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Tiswas. Haha that was me. That was a bad day in Derby. As soon as I got out the station I got a puncture and had to walk to Mercian in the rain to fix it!
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The below post is definitely true but as with all legal stuff you have to consider whether you want the delay, difficulties and agro in pursuing that route.
Whilst I could do the legal route this might not get me what I want (a properly fitting Mercian bike) as they may just say live with the frame being out (and even if I then reject the frame and get my money back through legal means it doesn't get me the bike I want) and I am therefore trying to work out whether I should just lump a 1cm out toptube and what others have done if they have had similar situations.
Ironically for someone who works in litigation or dispute resolution I really really hate being involved in any conflict with others.
Finally, I suspect the quality control on a bike being handbuilt by Mercian where you kick up a bunch of legal things which just annoy them might suffer... badly.
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I am a lanky wierdo so my frame is pretty much the size of a small room so I am not sure anyone else wants it/ could fit it.
Well I am still waiting for their response. The thing is I want a Mercian, so badly, they are beautiful beautiful creatures so I want this all to go nice and smiley with them. But realistically I want the frame the size I had it remeasured it at (not matter how small the difference).
I have heard rather a few stories of Mercian bodging it recently.
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In a strict legal sense (I have the misfortune to be a lawyer in my day job but normally never extend it across to my life) they are at fault. We had a contract to build the bike, we both agreed to vary it (by me coming up to remeasure, them agreeing to this and them accepting the alteration to the specifications I gave them) and they then, in breach of that, went ahead and built the frame. if it is considered a material breach I can terminate the contract and claim damages. If not considered a material breach I can just claim damages.
they may be a small bike company but the margins they must make on the bikes are not insignificant and I am a far far smaller individual with far less margins.
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yeah, I think it will turn out to be a massive hassle.
completely agree with you teenslain, i know I should be able to ignore it but the fact that it is a custom build and it is 1cm out by what i want it will definitely start to grate over time.
i'll be interested to see how acriminous it gets. my ultimate fall back is to cancel the order I guess but I will see what they suggest.
writing them an email now asking them to remake the frame. think it will go down like a lead balloon.
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ironicallly the reason I first decided to go to mercian for a custom build as I have a ghetto long stem on my present bike to overcome a too short toptube.
coppithat - if they charged me half it would definitely fit twice as well...
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hey all -
Quick bit of advice would be appreciated. I went up to Mercian in January to get measured up. Having riden some similar sized frames back in London after I got measured I began to get worried I had got my dimensions wrong and gave them a call to say I would like to come back up to get redone. They said fine, come up as the frame is no where near built.
I therefore went back up, got remeasured and added an extra 1 cm onto the top tube as that felt better.
Now they have just called me to say, whoops, actually the frame has been built before they could pass that new top tube length to the shop so they can't do my new measurement.
I am slightly pissed as I have wasted the cost of going up there and a whole day of my life in Derby again (sorry for anyone who lives in Derby). Also I am trying to work out whether the 1cm out frame is a big deal for me. The whole reason I went for a custom fit is because, well, I want it to fit. However I do recognise that 1cm diff in the top tube is no great thing. Basically I am thinking about the below and any thoughts you guys have would be much appreciated:
a) telling them I want them to redo the frame and make it the correct measurement (as to put it mildly mercian charge a ridiculous premium and it should be right)
b) tell them I am pretty pissed and ask for a reduction in the frame cost to take account of my wasted costs/ time etc.
Any opinions?
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Just popped out of my office (I work in a building in Liverpool Street station) and there is sod all going on. Just a lot of bored police.
Going to hopefully see at a bit more at lunch.
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Any ideas? They still don't seem to have a website/ any other way to make life easier.
Tom
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Cool - thanks for the tips and the pointer to the cyclescheme website!
I am tied into the cyclescheme through my firm so have no choice there. Looks like I will just have to front up the extra 100 quid.
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Hey guys,
I am building a new Mercian and funding it through the cyclescheme. Now Mercian mentioned last time that the cyclescheme costs them a 10% administration charge so they charge an extra 10% on any bikes they build through the scheme. This seems a little punchy to me? Anyone know how much the actual administration charge is/ whether shops standardly pass it on to the consumer...
Thanks
Tom
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well I am now convinced on the chorus bb due to everyone's help (especially as the record one is not sealed and the royce one can squeak)...
