Purebred
Road Racing Frame
The Merlin
Road/Stage Race, or RSR, is a purebred road racing
frame made for short and long-distance competition,
time trials, and everyday training and enthusiast
use. Built with a unique mix of Merlin MTS325
certified custom titanium tubing and seamless Grade 4
titanium, the RSR brings pro-level performance to a
newly affordable level.
The RSR's
class-leading specifications are derived directly
from Merlin's Extralight and Road frames. Its
geometry, created by Tom Kellogg, is designed for
optimum weight distribution. The bike is always
balanced, whether in turns, climbs, or descents.
Out-of-the-saddle climbs are handled with ease; the
bike falls in to a comfortable rhythm, becoming a
stable platform to reach the summit.
RSR's
Race-bred Tubing Geometry
Much of this solid
performance comes form the RSR's race-bred tubing
geometry. The RSR boasts an Extralight-inspired
13/8-inch MTS325 straight-gauge titanium downtube, an
"oversize" design that confers unmatchable
torsional rigidity.
The bike, as a
result, is smooth and stable. There is no bottom
bracket sway or front derailleur rub when pedaling in
the big ring. Speed wobbles, a sign of insufficient
head tube stability, are completely banished. And
steering inputs are obeyed immediately, almost
telepathically, due to the frame's high lateral
rigidity. Yet the natural resiliency of our titanium
mutes the ride harshness found in conventional
oversize frames.
Merlin
MTS325 tubing
Merlin MTS325
tubing is used in the large-diameter 7/8-inch
straight-gauge chainstays as well. Coupled with the
monostay rear triangle, these S-Bend stays complete
the solid power transmission path to the
precision-machined 6-4 titanium vertical dropouts.
The RSR also draws
on a design lesson learned from Merlin's
championship-winning mountain frames, using S-Bend
seatstays for improved vertical compliance. The
result is better wheel control and a smoother overall
ride.
Whether powering
through tight-radius turns or descending over broken
pavement, accelerating through a 30-mph criterium
pack or embarking on a cross-country tour, the RSR's
appetite for performance is unmatched in its class.
Suggested
Retail Price (frame only):
$1499
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