Aintright

Hi all. I've just joined and have a Mercian frame I need some help with. It belonged to my Dad who died a year ago. He was a pretty good amateur racer in his day judging by the trophies and medals and did road races and time trials. He rode it in the 1950s for the County Wheelers Club in Wallsend, Newcastle. I've not been able to find out much about the frame. See photos. It has a serial number 108520 - I think. I'm thinking of restoring it. I know it had Campagnola wheels and I have a Brookes saddle but I've no idea what brakes, pedals, etc. it would have had. I recall he used it fixed-wheel sometimes and I don't have any gears, cranks or chain set. I have more photos if required. There is some corrosion on the top tube (maybe from leaning it against walls) but I'm not sure whether to leave it or grind it off. This is made more problematic because he has painted his name on it and I'd like to keep that. Any information/help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. An idea of its value would be appreciated too. Thanks in advance.

Pcampeau

Message seems to be written in invisible ink.

There are gentle ways to remove rust without grinding it off, don’t do that. When you can post pics we’ll be able to assist you in the best way forward. A 1950s Mercian sounds fantastic! It’s usually best to keep the original finish if possible. I’m looking forward to seeing it. As to a proper build it’s going to matter what type of geometry and the kind of riding you’d like to do. Do you know if the frame is your size? Or at least a size you can ride? If not it still may be worth putting back together for sentimental reasons. Mercian bikes should always be treated as something special.

Aintright

Thank you. Yes, sorry, not sure what happened to my text. I'm nearly 60 so I doubt I'll be riding it myself but I do want to get it back into decent order and then hang it on a wall or give it to my son. I measured the down tube to be 24". My dad was 5ft 10". I'm 6ft 2".

Pcampeau

Since Mercian is a builder of custom frames and not complete bikes ( the customer chooses the build they want) you’ll get to choose what you like without having to worry exact originality. It might be fun to go with a period correct setup or just find newer components that look the part. Complete 1950s builds require patience. The proper parts exist but can be tough to find.

Aintright

Thank you. I would like to end up with it being period. I have a Brookes B17 saddle and a set of period handlebars (currently still in the loft attached to an old Dawes frame) and I think I'll be setting it up as a fixed wheel. That's the way I remember it. I was always given a box of bits rather than a new bike, but I was never allowed to have this frame. Quite looking forward to getting it back into life.

juvela

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dedhed

Much better

Pcampeau

Wow, that frame is an absolute stunner!

Aintright

Thanks!

juvela

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bits -

lug pattern: NERVEX 86bis/158

fork crown: Vagner N. 11+, modified

dropouts: Simplex Competition Nr. 934/935



chainstay stop: NERVEX Ref. 872ter (dual)

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combination of Simplex dropouts and dual chainstay stop suggests frame built for use with Simplex Nr. 543 rear gear mech

cycle may have been run as single plateau drive train or as dual
if you have chainset employed when together as a complete cycle this should tell you

for dual plateau the original front mech would have likely been the Simplex Competition manual ("suicide")







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Aintright

Thank you for all that info. Very useful.

TenGrainBread 

Would be a shame to not run a rear derailleur given the beautiful Simplex dropout with integral hanger. But I'm sure will come out well either way.

rustystrings61 

First, very lovingly clean and protect the original finish! That is a stunner, and the head tube decal is the earliest pattern they used. I think it went away in the early '50s.

The serial number stumps me. Going by what I can see at the Mercian Registry on Flickr, Mercian started in 1946. Sn 444 is considered to be from 1946 or '47, and sn 1111 is believed to be from 1947. Beginning in 1948, the serial numbers included a date code, i.e., 61448 is the 614th frame of 1948. Going by the sample in the registry, though, they went back and forth between the first and the last two digits as the year indicators. From perusing the ones in the registry -

Last two digits indicate the year - 1948, '49, '50, '53, '54, 55, '57, '60, '62, '64, '66 and '69.

First two digits indicate the year - 1949, '56, '58, '59, '61, '63, '65, '67 and '68.

There are no examples presented from 1952. There is one 1951 with last two digits, one 1951 with first two digits.


It's an interesting bike, for sure. The top tube cable stop on the forward end is unusual - more like a Carlton/Raleigh unit than the usual single stop unit on Mercians of the era. The decal on the head tube is an early pattern, but the lugs and seat stay top treatment are similar to those on no. 6457.

Big Block

some frame number dating systems used are written about at https://www.classiclightweights.co.u...ercian-cycles/
Have you tried getting the likely build date of the frame from https://www.flickr.com/people/mercianregister/
The frame number doesn't appear to easily conform to those listed, but there was some variations. If you deleted the last number [0] it could be read as 52

USAZorro

Setting it up as a fixed gear certainly makes the task of acquiring appropriate components much less difficult. I would try to do the minimal amount to this frame if the task were mine. Arresting the rust on the headset cups and perhaps a soak in evaporust or similar. Perhaps gently apply a cleaner to the frame itself. Removing the tape from the seat stays could be a roll of the dice, and I'd be torn between leaving them be (and perhaps not arresting corrosion that may be going on underneath them) and taking them off (and risking exposing an area that might be stripped of paint entirely).

