Merlin Titanium Road Bike Review

Titanium bikes are prized for the longevity that comes from the metal s resistance to corrosion and fatigue and for its rather lovely silver grey colour.

Merlin titanium road bike review.

Compliance is left to the tires and wheelset you choose. Best road bikes under 1 000. From the beautifully designed head badge featuring the famed bird of prey to the s bend stays to the uniform welds at each juncture every handmade aerospace grade titanium bike is not only a work of art but a feat of engineering. Back to the cielo frameset though over rolling roads it s a delight.

With a density between steel and aluminium titanium is a great material for bikes. The merlin cordite ultegra r8000 provides a lot of bike for your money. 4 0 out of 5 star rating 4 0. You won t get the reynolds ouzo pro full carbon fork that we had but the full carbon easton ec90 sl blends strength and lightweight performance equally well.

On the road this bike is a blast to ride. Merlin cordite sl review. The first titanium bike to fully achieve the metal s promise it was as strong as steel but lighter and possessed a unique and pleasing road feel slightly more forgiving with a little extra. It s a bike that s designed for the long haul both in terms of the road and life.

The handling is responsive no matter the speed and no matter if you are in or out of the saddle. A titanium bike can be lighter than steel without the big tubes of aluminium or carbon fibre. It has no pretentiousness and very few nods to fads. The merlin feels incredibly stiff and tugged at the wannabe racer in everyone who rode the bike.

It s a competent long distance performer with a comfortable ride and is light enough and has the gear range to tackle uphill. All that titanium and carbon does a good job of neutralising road buzz to keep you comfortable during long rides. Value road bike sorcery. The two brands were connected by frame building legend tom kellogg.

After over a month of riding the merlin extralight we found that it was largely what we were expecting. Back in 2008 the helium was ridley s lightest frameset weighing.