Seems similar to Moots low travel/no pivot suspension that uses the flex of the titanium chainstays and a short travel suspension of some kind in top of the seat stay.
Significant_Glass988 on
“soft-tail”
MrHilux on
Old soft tail design. Allows for some flex to take shock and vibration out using an elastomer without any pivots. Similar to what a lot of gravel bikes are offering now with “rear travel”.
BidSmall186 on
It’s a soft tail. The frame flexes within the confines of that sleeve. There were several examples in the mid-late 90’s of this including Ritchey and KHS.
dsaysso on
the real question, given all our fascination with laterally stiff, vertically compliant. why did it go away. dont see this on titanium frames anymore. but it works.
savage_viv on
It’s a 99 Merlin Fat Beat, uses Moots pivotless rear suspension and a Cannondale Headshok fork.
Merlin and Moots both made really nice “softtail” Titanium frames like this. I recall drooling over them in Colorado Cyclist catalogs and Mountain Bike Action magazines in the mid-90s… expensive!
Frankly, I’m surprised to see the ISO disk brake mounts on the rear dropout. My memory of these frames is from the cantilever and v-brake era… but this one is likely 1999 or later with that ISO mount (and no brake posts!)… seems like a steal, in my opinion.
Mental_Contest_3687 on
Um: anyone else seeing the asymmetrical bends to the drive and non-drive chainstays?.. Now that I’ve seen it, I feel like I’m tripping.
I’m not familiar enough with Merlin to know if this was a pattern or is (unlikely) some strange damage?
AntiqueSize6989 on
Damn I’d be all over that beauty if it were an XL/21-22 inch frame
rumblethrum on
Check out the Ibis bow-ti for the prettiest ti madness imo
RocketDick5000 on
It also allows you to run a belt drive if you so desire
12 Comments
It huffed a fart from a Pringles can.
Seems similar to Moots low travel/no pivot suspension that uses the flex of the titanium chainstays and a short travel suspension of some kind in top of the seat stay.
“soft-tail”
Old soft tail design. Allows for some flex to take shock and vibration out using an elastomer without any pivots. Similar to what a lot of gravel bikes are offering now with “rear travel”.
It’s a soft tail. The frame flexes within the confines of that sleeve. There were several examples in the mid-late 90’s of this including Ritchey and KHS.
the real question, given all our fascination with laterally stiff, vertically compliant. why did it go away. dont see this on titanium frames anymore. but it works.
It’s a 99 Merlin Fat Beat, uses Moots pivotless rear suspension and a Cannondale Headshok fork.
https://merlintitanium.com/images/merlin/misc/merlin_1999_catalog.pdf
Merlin and Moots both made really nice “softtail” Titanium frames like this. I recall drooling over them in Colorado Cyclist catalogs and Mountain Bike Action magazines in the mid-90s… expensive!
Frankly, I’m surprised to see the ISO disk brake mounts on the rear dropout. My memory of these frames is from the cantilever and v-brake era… but this one is likely 1999 or later with that ISO mount (and no brake posts!)… seems like a steal, in my opinion.
Um: anyone else seeing the asymmetrical bends to the drive and non-drive chainstays?.. Now that I’ve seen it, I feel like I’m tripping.
I’m not familiar enough with Merlin to know if this was a pattern or is (unlikely) some strange damage?
Damn I’d be all over that beauty if it were an XL/21-22 inch frame
Check out the Ibis bow-ti for the prettiest ti madness imo
It also allows you to run a belt drive if you so desire