I've had a few people try to rain on my parade for mentioning F1. My first thought was, "Elitist!". My pet bike is a classic and yours is junk? Should I point out that I saw a Colnago stripped for the paint shop in 1979 and it had body putty filling the gaps in the lug brazing. Does that make it a piece of junk or is it still a classic?
So going back to the list focus. The Merlin F1 I rode was built before 1983. It was hand built by custom framebuilders in the Merlin shop. (Keeper of the flame) While it was welded titanium, Behringer and Moroni pioneered titanium frames in 1973. I doubt there is anyone who wouldn't want a Behringer titanium frame in their stable. It certainly wasn't glued or molded. It certainly wasn't a mountain bike. You could hardly call a 20" X 25mm sewup a fat tire. (wheelchair racing)
The bike had full Campy SR and toe clips. Other than the fact it had 6 gears and not 15 or 18 it wouldn't have been much different than a mid 70s Moulton. (Without the suspension)
The builder I spoke with at the Anaheim bike show in 1982 had a legitimate concern. Kids were turning away from road bikes to BMX. As they got older they bought motorcycles. This was an attempt to introduce older kids to road racing and hopefully keep then in cycling. It was hardly an attempt to "cash in". The manufacturers who really tried to do something well lost money.
While later F1 bikes were nothing more than BMX machines (off topic) with a derailleur. The one I saw (and rode) should very definitely be considered "on topic".
Steve Leitgen La Crosse, WI
On Nov 30, 2005, at 9:30 PM, Chuck Schmidt wrote:
> Steve Leitgen wrote:
>>
>> In the early 80s when BMX was peaking there was a push (unsuccessful)
>> to race what they called F1. It was a criterium bike with 20" wheels.
>> The concept was to road race in small areas like mall parking lots.
>> Hopefully getting kids who were BMX racers interested in road racing.
>> A
>> couple of manufacturers were involved. I test road a titanium machine
>> from (I believe) Merlin. All I remember was that it was wickedly fast
>> and a lot of fun. 6 speed weighed about 10 lbs.
>>
>> Does this jog any memories? Any of those bikes still out there? Should
>> be on topic, I remember it from '82.
>>
>> Steve Leitgen
>> La Crosse, WI
>
>
> http://www.phred.org/
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> (snip) The Classic Rendezvous list focusses on bicycles (classic
> lightweight bikes) made from the beginning of the Twentieth Century, up
> to 1983. We also consider "on topic" makers of very fine bicycles
> that
> can be seen as "Keepers of the Flame" for classic style cycling.... New
> age welded, injection molded, or glued modern bicycles belong in some
> other mail list, not this one! Ditto for mountain bikes & balloon tired
> bikes. Those items have merit, but they just do not belong here.
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>
> Chuck Schmidt
> South Pasadena, Southern California
>
> .