[CR]Mercian Vincitore first impressions

(Example: Framebuilding:Paint)

Date: Fri, 17 Jan 2003 09:57:04 -0500
From: <velocio@meta-net.net>
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
Subject: [CR]Mercian Vincitore first impressions

My new Mercian Vincitore arrived yesterday afternoon. I built it up last night, but it may be a bit before I have a ride report. There are NO photos at the moment, but I'll do something about that soon. The plan is to put up a new website featuring this bike, my Riv, and others as time permits.

Observations -

- Paint and finish work is lovely. If we call Joe Bell's work on my Rivendell a 10, this is around a 9, at least in my eyes. They're different types of paint and ways of painting, too - comparing Imron to stoved enamel may be comparing apples to oranges. JB's details are a tad crisper, but the paint work done by Mercian has a LOT more details. All the lugs are lined with gold, as well as the windows, etc. I like it a lot.

- All braze-ons are neat and crisp. I haven't fitted bottles to the fittings on down and seat tubes, as I plan on using bar-mounted cages, but those are clean and simple. The lamp mount on the left fork blade is simple, elegant, but still inspires confidence that it will work for a very long time.

- The lugs are purty! They're the fancy Vincitore pattern, with fill work on the head tube and lug lining in gold. When I was unwrapping the frame, I did the head tube area first, and just sat there a minute gazing with a big grin.

- All tolerances were snug and crisp - I had a bad moment with the front brake allen key hole, but it worked its way in smoothly. The paint was a tad thick in there, I suppose.

- I didn't realize I was getting full fender mounts - i.e., the underside of the brake bridge is drilled and tapped. There's also a mount on the inside rear of the fork crown, drilled and tapped for running a bolt through the fender. All fender bolts were included, as well as bottle cage bolts.

- The track ends have some good length to them; feel pretty substantial; and are yet clean and in proportion. Like everything else, it looks nicely done to me.

- Peeking into the BB shell before assembly, everything looked nicely mitered and fitted together. Good, clean work, and I was quite pleased.

I hope to have decent weather for a ride soon. I still need to get mudguards to complete this one ...

regards,
Russ Fitzgerald
Greenwood, SC
velocio@meta-net.net