Merlin Malt 4 winter hack/pub run build
Dick Scruttock
Posts: 2,533
Bought a Merlin Malt 4 off ebay the other week to use through winter. Ended up paying more for it than i wanted and it was a bit grottier than i expected but nothing i cannot sort out. The main thing was the frame was undamaged and no cracks or dents.
So here it is when i got it:
This is how it is now part stripped ready for new paint:
Here are some of the parts to go on it off my Blur:
Just needs 120mm Rebas or similar, some Hope hoops and some new tyres then its ready to rip.
Rough spec will be:
Merlin Malt 4 Built from Kinesis Kinesium Superlite Hydroformed tubing,
Some 120mm front forks (either Rock Shox or Fox, unsure what yet),
Hope Pro 2 Hoops with Crest rims,
Bontrager mud x 2.0 tyres,
Shimano XT front mech,
Shimano XT disk brakes,
Hope 160mm saw tooth red floating rotors,
SRAM X0 Redwin rear mech,
SRAM X0 Redwin shifters,
Truvative Noir Redwin chainset,
KMC X9L gold chain,
Easton EC90 SL monkey bars.
So here it is when i got it:
This is how it is now part stripped ready for new paint:
Here are some of the parts to go on it off my Blur:
Just needs 120mm Rebas or similar, some Hope hoops and some new tyres then its ready to rip.
Rough spec will be:
Merlin Malt 4 Built from Kinesis Kinesium Superlite Hydroformed tubing,
Some 120mm front forks (either Rock Shox or Fox, unsure what yet),
Hope Pro 2 Hoops with Crest rims,
Bontrager mud x 2.0 tyres,
Shimano XT front mech,
Shimano XT disk brakes,
Hope 160mm saw tooth red floating rotors,
SRAM X0 Redwin rear mech,
SRAM X0 Redwin shifters,
Truvative Noir Redwin chainset,
KMC X9L gold chain,
Easton EC90 SL monkey bars.
0
Comments
-
thats one expensive hack bike
0 -
-
road_donut wrote:Rick .... you have just got way to much cash
The cost of this is far less than the heartache of knowing my blur has been dumped at the bottom of the pile of bikes after calling in at the pub on my way home from a ride.
Most expensive bits will be the forks and the wheels. Wheels will probably end up been used as winter wheels when/if i use my blur this winter.0 -
Just ordered the Hope hoops for this build. Pro 2 standard hubs laced to stans Crest rims. Look forward to getting them.
Also the frame has just gone for powder coating and should be all done within a few weeks. Hopefully it will be in one piece or pretty close just before Christmas.0 -
Winstanley cycles and Parcelforce FTW. Ordered yesterday mid afternoon and arrived this morning:
0 -
Very nice looking. My hack bike cost 100, your deraileur cost more than my bike haha
Seriously wish I had the cash to build a hack bike like that.0 -
MountainMonster wrote:Very nice looking. My hack bike cost 100, your deraileur cost more than my bike haha
Seriously wish I had the cash to build a hack bike like that.
Thing is the rear mech is worth more to me than it is to sell so its been donated, same with the crank and shifters Use the term hack bike loosely, it will be the bike i use all winter and whenever the blur is off the road. I want it to look pretty pimp as well
Buying the bike itself owes me £213 at the min till I sell more parts,
Up to now i have bought a pair of wheels £249,
Tyres and tubes at £45,
Brake at £145,
Headset £59.
Still needed are:
Disks,
Forks,
New seat clamp as the old one is wrecked.
Donated from the blur/parts bin were:
X0 shifters,
KMC chain,
EC90 SL bars,
EA90 stem,
XT cassette,
Noir chainset,
Hope BB.
Aiming for 24lbs ish hopefully.0 -
0 -
-
-
looking forward to seeing it built up 0
-
are you going to fit replacement graphics?++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Compulsive tinkerer....my ideas far far outway my ability and that makes things costly !!0 -
should be good when its done !!!!!!!
0 -
jamLCFC wrote:are you going to fit replacement graphics?
Not sure that will be happening as i cannot get any replacement stickers off merlin as the frames are all stickered up where they are made and the only preson i know for stickers only does the downtube ones.0 -
i can have stickers made up via a mate
0 -
badly_dubbed wrote:i can have stickers made up via a mate
depending on price i may be interested in a set...maybe cheaper for 2?++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Compulsive tinkerer....my ideas far far outway my ability and that makes things costly !!0 -
Won some 120mm rebas with a 20mm maxle so thats the fork sorted out.
Just waiting for the frame to come back from powder coating then i can build it up.0 -
brings a whole new meaning to "hack bike" ! :shock:0
-
Your hack bikes better than my everday bike 0
-
LOL Its going to have come in below £450ish in total outlay on it which is not bad at all i dont think.0
-
Latest installation. 160mm Hope floating rotors:
XT low mount front mech:
Rock Shox Reba Race with a 20mm maxle. Bought a new 2011 Maxle light for them, a Hope seat clamp and Hope pro 2 20mm axle conversion parts:
0 -
-
Built the front end up ready to fit on the frame when it comes back. Forks, wheel, stem, bars, headset and all all controls (shifters, brake levers, calipers, grips and poplock) weighs in at 10lbs so hopefully I am looking at around 23lbs max weight for the full build.
Cannot wait to get the frame back now and get it built up and do some miles on it.0 -
Frame is now at the powder coaters and hopefully i will have it back ready to build next week. Cannot wait to get it done and ridden as every time i ride my Blur in the grime and salt i can feel it costing me lots of money in wear!0
-
Looking forward to seeing pictures when finished at powdercoaters0
-
HACK bike?! no ways!
lush bike!I like bikes and stuff0 -
This is not meant to be derogatory in any way but with that spec I am amazed you are using that frame as it looks like an old Malt 4 without all the hydroforming of the ones from the last few years.
I have a malt 2 which is very similar to that but a bit more refined (as newer) - that all being said my malt 2 is a great frame and that looks like it will be very similar so maybe the spec does go with the frame - the Merlins are very under-rated but people forget they are made by kinesis
On another note: I am guessing that frame is also meant for a 100mm max fork but I have run my malt 2 with a revelation 100-130 u-turn - 100 is definitely best but 115mm definitely gives me a smile on more downwards stuff. 130 and it starts to feel like a chopper on single track unless you run it softer.0 -
Andy! wrote:This is not meant to be derogatory in any way but with that spec I am amazed you are using that frame as it looks like an old Malt 4 without all the hydroforming of the ones from the last few years.
I have a malt 2 which is very similar to that but a bit more refined (as newer) - that all being said my malt 2 is a great frame and that looks like it will be very similar so maybe the spec does go with the frame - the Merlins are very under-rated but people forget they are made by kinesis
On another note: I am guessing that frame is also meant for a 100mm max fork but I have run my malt 2 with a revelation 100-130 u-turn - 100 is definitely best but 115mm definitely gives me a smile on more downwards stuff. 130 and it starts to feel like a chopper on single track unless you run it softer.
120mm front travel. Checked with Merlin and they said plenty people run them with 120mm travel and they used to sell them with 120mm travel forks.
Its a hydroformed malt 4 frame, its just difficult to get a photo that shows all the bulges and curves to the tubes.0 -
Hydroforming is ugly, and in all honesty, really doesnt make a noticeable difference on stiffness or ride quality for95% of riding.
Hoping this is finished soon so can see finished pics. When is it due back from powdercoaters?0 -
The frame is now powder coated and getting dropped off tomorrow. The only thing stopping me building it tomorrow is I am in the Bahamas until Thursday 0
