Purposefully designed, admirably built, and brilliantly executed, the Merlin Mountain defies narrow-focus conventions. Instead, it has been created to do everything well.
Our answer: The Merlin Mountain frame. Purposefully designed, admirably built, and brilliantly executed, its mission is consistent with the origins and true to the sport: It was created to do everything well.
The Mountain's racing heritage is evident in the countless NORBA victories it has accumulated over the years. Yet its reputation for bulletproof reliability has made it the choice of numerous wilderness touring organizations and round-the-world expeditions.
Each Mountain frame employs a custom-sized tubeset to minimize weight without compromising strength, rigidity, or durability. Suspension-adjusted geometry is tailored to each frame size to maintain precise handling characteristics. And all models have sloping top tubes for less weight and better standover clearance.
In addition, all frames feature Merlin's S-Bend chainstays for maximum efficiency and better tire and crank clearance. These oft-copied asymmetric stays are 50 percent stiffer than the 3/4-inch stays used by other builders, and the advantage of their added lateral rigidity becomes clear in climbing and cornering. The S-Bends fully accommodate 2.5-inch knobbies, with extra space to minimize mud build-up. A third bend in the right-hand stay permits the use of low-profile cranksets.
Despite the additional rigidity of the large-diameter chainstays, the rear triangle boasts superior vertical compliance due to the use of specially made thinwall S-Bend seatstays. The result: better traction, precise wheel control, and improved performance in climbs and descents, regardless of terrain.
The unique seatstay design also contributes to more efficient braking, because the S-Bends bring the stays closer to the wheel. Merlin's lightweight Centermount cantilever bosses resist twist and flex for firm, controlled response.
These practical details guarantee unbeatable performance, whether through a rock-strewn NORBA singletrack, across miles of uncharted wilderness, or simply plonking along local fire roads. With the Merlin Mountain, the bike is no longer the question. It is the answer.
Frame Size (in., ctr-ctr) 13.5 15.0 16.25 17.5 18.75 20.0 21.5 Head angle (degrees)* 70.5 71.0 71.0 71.0 71.0 71.5 72.0 Seat angle (degrees)* 73.5 73.5 73.5 73.0 72.5 72.5 72.0 Nominal top tube (in.) 21.00 21.75 22.38 23.00 23.63 24.25 25.00 Chainstay (in.) 16.75 16.75 16.75 16.75 16.75 16.75 16.875 Wheelbase (in.)* 39.8 40.4 41.1 41.6 42.1 42.5 43.3 Standover height (in.)* 27.6 28.6 29.6 30.3 31.2 32.3 33.9 Bottom bracket height (in.)* 11.6 11.6 11.7 11.8 11.8 11.8 11.9 Head tube length (in.) 3.38 3.75 4.00 4.25 5.00 6.00 7.50 Steerer length (in.) 5.00 5.50 5.75 6.00 6.75 7.75 9.25 Frame weight (pounds) 3.18 3.25 3.36 3.46 3.58 3.70 3.99