Mercian Blog

Vincitore Special Track bike somewhere in London

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:22:00 +0000

Please find attached picture of my vincitore special track which I took last summer just after I had received it and put it together. needless to say the bike has been great, I changed to a fizik arione saddle after not really getting on with the B17 special; otherwise it is the same (despite a couple of small scratches (aargh!)). This wet weather is making me pine for a machine with mudguards though, and a rack, and a rohloff hub, and some chrome..... maybe next year eh? Damn this credit crunch impeeding my bike buying powers. Might try using it on the Dunwich dynamo next year instead of my 1970's Mercian that I used last year, some of those hills from Hackney to Dunwich are surprisingly sharp though, I was told it was all flat.

Hope you enjoy the pics, best,

Gary

London, UK
Gary sure looks like a nice piece of kit Thank you for your picture.

A picture from the states

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:48:00 +0000

Justine a very good customer of ours sent in this picture of ONE of her bikes. Yet another frame is slowly working its way through our workshop right now. Thanks for the picture and hope you enjoy the new frame when it arrives

Sunny California calling

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:42:00 +0000

A couple of pictures sent to us from the states. Below is a few words from the owner
Hi,

Just wanted to send you some pictures of my Mercian Super Vigorelli.

I am enjoying it in Southern California.

Thanks for the great frame!
--Kelley

Pink

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 22:38:00 +0000

The customer wanted their renovation to be pink. With some discussion we came up with the design you see here with the stars and all which we can do for a small fee on any frame. Its boxed up now and on its way to the customer who will shortly be building it up for summer rides.

Mrs Tweedy's Pie Factory

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:56:00 +0000

This is our OLD shot blaster. This thing is powerful very powerful. You do NOT put your hand in there without proper gloves on. From renovation work to cleaning up jobs to work on it gets some serious use most days. As you can see its not in the cleanest room at the workshop and certainly not the best job to get either.

Kiems White machine

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 22:51:00 +0000

Hi,

I thought you might be interested in my Mercian bike I finished on Finish on the 27th June 2009 . It was originally a gold 1979 frame but you renovated it and I believe it's the same frame that was filmed by the BBC when they made a short about you for bike week? Maybe you can tell me if this is true?

Thank you so much for doing such a great job, I love my bike and it does turn heads.

All the best,

Kiem.

Here's the parts list if you are interested.
Pearlescent White Frame
Campagnolo Record Headset
Campagnolo Record crank
Campagnolo bottom bracket
Campagnolo brake
Phil Wood high Flange hubs
Phil Wood sprocket
Velocity Fusion rims
Nitto Jaguar seat pillar
Nitto Pearl stem
Nitto bar
Brook TAn swallow saddle
Toshi Straps
MKS
Shit chain
DIrty Harry brake
Cork grips

Ian's New Frame

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 20:15:00 +0000

This is Ian's latest frame a Velocita made from Reynolds 853 Pro Team. I think you will agree it looks very nice indeed.

Dereks Bench

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 20:24:00 +0000

Derek had this afternoon off so I sneaked a picture of his tidy bench. A customers frame half done on the board and other frame parts scattered around the bench. Theres plenty on the go.
By the way I just put a couple of pictures on the Derby Photo site I have. Theres a link on this page somewhere.

953 Stainless

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:13:00 +0000

This frame when finished will look stunning. Its off to the finishers tomorrow for surface preparation. The customer wants a brushed stainless look to certain parts of the frame. I will post a picture of the finished article when its completely finished.

Ians short wheelbase frame with mudguards

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 20:37:00 +0000

Ian wanted to fit mudguards to his racing bike so he brought the frame in. We indented the seat tube so the rear mudguard could be squeezed in. As you can see it works a treat.

Charles in Japan

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 22:31:00 +0000

Greetings from Okinawa, Japan,

Here is a photo of my Mercian Vincitore Special conquering a lava flow in front of the Cape Zanpa lighthouse--30 miles north of Naha City, Okinawa. Thought maybe you would like to add this to the other photos of my Mercian in the owner's gallery--this proves that it is actually ridden and not just a piece of wall art. It is presently fitted with Campagnolo Super Record components and Clement Campionato del Mondo Setas (made in Italy!), and they are still strong enough to conquer the Japanese roads on a long trip. I, on the other hand drank a lot of water.

