Why did the Merlin thread get locked?

giant_man

infopete wrote:

Hi All,

The man from the American Bicycle Group has emailed me to say an offer is on it's way.

The offer includes a Litespeed carbon frame and "terms".

I've looked at the Litespeed site at their carbon range and I can't help feeling that offering me a Litespeed carbon frame to replace my rather expensive and beautiful Merlin Cielo is like a Bentley owner taking his car to be serviced and returning with a Skoda. Do you think I'm being too picky?

And.... there are much promised "terms"!

No you're not being too picky. They should be offering you an Extralight and not some carbon effort from Litespeed. Hardly the same thing at all. Should be another titanium frame. It's the least they could do what with the hassle they've put you through.

Muztard

infopete wrote:

I've looked at the Litespeed site at their carbon range and I can't help feeling that offering me a Litespeed carbon frame to replace my rather expensive and beautiful Merlin Cielo is like a Bentley owner taking his car to be serviced and returning with a Skoda. Do you think I'm being too picky?!

You're not being too picky, your replacement should be a like for like.

But I must defend the Skoda, they really are a much maligned brand. They NOW make great cars the stigma is the name not the product. A bit like the Boardman where you get more than you might expect.

infopete

Muztard wrote:

infopete wrote:

I've looked at the Litespeed site at their carbon range and I can't help feeling that offering me a Litespeed carbon frame to replace my rather expensive and beautiful Merlin Cielo is like a Bentley owner taking his car to be serviced and returning with a Skoda. Do you think I'm being too picky?!

You're not being too picky, your replacement should be a like for like.

But I must defend the Skoda, they really are a much maligned brand. They NOW make great cars the stigma is the name not the product. A bit like the Boardman where you get more than you might expect.

I agree about the Skoda but it was the best analogy I could come up with. The Skoda 4x4 is on my list to replace my Audi when I have enough pocket money.

Whereas, a Litespeed carbon isn't on any.

Percy Vera

Did you ask them why are Merlin Bikes linking to an article on their website to a review of a frame they no longer build?

Do American Bicycle Group make any other products other than Merlin Titanium, Litespeed Titanium, QuintanaRoo and Real Design?

infopete

Percy,

that article is from 2009 from the last distributors. I think the Merlin site just recycles it to try and convince search engines their website has something new.

eh

You're not being too picky, your replacement should be a like for like.

Appart from they no longer make a like for like.

Extralight seems the only frame you could push for, but I am amused you are having a hissy fit about getting a CF frame, when your Cielo had a CF main triangle and yet it was the Ti section that broke!! You should have learnt a lesson from that :roll:

infopete

eh wrote:

You're not being too picky, your replacement should be a like for like.

Appart from they no longer make a like for like.

Extralight seems the only frame you could push for, but I am amused you are having a hissy fit about getting a CF frame, when your Cielo had a CF main triangle and yet it was the Ti section that broke!! You should have learnt a lesson from that :roll:

I'm not having a hissy fit about the carbon I'm having an issue with a Litespeed carbon frame, primarily because it's not a Merlin.

dcj

fantastic brand loyalty you are still showing for Merlin there :shock:

however, if you had Ti, i am not a bit surprised you want to stick with Ti, rather than accept another material.

i hope it all works out in the end though, best wishes.

EDIT: actually Ti/carbon mix which i forgot!

infopete

dcj wrote:

fantastic brand loyalty you are still showing for Merlin there :shock:

however, if you had Ti, i am not a bit surprised you want to stick with Ti, rather than accept another material.

i hope it all works out in the end though, best wishes.

EDIT: actually Ti/carbon mix which i forgot!

It's a problem when you've wanted something for so long, grown up with a brand, coveted, saved, owned and enjoyed only to have some corporate types to ruin everything.

dcj

totally know where you are coming from.
i have owned a Litespeed Ghisallo for 6 years which i researched and planned for 6 months. i am very pleased with it, except for the fact in an act of extreme disloyalty i really fancy a change and have another brand on order :shock:

the main reason at the time i decided on Litespeed is because ABG leant their dealer a demo ghisallo which i was able to ride for a week before making my final decision. I was especially keen to test if the rumours about too much flex had any merit. for me they didn't but the test ride did reveal how flexy the litespeed forks were, so i specced my bike with something else. at the time i was also thinking about a colnago but the dealers i spoke to were not able to lend a bike and as it was my first really expensive bike, i did not have the confidence to gamble on buying blind.

one of the other brands i looked at (moots) also came up with an extended loan bike but for me the Ghisallo felt more snappy and smoother to ride, if not to look at. i think the moots finish was nicer and would have suited a chunkier rider.
both brands left a great impression on me, together with both the dealers involved.

so ironically my brand loyalty to Litespeed was directly assisted at the time by ABG supporting the dealer who was also first class. so i am really sorry to see the way your experience spiralled in a weird direction.

in theory a local dealer should add value. long distance selling should not be used as an excuse but in reality distributors sometimes don't react with adequate speed to protect the brand when faced with issues not conforming to their preferred supply route.

