A new hack

I've got a new hack, another elderly Mercian (this one is a 1980) bought out
of the local paper for £50. The seller (who lived in a million pound house)
seemed very concerned that he was underselling it as he'd been looking on
Ebay, but after I pointed out that it had a knackered headset, loose
wheelbearings, two flat tyres, a missing mudguard, torn saddle and was
utterly filthy, he didn't try to bump up the price. It was advertised as "a
Mercian racer" but actually is a Strada Speciale in touring spec. I'm
considering "single speeding" it.

As I've had carpal tunnel problems, I've fitted some extra foam and a pair
of Tectro RX2 topmount levers
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetai...goryName=Brake
Levers&ProdID=5360007434&UberCat=0

http://tinyurl.co.uk/jhu5

and I can highly recommend them. It makes a world of difference to be able
to brake with confidence from the tops and keep all the advantages of drops.

Pictures he

http://www.happy-penguin.info/mercian_number_2.htm

(sorry, no kitchen pictures as getting me and the bike in there at the same
time would result in extreme close ups)

Tom
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Tom wrote:
I've got a new hack, another elderly Mercian (this one is a 1980) bought out
of the local paper for £50.

...

Pictures he

http://www.happy-penguin.info/mercian_number_2.htm

Is that a join in the top tube?

--
Don Whybrow

Sequi Bonum Non Time

A child of five could understand this! Fetch me a child of five.

Don Whybrow wrote:
Pictures he

http://www.happy-penguin.info/mercian_number_2.htm

Is that a join in the top tube?

No, it's tape under the band-on cable guides

Tom
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Tom wrote:

I've got a new hack, another elderly Mercian

Looks very, very nice.

Pictures he

http://www.happy-penguin.info/mercian_number_2.htm

No comment until we get the kitchen shots :-|

Tom wrote:
I've got a new hack, another elderly Mercian (this one is a 1980) bought out
of the local paper for £50. The seller (who lived in a million pound house)
seemed very concerned that he was underselling it as he'd been looking on
Ebay, but after I pointed out that it had a knackered headset, loose
wheelbearings, two flat tyres, a missing mudguard, torn saddle and was
utterly filthy, he didn't try to bump up the price. It was advertised as "a
Mercian racer" but actually is a Strada Speciale in touring spec. I'm
considering "single speeding" it.

snip


Pictures he

http://www.happy-penguin.info/mercian_number_2.htm

(sorry, no kitchen pictures as getting me and the bike in there at the same
time would result in extreme close ups)

I've never understood why we moved away from brazed lugs. They look so
much better than modern welds.

Tosspot wrote:

I've never understood why we moved away from brazed lugs. They look
so much better than modern welds.

Well some haven't :-)

http://www.merciancycles.co.uk/craft.asp

But hearth brazing is very slow, skilled work, and tig welding is
comparativly easy and fast. You (sometimes) get what you pay for, though
there are plenty of frame builders who will charge more for a tig welded,
off the peg frame than Mercian charge for a hand made, hearth brazed bespoke
frame.

By the way, I fitted a second mudguard and weighed the bike, it came out at
24 lb.

Tom
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In article
Tom wrote:
Tosspot wrote:

I've never understood why we moved away from brazed lugs. They look
so much better than modern welds.

Well some haven't :-)

http://www.merciancycles.co.uk/craft.asp

But hearth brazing is very slow, skilled work, and tig welding is
comparativly easy and fast. You (sometimes) get what you pay for, though
there are plenty of frame builders who will charge more for a tig welded,
off the peg frame than Mercian charge for a hand made, hearth brazed bespoke
frame.

Most hand-made lugged frames aren't hearth brazed - Holdsworth used to
do it, Mercian still do, but AFAIK most of the others just wave a flame
at the lug (that's the way I used to do it).

Rob Morley wrote:

Most hand-made lugged frames aren't hearth brazed - Holdsworth used to
do it, Mercian still do, but AFAIK most of the others just wave a
flame at the lug (that's the way I used to do it).

I wasn't trying to claim that all lugged frames were hearth brazed, just
the best of them :-)

I haven't hearth brazed much in the last few years, but one of my regular
duties used to be hearth brazing cutting tips on to lathe tools using foil,
so I know how slow it is.

Tom
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Return address is dead. Real address is at
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