Vintage 1991 Merlin Titanium Mountain Bike Frame (20") w/ WTB Grease Guard Botto

Description

Vintage 1991-ish Merlin Titanium mountain bike frame.
Merlin was one of the first manufacturer to build all Titanium mountain bike frames and is known for their high quality welds with an almost flawless execution and superb ride quality. This particular frame is the final evolution of the first design which is characterized by the straight stays unlike the 2nd generation's curved s-bend stays. Unlike the very early frames which were characterized by somewhat crude welds and noodly ride these later versions have gorgeous welds and use a larger 1.5" (vs 1.25") downtube which significantly improved the stability and general ride characteristics of the bike. One final difference from the earlier frames is the incorporation of a WTB Grease Guard bottom bracket. The classic BB which used 6903 series bearings was a weak point of the bike as the bearings options were few due to the limited availability of Titanium tubing requiring the use of smaller berings. As such these wore out quickly and had to be replaced, whereas the use of a serviceable BB significantly extended the serviceability of the frame.
This particular frame has seen a fair amount of use but aside from some scuffs and decal wear is still in amazing condition. There are no dings, dents or serious scratches more than surface deep. The BB spins smoothly and appears to be in excellent condition. I have a frame just like this but with roller cam mounts, if this bike had roller cam mounts instead of cantilever ones I would not hesitate to swap frames in a heartbeat.
I will include a set of original decals if the buyer wishes to refinish the frame and can provide some tips on that process.
Size : Large
Seat tube: 19" c2c
Top tube: 23" c2c
Rear spacing: 135mm
Head tube: 1", 150mm long
BB spindle: 131mm
Seat tube: 27.2mm
Please let me know if you have any questions