Mercian Shop Closing

[Bonefishblues]

Much as I like Mercian, they have priced themselves out of the market. £925 for a 631 audax frame. Thats more than Condor. You can almost buy a complete bike for that from Spa, or a Genesis Equilibrium for not much more.

I know that they'll continue to make frames but this could be the beginning of the end for them.

Is that for a full custom build?

[Sweep]

Less than there ever was it seems to me with the wealth of bike bits available. I am sure lots of us have several bikes with very different frames that all fit and are all comfortable.

I'm not sure I said that, did I....?...

FWIW you can be average height but still have un-average proportions (eg short legs, long torso or vice-versa) and this may cause you to struggle to get fitted nicely onto a standard frame. or you may just want something a bit different and special. Any of these reasons can cause you to want a custom frame, even if you may not strictly speaking need one per se.

BTW I agree with pwa's point; fit is a bit easier with sloping top tube frame designs..... but seat angles are always a compromise

cheers

Sorry brucey, a quoting formatting error from my wonky tab I think. Will return to fix when on a keyboard.

edit - now sorted upthread.

[bigjim]

I can't see how a hand-built frame would be better built than one from the Far East, manufactured on a super high tech, fine tolerance, mutli axis cnc lathe. You would have to be an extreme version of the human frame not to be able to correct fit with the variety of stems, seatposts etc available.
It may give you more boasting rights, but reliability and comfort? I don't know?

[jb]

You can do many things on a CNC lathe especially a five axis one, but turning out a frame from a solid block of carbon fiber would certainly be a thing to behold.

[Canuk]

You can do many things on a CNC lathe especially a five axis one, but turning out a frame from a solid block of carbon fiber would certainly be a thing to behold.

I think he probably means turning out bottom bracket shells and lugs /small parts. Obviously the tubes will be drawn. I've seen a robot frame building piece of equipment, and it's a sight to behold. The welds are nigh on perfect, minimal wastage and maximum efficiency, and the paint finishes are 1st class.

[pwa]

You'd probably be more likely to get a good result from a frame builder like Mercian if you went to your fitting with plenty of experience about what you want, the position that suits you and what you do and don't like about the bike(s) you already have. I'd like the idea of one myself, except that I am gifted with a talent for ruining stove enamelled paint finishes as soon as I look at them. So I take the more utilitarian approach and stick to frames that are less precious.

Most other frame builders I know of don't run cycle shops so Mercian closing theirs is really them just falling into line with the rest. Better for them to focus on what people go to them for.

[jb]

Well that's the main thing about going to a custom builder - knowing exactly what you want.otherwise you'll just end up with an off the peg frame that's hand built.
But if you went in wanting say, an asymmetric frame with disc brake mounts, for day rides and occasional touring with mudguard and paniers fittings. Then a frame builder could well be your best bet.

[fastpedaller]

I have a 'thing' for Italian frames, especially steel ones and I probably buy a new (or used one) every two years. I have about a dozen now. Which is probably 8 too many! But I love them, especially the paint and chrome finishing,

I can also appreciate the Italian design/flair on the steel frames (although I've never owned one), but (with every one I've seen) the chrome has been very poor and will rust at the first sign of water! I think it's because the climate in Italy has a much lower humidity, so they don't need to take as much care with rust resistance. In the 70's the Italian cars imported to the UK would be rusted right through within a couple of years. When standing at a bus stop in Sorrento we noticed the unpainted gates to a large house had visible dust on them, but clearly no rust - In the UK they would have been orange with rust in a few days (certainly before dust formed on them)

[scottg]

I can also appreciate the Italian design/flair on the steel frames (although I've never owned one), but (with every one I've seen) the chrome has been very poor and will rust at the first sign of water! [snip]

It is a known fact that the Italians invented (brev)rust, then licensed the process to the British Motor Corporation,
who substantially improved the process.

From the view here, British bikes had the flair, an Ephgrave, Granby or a Bilam Claud Butler.
Now we have the small builder culture you had 70 years ago.

[Cyril Haearn]

Cycling-of course, but it is far better on a Gillott!

[Sweep]

On custom frames, apart from the cost you do of course have to be damn sure you know what you want and to communicate it effectively.

I know someone who spent ages speccing and having lovingly built a custom frame for touring.

He is pleased with it but found that when it was all wheeled out amidst much fanfare it would only take relatively narrow tyres. Narrower than he sometimes likes to use for touring.

By entrusting my ignorant self to the likes of Ridgeback and their years of knowledge I have avoided such blunders.

And saved a packet.

+ 1 to suggestion above to consider second hand steel. There are a lot of good buys out there on ebay if you know where/how to look.

[thirdcrank]

People seem to think that they imbued with an almost magical, mystical property - read the "Wahey, I'm going to Mercian thread".

viewtopic.php?t=12204

[bigjim]

You can do many things on a CNC lathe especially a five axis one, but turning out a frame from a solid block of carbon fiber would certainly be a thing to behold.

Quite agree, but I was not talking about, nor did I think the discussion was about carbon frames.

[bigjim]

How many different designs is it possible to come up with on a DF steel bike? Surely the designs reached a ceiling years ago?

[Sweep]

How many different designs is it possible to come up with on a DF steel bike? Surely the designs reached a ceiling years ago?

DF?