Monty Dog

The new carbon Litespeed is a monstrosity IMO and I certainly wouldn't consider it a like-for-like replacement for the Cielo. I bet if ABG applied themselves they could find a Cielo for your somewhere - there's probably some frames still sitting around in the supplychain / dealer network, otherwise go for an Extralite.

Anonymous

Monty Dog wrote:

The new carbon Litespeed is a monstrosity IMO and I certainly wouldn't consider it a like-for-like replacement for the Cielo.

+1

infopete

NapoleonD wrote:

Monty Dog wrote:

The new carbon Litespeed is a monstrosity IMO and I certainly wouldn't consider it a like-for-like replacement for the Cielo.

+1

I wonder if it's the ugliest carbon frame around, maybe we should set up a vote

dcj

when i bought the ghisallo, the dealer also had a merlin extralight in stock. it was similar but had nicer fittings and more intricate finish. i liked it alot. it would be a fair swap for a cielo.

fleshtuxedo

another +1 on those carbon things

Like the look of the Litespeed Archon though, can you have one of those?

infopete

The promise of an offer and "terms" in 48 hours since last Thursday evening has stretched to just over a week.

So far I've only had the one visit from the police, maybe they'll come on Sunday again.

zanes

infopete wrote:

The promise of an offer and "terms" in 48 hours since last Thursday evening has stretched to just over a week.

So far I've only had the one visit from the police, maybe they'll come on Sunday again.

Morons. What's your plan for the replacement (assuming you get one)? Hold on to it or sell it off quick and buy from a more "savoury" distributor?

I appreciate it if you don't want to answer it here/yet, I presume ABG are watching this thread closely.

infopete

ABG are reading this but they obviously think this is all good marketing.

I'm waiting for their offer but I'm not going to accept a Litespeed carbon, I bought a Merlin not a Litespeed.

I don't think you should call them morons, they'll send the police round.

bigpikle

infopete wrote:

ABG are reading this but they obviously think this is all good marketing.

I'm waiting for their offer but I'm not going to accept a Litespeed carbon, I bought a Merlin not a Litespeed.

I don't think you should call them morons, they'll send the police round.

no idea why? A brand I once thought was worthy of consideration but now wouldnt touch with a bargepole!

Anonymous

infopete wrote:

ABG are reading this but they obviously think this is all good marketing.

I'm waiting for their offer but I'm not going to accept a Litespeed carbon, I bought a Merlin not a Litespeed.

I don't think you should call them morons, they'll send the police round.

I'll openly call them morons for sending the police round.

infopete

NapoleonD wrote:

infopete wrote:

ABG are reading this but they obviously think this is all good marketing.

I'm waiting for their offer but I'm not going to accept a Litespeed carbon, I bought a Merlin not a Litespeed.

I don't think you should call them morons, they'll send the police round.

I'll openly call them morons for sending the police round.

No, it's a new type of Lifetime Warranty... they bang you up so you don't need the frame fixing :shock:

ratsbeyfus

NapoleonD wrote:

infopete wrote:

ABG are reading this but they obviously think this is all good marketing.

I'm waiting for their offer but I'm not going to accept a Litespeed carbon, I bought a Merlin not a Litespeed.

I don't think you should call them morons, they'll send the police round.

I'll openly call them morons for sending the police round.

Yep, if ABG did it (rather than the lady hereself) then

ABG ARE MORONS.

infopete

You're all going to spend christmas banged up!

So can I borrow your bike? Cos mine is rubber ducked

ratsbeyfus

Guess what... there are 62,500 hits on Google for 'ABG are morons' and this thread is top! Wow.

Rozzers - This one's for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EU3aXG4JMJU

infopete

I've been offered a Litespeed C1 by the man from ABG, I don't want one and I have suggested they replace my Merlin Cielo with a Merlin Extralight.

The Extralight is a much cheaper model than the Cielo but I think it's the only bike Merlin make now.

Anyway, the man from ABG says it's a Litespeed C1 or nowt!

It's time to "up" the pressure on ABG.

What do you suggest I do next?

What other forums should I start to post on?

Anonymous

Ask for the equivalent retail cash. Take your business elsewhere. It isn't a like for like.

infopete

NapoleonD wrote:

Ask for the equivalent retail cash. Take your business elsewhere. It isn't a like for like.

I don't think this guy is going to send me a penny, I think he expects me to take his offer and to leave him alone.

But I don't want a Litespeed carbon of any flavour.

Pokerface

infopete wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

Ask for the equivalent retail cash. Take your business elsewhere. It isn't a like for like.

I don't think this guy is going to send me a penny, I think he expects me to take his offer and to leave him alone.

But I don't want a Litespeed carbon of any flavour.

Is it worth accepting his offer and selling it once you get it? Or would you be taking a bath on it?

infopete

Pokerface wrote:

infopete wrote:

NapoleonD wrote:

Ask for the equivalent retail cash. Take your business elsewhere. It isn't a like for like.

I don't think this guy is going to send me a penny, I think he expects me to take his offer and to leave him alone.

But I don't want a Litespeed carbon of any flavour.

Is it worth accepting his offer and selling it once you get it? Or would you be taking a bath on it?

Judging by the response on here I'm not sure if I could sell it. Does anyone want to buy a Litespeed Carbon C1?

fleshtuxedo

Fugly. No.