Love, love, love, that Mercian! Thanks for the head's up on the Decaleur and the great post with all the deets. As an owner of the horizontal decaleur, I concur that it's a great product. Nice to know I can find parts as needed now, or another for a future bike. BTW I have one in the modern style for the faceplate stem (different bike obviously) and that is brilliant, also.
Can't be sure but I thought I'd been informed that Mercian still builds their bikes truly by hand (no machines to speak of). On the jig, one maker at a time. One of my absolute favorite brands across the models. They all look stunning. John On Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 6:57:56 AM UTC-8 Ron Mc wrote: > oops, this was the link I wanted to share on Tad's Umberto Dei condorino > restoration > https://thecabe.com/forum/threads/1940-umberto-dei.179124/ > > On Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 8:53:02 AM UTC-6 Ron Mc wrote: > >> thank you Takashi, the Mercian is a labor of love x2, and I'm going to >> end up writing you an essay. >> >> My friend Tad put the Woody's fenders on the bike. Background on Tad, he >> has a hobby business restoring and turning antique bikes. Part of his job >> includes traveling in the company tradeshow van. He previews Craigslist, >> makes appointments, and brings home bikes and parts. Best example of his >> work, this 1940 Umberto Dei, from bare frame to this condorino with the >> correct chaincase and Dei-pantogrammed chainset - even a Dei-pantogrammed >> bike bell. >> [image: A92AE443-F071-4438-A925-ECF02A1B56D7.jpeg] [image: >> C5CF7551-9F4B-445C-AB27-24682312CC83.jpeg] >> >> https://thecabe.com/forum/attachments/a92ae443-f071-4438-a925-ecf02a1b56d7-jpeg.735360/ >> At one point, he had to generate $10,000 to help his son, and sold a >> stable of bikes, including the Dei, >> but he held out the Mercian for me, because he knew I would want it. >> >> We're polar opposites on building bikes - he wants period reproduction, I >> want comfort and reliability. >> Everything he used on the Mercian was worn out - he rode the bike twice - >> clicking bottom bracket, clicking 1st generation Phil hubs, molasses >> freewheel, clicking headset. Dura Ace brakes that made you stop like Fred >> Flintstone. Cinelli 65 deep drops. V-O front rack that formed a truss and >> took the life and soul from that marvelous fork. >> [image: 7CBko1k.jpg] [image: 4atVIBe.jpg] >> >> The only parts I kept were the fenders, seat post, crank arms, shifters >> and FD. >> It took me miles of road shock and a year to work all this out and bring >> her back to life. I had a NOS Blueline RD to replace the aged VGT. >> Phil BB, new Tange headset, wheelset built on Grand Bois 6-sp cassette >> hub, stem to fit me, Cinelli 64 bar, Gran Compe CP brakes and mini rack. >> BTW, the best fit and most tire under the wood fenders are Challenge >> "open tubular" (clincher), because of their short sidewalls. >> Here's my final gear chart, and final form. >> [image: LSJQShl.jpg] >> [image: qXVvT4f.jpg] >> >> On Saturday, January 6, 2024 at 8:00:48 AM UTC-6 Takashi wrote: >> >>> Hi Ron, >>> >>> I'm not in need of a decaleur right now, but that Mercian is so >>> beautiful! >>> (It's no secret that I'm partial to wooden fenders.) >>> >>> Takashi >>> >>> >>> 2024年1月6日土曜日 13:17:52 UTC+9 Ron Mc: >>> >>>> Thanks again, Steve - this is my longest-term bike, and the baseline >>>> for measurements any time I build a bike. >>>> It's cozy beyond words. Great aero position on the moustache bar, and >>>> the wide reach gives you excellent control. >>>> >>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/b2ddc83e-2cff-4acb-ac31-f5b0d80e6809n%40googlegroups.com.