There's a Raleigh restoration group on Facebook, and the majority of the members are in the UK, and some have quite a great deal of experience with the various restoration methods - ranging from wiping with an oily rag and Autosol all the way to a complete respray. I can assure you that they would be quite pleased to hear from you and provide helpful suggestions.

Kilroy1988 

That's a lovely frame. There's also a "Mercian Cycles Appreciation Society" on Facebook where a lot of collectors in the UK regularly contribute. Cheers!

-Gregory

Classtime 

I’m stuck on the, “I’m nearly 60 so I doubt I’ll be riding it.” You finally get to ride it so ride it.

now that is out of my system, beautiful bike you have there. Some extra fine craftsmanship all around. It would be neat to see up close the bikes that your Dad’s buddies raced on. Modern cookie cutter race frames are so depressing.

Prowler 

Ok then. I’m stuck there too. I’m nearly 72 and I’d ride that every week along with my other bikes. The young nurse said “Gee, you’re in pretty good shape for someone your age.” That brought a smile.

Just start then be consistent.

juvela

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headset appears to be a Brampton item

it may be one of the models with floating u-race design which employs 1/8" ball

when you are ready to repack it is wise to invert the frame and have a bowl or pan beneath the headset to catch all the small bits as they come tumbling out

here is an image of one example which looks like yours -



thought would be able to give the individual parts #'s from a Brampton catalogue here as a pdf

alas, it seems to have left me HD

have had a problem in recent months of files disappearing, much like the ones which were erstwhile in that which passeth for me "braine" - wonder if there be termites in me HD...

Brampton was part of an entity termed Brampton-Renold



Renold going great guns today as a maker of nuts 'n bolts machinery

https://www.renold.com/

when Brampton operated from Birmingham they were known as Brampton Bros.

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PhilFo 

How about taking it to Mercian and showing it off?

Bad Lag

Just my opinions -

If you aren't going to ride it, wash it, wax it and hang it up, as-is. Do not "grind" anything down or repaint or anything else.

Being 60 is no excuse for not riding it. Start slowly, enjoy yourself. Your health and fitness will improve.

As I said, these are my recommendations for you.

rustystrings61 

Should you decide to go the single-speed/fixed-gear route - pardon me, fixed-WHEEL on your side of the pond - the authors of British cycling manuals in the interwar and immediate postwar years used to recommend around a 65-in gear for gentlemen, and a 60-in gear for ladies. The traditional British racing world of time trialing had a category known as "medium gear," with a maximum gear of 72-inches. A good explanation of all of this, the Fixed Wheel site has other choice bits of "the knowledge."

The biggest single challenge I see to running this bike as a derailleur bike is the proprietary Simplex derailleur hanger, which fits nothing else to my knowledge. Someone with more experience, please chime in - will the later alloy-bodied Simplex units work, or is there a quest in the making for a vintage 543 or Tour de France chainpull unit in the works?

Should you decide to remove the tape from the seat stays, if that is paper or fabric, perhaps gently soaking it with an adhesive remover before attempting to remove it? I would think Mercian has been using similar baked enamel finishes since they started - perhaps isopropyl alchohol, or even cooking oil allowed to soak for an hour would relax the adhesive and allow it to come off without harming the original finish?

Kilroy1988 

rustystrings61 Later Simplex derailleurs such as the Prestige or Super LJ should work just fine unless if I'm mistaken about the bolt size - there should be 9mm unthreaded hole there that the later models can swivel around and stop on just the same as with later Simplex dropouts.

Px-10 _ Simplex dropout | Unthreaded derailleur hanger bored… | Flickr

By the way, Aintright has joined the Mercian Cycles Appreciation Society on Facebook and already posted progress photos from a very careful and thorough cleaning job that the frame is undergoing. The tape is removed from the seat stays, the dropouts are polished up and the gunk around the bottom bracket is all wiped away. It's good to see and I hope they come back to share more progress here as well!

-Gregory

juvela

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what is the function of the bracket visible on the backside of the seat tube in image #3 above? perhaps a gonfleur mount?

looks like a possible mount point for the Pennine -



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Aintright

Thank you for all the comments. I couldn't reply as I reached my post limit. Thanks Kilroy1988 for updating the thread. I have been in touch with Mercian but they replied saying they don't have any reords of early frames so the frame number mystery remains. I have a feeling it's 1952 as that would tie in with my dad's age and when he was cycling. I have photos to go through so may learn more from those. Have just cleaned the bottom bracket faces and it's a Bayliss. The axle grinds a bit but I think it'll be restorable.