Kindest regards,

Charles
I got this email from Charles early last year ! Thank you Charles

Facebook

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 23:08:00 +0000

Well I tried setting up a face book Mercian account but its all to complicated for me. But there is a Mercian Cycles Appreciation Society on face book I have just become a member so please take a look there might be just a few mates on it you never know. Its run by a chap called Graham Dawson. There is a link below right to this account,

Audax on a trip

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:25:00 +0000

Took delivery at Easter this year and used bike to cycle 2400miles over 40 days starting May 20th.
Left Lands End and cycled up to John O Groats over Peak District, Yorkshire dales and Pennines. Met wife at JOG and we cycled around the Orkneys together and then both back to Lands End. Bike behaved beautifully-no mechanical problems and not one puncture between us. Bike is audax special in electric pearl blue. Peter Cornwall

Short and sweet

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 22:37:00 +0000

Hi,

Just wanted to send you a picture of my Mercian Super Vigorelli.

I am enjoying it in Southern California.

Thanks for the great frame!
--Kelley

Thank you Kelley

Re-Cycle

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 19:03:00 +0000

We try and re-cycle most things at the shop and workshop. The van had a load the other day to be weighed in. There is a few frames worth of repairs in that box.

Teds Bike update

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:51:00 +0000

Good news all sorted ...

Ted's Stolen Bike in London

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 20:15:00 +0000

i've had my custom mercian super vigorelli stolen (serial number 13591). it's a unique bike, and (i think) a complete custom job. it has an aero wedge headtube and the seatstays are joined (see pics). i'm completely gutted, i love this bike.

As a good customer of Mercian I have blogged this picture to help track it down . If you see it or know where it is please get in touch with me and I will pass on the details to Ted.

Transfers

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:52:00 +0000

Not the best photos in the world but I have been in the spray shop today just looking through our Very large collection of old and Vintage transfers so I thought you would like a look at some. Our renovation service can supply transfers if there available for most age of frame. A lot of the very early transfers are now that old that once lifted from the carrier paper just fall apart so there best left alone and enjoyed as they are.

A Major collection

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 20:04:00 +0000

Above is a part Davids Mercian collection of 2000 Prolugless with TT config (56000 miles), 1974 Super Vigorelli (orginal paint & I have 12,000 plus miles plus my brother with more), 2004 Prolugless with 41,000 miles.

Frames are all the same tirangle measurements. 1974 was orginally ordered in 1973, but was stolen enroute, so new one built in early 1974. Raced on numerous velodromes by myself and my younger brother.

Looking forward to the replacement velocitia....

David, Major, USAF (Ret)

Thanks for the pictures and hope the Velocita is stacking up the miles .

Niner

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 20:40:00 +0000

Not the most picturesque of shots but this is a small part of the 29er we are slowly getting together. Its going to be Reynolds O/S 725 and we have no idea to the colour yet. Give it a few months and it should be up and running. Just ready for summer hopefully.

Matts Bike

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 22:17:00 +0000

Hi,
as you are running out of photos I thought I would send you this one of my pro lugless which you made for me last year and I built up with campag gear. It's a real stunner as I'm sure you'll agree and it rides like a dream.
Thanks,
Matt, Portslade, East Sussex.
Thank you Matt for your photo sent to me last year. I agree it certainly looks a nice bike

Bills bike

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 15:42:00 +0000

At last a Bill ! Well Bill sent this picture in from America towards the middle of last year. He did not sent in much detail regarding equipment etc but it is a Audax and looks like 631 tubing.

Franks bike

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 16:01:00 +0000

I wanted to share some pics of my Mercian Vincitore Special
that I have finally built up. This was built by Derek Land around
2003 just before Reynolds stopped making 531 tubing, and it had been
patiently waiting since that time for me to put to put all the parts
on it. The parts are a great mix of Campy Record, Nuovo Record, and
Super Record; Cinelli (1A stem and bars); Regina (chain and
freewheel), and a Brooks B17 saddle. It's the bike I've always wanted
(but never had the budget for) and will take over most of the duties
of my 1981 Motobecane Grand Jubilee. Thanks again to Derek and the
rest of Mercian for such a great frame.

Thank you Frank for the pictures sorry about the delay to post this one but better late than never . Just one point Reynolds have released a limited run of the 531 tubing recently and we have a few sets. So if anyone wants this tubing in your next frame please ask at the shop.

Rohloff complete bike

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:44:00 +0000

Mr Glover picked up his Rohloff / Reynolds 853 Strada Special complete bike just before christmas ( and bad weather ) This is his second Mercian and a fan through and through. His other bike is a Rohloff full on touring King of Mercia. This frame has a sportier build. The Frame has been sprayed Apple green with Black gothic transfers and as you can see has the outer gear cable right through to the rear hub which we feel is the way to go.

Where back

merciancycles@gmail.com (Mercian Cycles) — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 20:08:00 +0000

Well that was the end of 2009. Where all back from holidays etc so the blog will be up and running again very soon. Thank you for your patience. Hope you had a good one and we wish you all a Happy New Year.