Because it is too small for me, I am selling my Mercian King of Mercia Touring frame/fork with fenders, racks and a few parts. I had the bike custom-made for me by Mercian in 1990, checking every option available.
- 1990 Mercian King of Mercia Touring frame and fork - Classic touring geometry, but handles switchbacks very nicely, too. - Lugged, full Reynolds 531 with cut-outs in the lugs (older style) - flawless workmanship throughout - Long Campagnolo horizontal dropouts - Classic Cinelli fully sloping fork crown (an option at the time) - Cantilever brake braze-ons, cable stops, etc. - All braze-ons, including three bottle cages, racks, double eyelets, etc. (except front derailleur) - Braze-on for BB generator and shift lever behind seat tube for remote control. - Red with white head and seat tubes, lug windows painted contrasting color, full lug lining, typical of the beautiful Mercian paint. - Chromed dropouts, right chainstay - 57 cm c-t seat tube - 55.5 cm c-c top tube - long chainstays (430 mm with wheel in front position) - 130 mm rear spacing - clearance for 32 mm tires with fenders, 35 mm knobbies without fenders.
Parts: - Honjo hammered 700C x 43 mm fenders, perfectly mounted (ideal for 28-32 mm tires) (2 years old) - 1950s French rack for handlebar bag, chrome-plated steel tubing, attaches to fork crown and cantilever braze-ons (like Nitto, only much lighter, more elegant and better fitting) - Blackburn front low-rider and rear "custom" (non-adjustable) racks, silver - Stronglight A9 headset (1 year old) with big spacer and built-in cable stop - Campagnolo Nuovo Record (2-bolt) seatpost
- $ 585 for all of the above, plus shipping. To a good home only.
The bike is in very good condition. No rust outside or inside. (The frame was treated with rust-prevention before it was built, and several times since.) No paint chips, but a few tiny scratches here and there if you look closely.
It always was a second or third bike, used mostly for touring. There is a small DENT in the top tube, barely visible, and not a functional problem. It has been there since 1992 with no ill effects.
Also available, for extra charge: Union BB generator, new in the box, and Mafac "tandem" cantilever brakes, used.
The bike was featured in Vintage Bicycle Quarterly Vol. 1, No. 2, p. 19 ("How to mount alloy fenders"). Color photos available upon request.
--
Jan Heine, Seattle
Editor/Publisher
Vintage Bicycle Quarterly
c/o Il Vecchio Bicycles
140 Lakeside Ave, Ste. C
Seattle WA 98122
http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com