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Guys thanks for the info and the cheap link at cycling bargains!
I am still not sure what bb to get. I understand their record track one isn't sealed so not great for road riding and I might get the centaur bb (or I am very attracted to the royce bb but it is ridiculously expensive!)
I have checked the transmission database and it doesn't have too much detail to go with the hubs I am getting (royce). I am presuming royce hubs, royce bb and a campag record track would work perfectly and also stimulate most of the world's economy due to overspending... so definintely considering cheaper alternatives
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As part of my campaign of attrition in tyring to find the right bike components whilst I wait for my Mercian frame I have been looking at cranksets.
I have settled on the campag record pista track chainset but, given that it is £190 odd, I was hoping to make sure I don't buy it and then campag suddenly release a new version.
Anyone know when the new campag season rolls out/ or when they refresh certain lines? I have tried a couple of googles and also a search of fgss but can't find it. Basically I want to ensure that I don't drop a ridiculous amount of money on their track chainset and find that it is out of date 2 weeks later
Thanks
Tom
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Those are the ones. And I agree there have been better pics : )
Thanks for the help guys
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Ok, prepare to be amazed at my mspaint skills. I am trying to work out the name for those old school brake levers on drops. The ones where you can brake whilst in the drop position but then the levers have an arm which also runs back so you that you can brake in the upright position.
My awesome mspaint attempt to draw this is attached...
Basically I am trying to work out the name of them so I can start looking for a vintage pair.
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Now I know some of you guys have already hit the shop but Meng Yao and I hit No 14 at lunch. Really nice shop with some great stock. The guys there were pretty damn friendly as well.
Some ropey iphone pictures below for anyone interested.
/attachments/6322
/attachments/6323
/attachments/6324Tom
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So far haven't really come across a nice groupset which isn't too techno/ modern looking. I am going to hit tour de ville next w/e and ask them some questions. Might also pop to the new No 14 Bike Shop/ BLB tomorrow lunch for some further research. Will let you know!
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Here are a particularly nice pair of tash bars I have always liked and been curious to know what they are (for some reason I can't copy the picture into the message so here is a link):
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MrSmith - Hopefully not. This bike should actually fit and I don't have to go ghetto custom...
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I also went 653. I wasn't intending to but once I started adding some lugging here and there and also started specing colours it got ridiculously expensive (I had also forgotten about VAT when looking at their prices online).
Thanks for all of the tips (already). I'll definitely make it to beers (probably next week or the week after) and I'll drag Drew who also posts on this forum.
Tika - did you go vintage then (as Tour de Ville seems to have some great stuff). I was going to go vintage but another friend has had problems with replacement parts etc.
Had a quick look at record and the modern record stuff is covered with graphite which I think I want to avoid but some of the older stuff is lovely.
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Hey all,
Well I went to Mercian the other week and got myself fitted for a super v track frame. Photoshopped pic of the non track frame variant attached with some colours I am thinking about...
This leaves me with 5 months to start planning the components (and more importantly save for them)...
So, I was hoping to beg some wisdom. My previous build/ current bike was based around a Dolan track frame and was quite a 'heavy' build (deep Vs, black spokes, condor hubs, riser bars etc., pag brakes, miche track crankset) (another picy attached, forgive the ropey cables as this was taken a while ago).
I now want to go for a traditional and really thin look (low profile rims, discrete hubs, sleek crankset and brakes - I know, I know) and have only ever looked at chunky components (Phil W hubs etc.) before so pointers and recommendations gratefully received...
I suppose the key areas I am looking at are the hubs/ rims and the crankset and any slim and traditionalish recommendations people have in those areas.
Ta muchly
Tom
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Thanks for all the tips. Now I just have to get fit...
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well the plan is to go absolutely bear minimum. allen keys, inner tubes, cycling stuff (wash and wear in B&Bs), toothbrush and camera.
there will be a bunch of other people driving down on the saturday (we will leave thursday) and they can bring a bag of stuff. including clean clothes after some serious sweating...
on the SPD thing. Anyone know who stocks large size SPD shoes (I am 12.5 and want to try them on first)
excited, but scared
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Well blow me down with a unipack. Mercian have replied and the friendly approach with a light stick in the background worked. Redoing the frame and apologising for the delay. My love for Mercian rises.
I'll stick the frame measurements on here tonight so you can have a laugh