh Pro, 1973 Merz road bike, 1974 Alex Singer Sportif, 1974 Merz track bike, 1975 Teledyne Titan, 1976 Ritchey road bike, 1977 DiNucci built Merz track bike, 1977 (?) Exxon Graftek, many more!
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 138 Post(s)
Liked 1,431 Times
in
174 Posts
Likes For Portlandjim:
05-14-23, 02:27 PM
#13
aged to perfection
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: PacNW
Posts: 1,810
Bikes: Dinucci Allez 2.0, Richard Sachs, Alex Singer, Serotta, Masi GC, Raleigh Pro Mk.1, Hetchins, etc
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 835 Post(s)
Liked 1,252 Times
in
661 Posts
I really enjoyed these pics. Thanks Jim for sharing them !
/markp
/markp
05-15-23, 11:28 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Southern California
Posts: 1,466
Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 799 Post(s)
Liked 750 Times
in
409 Posts
Likes For Piff:
05-15-23, 12:36 PM
#15
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Madison, WI USA
Posts: 6,153
Mentioned: 50 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2363 Post(s)
Liked 1,749 Times
in
1,191 Posts
Yeah, for those indoor shots, the fastest you could get BITD was Tri-X at 400. Of course, ASA 400 was considered "fast" back then, and Tri-X definitely did have some grain. Nikon has downloadable picture controls that allow you to emulate specific film types; I know they have Kodachrome, Ektachrome and TMax, not sure if they've written one for Tri-X or Pan-X.
05-15-23, 07:19 PM
#16
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Big Sur California
Posts: 217
Bikes: 1946 Holdsworth Cyclone, 1969 Cinelli SC, 1972 Raleigh Pro, 1973 Merz road bike, 1974 Alex Singer Sportif, 1974 Merz track bike, 1975 Teledyne Titan, 1976 Ritchey road bike, 1977 DiNucci built Merz track bike, 1977 (?) Exxon Graftek, many more!
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 138 Post(s)
Liked 1,431 Times
in
174 Posts
I was one of the very few Shimano Dura Ace frame builders fans in the USA, That turned out nicely, when I worked for Specialized Bicycle. I gave Shimano input on the 7400 group, they seem to have followed it! Jim
05-15-23, 09:30 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 12,902
Bikes: (2) ti TiCycles, 2007 w/ triple and 2011 fixed, 1979 Peter Mooney, ~1983 Trek 420 now fixed and ~1973 Raleigh Carlton Competition gravel grinder
Mentioned: 129 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4802 Post(s)
Liked 3,922 Times
in
2,551 Posts
I don't think we've met yet but I've been hearing about you, seeing your bikes and occasionally riding with Merz inclined forumites. I believe you were building out here when I was racing back east. (Club mate Peter Mooney riding his frames at NEBC races before Belmont Wheelworks started. And my little claim to fame - I was the guy who put Bell helmets on Boston heads after my Lambert fork failure.)
Ben Jeffries
05-16-23, 06:58 AM
#18
Full Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2023
Location: Big Sur California
Posts: 217
Bikes: 1946 Holdsworth Cyclone, 1969 Cinelli SC, 1972 Raleigh Pro, 1973 Merz road bike, 1974 Alex Singer Sportif, 1974 Merz track bike, 1975 Teledyne Titan, 1976 Ritchey road bike, 1977 DiNucci built Merz track bike, 1977 (?) Exxon Graftek, many more!
Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 138 Post(s)
Liked 1,431 Times
in
174 Posts
Shimano Dura Ace EX and AX both required non-compatible braze on bosses. Even the screw thread is different than any other brand's levers. I made the mount for the AX bike you're referring to. Shimano did supply a top mounted AX shift lever, suitable for aero shaped down tube or round. Velobase shows the aero version: https://velobase.com/ViewComponent.a...ba7e7&Enum=104
Jim Merz
Jim Merz
05-16-23, 08:25 AM
#19
aka: Dr. Cannondale
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 7,729
Mentioned: 234 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2152 Post(s)
Liked 3,402 Times
in
1,203 Posts
Jim, I see the D-A top mounted shifters on your bike. I didn't see any top-mounteds until ~'85 but wanted them from the moment I saw my first. I wanted them in 1977 when I was banging the Power Ratchet on my Fuji Pro into the 13t climbing any wall to be had. I've been running SunTour, both clamp-on Symmetric and braze-on (well ti weld) Superbe on my custom. So question - are the Shimano braze-ons compatible with SunTour? Could I use Shimanos on either my custom or on the SunTour DT strap?
I don't think we've met yet but I've been hearing about you, seeing your bikes and occasionally riding with Merz inclined forumites. I believe you were building out here when I was racing back east. (Club mate Peter Mooney riding his frames at NEBC races before Belmont Wheelworks started. And my little claim to fame - I was the guy who put Bell helmets on Boston heads after my Lambert fork failure.)
Ben Jeffries
I don't think we've met yet but I've been hearing about you, seeing your bikes and occasionally riding with Merz inclined forumites. I believe you were building out here when I was racing back east. (Club mate Peter Mooney riding his frames at NEBC races before Belmont Wheelworks started. And my little claim to fame - I was the guy who put Bell helmets on Boston heads after my Lambert fork failure.)
Ben Jeffries
__________________
Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
Hard at work in the Secret Underground Laboratory...
05-16-23, 12:22 PM
#20
aged to perfection
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: PacNW
Posts: 1,810
Bikes: Dinucci Allez 2.0, Richard Sachs, Alex Singer, Serotta, Masi GC, Raleigh Pro Mk.1, Hetchins, etc
Mentioned: 24 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 835 Post(s)
Liked 1,252 Times
in
661 Posts
Here is a Browning "automatic" bike with shifting mechanism designed by Jim Merz.
this particular bike is owned by Mark Browning.
/markp
this particular bike is owned by Mark Browning.
/markp
Likes For mpetry912:
