Merlin C110 carbon frame & fork

AstraMonti

Its me again!

I didn't have any better thing to do on my lunchbreak and just went to cycle-logical to have a look.. and i saw that beautiful Merlin c110 carbon frame at 600euro down from 2400Euro :eek: (i dont believe that anyone would give 2400euro for that but anyway, its probably a fake price).

Thats exactly the frame:



I googled it and i found thats a 2006 model, other than that its a 3yo frame, does it make any other difference?

Whats your opinion about it and about the price? Any good?

P.S. I would it prefer it to be red to be honest..

sy

Seems v good price, is this the same frame

AstraMonti

Yeap thats exactly the same frame!

sy

I guess the price is right so get the card out:) Slane cycles are pretty good on prices. No connection to either by the way.

blorg

I think that is the same frame, the Merlin C110 Works. I have seen them around for a quite a while heavily discounted on various sites, indeed a brief google shows someone considering one that was on sale in 2006. Merlin is primarily a titanium bike producer but made this brief foray into carbon for 2006. Carbon was more expensive then but this bike would still have been below their titanium ones. It's well possible that it once had that Irish RRP but that doesn't mean it is "worth" that now! Probably a good deal at €600 though, especially from a local bike shop.

I don't have any evidence whatsoever but I suspect it is a pretty standard Asian carbon frame from a few years ago. It looks strikingly similar to my old Trek 5000.

http://www.merlinbike.com/bikes/2006/works/c110.aspx

AstraMonti

To be honest i like the chinese noname frame much more than that..

Tackleberry

Hows this good value?!! €1800 for a 3 year old frame? You could get year old Pinarello's, Ridley's, Giants etc for that price, all carbon and all a hell of a lot nicer IMO.

However, if you love it and really want it - go for it!!

Lumen

Tackleberry wrote: »

Hows this good value?!! €1800 for a 3 year old frame?

I read it as "€600, down from €2400", not "€600 down from €2400".

AstraMonti

Sorry if i confused anyone, the actual price IS 600 euro, the discount is 1800euro.. thats why i don't believe it, because they still make profit out of the 600euro.. so i really think that i ll go with the noname chinese jimbo jumbo carbon frame... (or get that ribble.. oh well)

blorg

The frame was originally that price when released in 2006. It didn't really sell, probably not that there was anything wrong with it but just that it was a relatively generic carbon from a company known for something else entirely (e.g. titanium.) It didn't really have any USP. Merlin cancelled the frame. It really has been reduced to €600 over the intervening three years. CRC had them around a year ago at £560 when I was looking around for a replacement frame for my crashed Trek 5000. It's not worth €2k+ in 2009. It could well be worth €600. I would certainly take it, from Cycleogical, over a no-name off eBay.

rottenhat

The thing you have to remember is that most bike shops can't afford to have old frames taking up their very limited display space - something that's been sitting around for three years gathering dust is a disaster for them and they're better off slashing the price and getting something for it than leaving it there even longer. Better to get €600 for it now and put something that might sell in its place.

BH2008

rottenhat wrote: »

The thing you have to remember is that most bike shops can't afford to have old frames taking up their very limited display space - something that's been sitting around for three years gathering dust is a disaster for them and they're better off slashing the price and getting something for it than leaving it there even longer. Better to get €600 for it now and put something that might sell in its place.

Defo agree with you on that, I'd be surprised if they weren't selling it below cost just to clear it, it was for sale in cyclelogical for the last year or so for €1200. I know a guy who has had one of these for the last number of years with no complaints, as blorg said if it came down to either this frame or an ebay noname there really would be no competition!

rottenhat

They're definitely taking a loss on it at that price - the margin on frames and bikes is quite small. Bike shops make most of their money on accessories and repairs, AFAIK.

trekman

I have come across one of these frames for sale for €300. With a new Ultegra groupset and comparable Easton wheels, I am being quoted €1700 for a complete bike. What does anyone think ?

sy

What model easton wheels, great varation in price

el tel

As other posts have noted, quite a few places have had these discounted over the last couple of years. Would be interesting to know what the frame weighs?


If I were interested I'd open with a €250 offer with a €300 max. They must know that it'll never sell otherwise - at €600 it'll be gathering dust in the back of the shop for another few years.

trekman

hi Sy - I think they are pretty basic with blackrims - I am awaiting full details but having looked at Chain reaction cycles I would say they will be about €240

trekman

It weighs in at c. 1.3kg

SurferDude41

I would stay clear of it! It may carry a merlin badge, but it was made in The far East...By my reckoning, its worth about €400.
Was in Cyclelogical myself, about 2 yrs ago and they have some nice titanium Merlins and Litespeeds. Although these were very old stock, they were looking for top dollar:(

I am selling a Litespeed Titanium Frameset, its an unused Litespeed titanium.
Cost me €1700 a few years ago. Selling the frameset for €900:)

trekman

nice looking bike - what is the frame size?

100Suns

I bought one from the same outlet in 07 for not a whole lot more. As blorg (welcome back) says Merlin makes superb titanium frames and this was the one and only foray into carbon. It's a decent frame, stiff enough. Handling was the only real weakness-it's not comparable to top end carbon bikes Ive ridden. If you got a good deal with a decent set up it's a good buy. If you only intended to keep it for a couple of years or intended 'trading up' in the medium term, you probably wouldn't take a big hit.

trekman

thanks 100 Suns - yeah I only intend to keep it for a couple of years and then progress. During the season I do about 1500 miles of country riding. I have being doing some research and reckon that with a 105 groupset and Fulcrum 7 wheels I should get the package for 1k . I feel that € 150 - 200 should get it assembled

sy

trekman wrote: »

......... I feel that € 150 - 200 should get it assembled

You should get it assembled for half these figures trekman. Good luck with the purchase.

SurferDude41

trekman wrote: »

nice looking bike - what is the frame size?

Its a litespeed 55cm centre of the B/B axle to top of the seat collar=57cm
Toptube is 56cm C-C Head and seat angles 73 degrees.
Last time I was in Cyclelogical, they were looking for €2000 for these.
I was hoping to sell it as a complete bicycle, but would sell the frameset alone.

trekman

Thanks Sy for the advice - if I go ahead I will let you know how I get on