1994 Merlin Newsboy
Merlin Metalworks was a pioneer in titanium bicycle fabrication and mountain bike development in particular. Made in limited editions, the Newsboy was designed to be a retro-style cruiser with swoopy tubes but with the quick handling geometry typical of bikes from the 1990s. Today we might take for granted the complex titanium construction, but at the time it was a major technical achievement. To maintain the clean lines of the frame, all of the cables were routed through a central tube within the down tube and a WTB Speedmaster Rollercam brake was hidden under the chainstays. These bikes were rare and expensive when new and have retained a strong demand since. This bike is built with a host of rare parts from Cook Brothers Racing such as the crankset, chainrings, bottom bracket, handlebar, stem, seatpost, and quick release skewers.
The Build
Year: 1994
S/N: N021 Frame: Merlin Newsboy Fork: Specialized Judy FSX Stem: Cook Brothers Racing Headset: Chris King Titanium Bottom Bracket: Cook Brothers Racing Handlebar: Cook Brothers Racing Titanium Shifters: Shimano XTR M900 Front Derailleur: Shimano XTR M900 Rear Derailleur: Shimano XTR M900 Brake Levers: Shimano XTR M900 Front Brake: WTB Speedmaster Sabercam Rear Brake: WTB Speedmaster Rollercam Crankset: Cook Brothers Racing E-Crank Chainrings: Cook Brothers Racing 24-32-46 Pedals: Suntour XC-II Hubs: Nukeproof Carbon Rims: Campagnolo Mirox Tires: Compass Rat Trap Pass 26 x 2.3 Wheel QR: Cook Brothers Racing Seatpost: Cook Brothers Racing Saddle: Torelli Pluma Titanium Grips: WTB Modified Magura Cogs: Shimano XTR M900 Chain: KMC Z Chain |