MERLIN
Type: Titanium Mountain Bike
Circa: 1986
Serial #: ?
Purchased:?
Technical Features:
-Early titanium MTB usage
-WTB rollercam brakes
Personal Notes:
This bike represents the beginning of titanium mountain bikes. This example is outstanding with its use of WTB – rollercam brakes.
Merlin was founded in 1986 by the then triumvirate of titanium bike gurus, Mike Augspurger, Gwyn Jones, and Gary Helfrich. The bike employs a straight blade steel fork of unicrown design and has the feeling of the WTB type II fork. Very light and nimble, the frame probably weighs 4 lbs or less.
Merlin’s 1st bike was custom built for the reigning NORBA Champion Joe Murray. The bike is set up with Nitto moustache bars/Shimano shift lever/brake lever combinations. It was given up by a Marin County racer because it didn’t have suspension geometry…oh glory!
This is a rare collectible mountain bike significant for its associations with different factions of MTB development.
