Dear CR listees, And especially any list members in Great Britain and Ireland, where do MERCIAN frameset and bicycles, fall in the category of LIGHTWEIGHT club bicycles? I'm considering buying an early 1980's Mercian and would like to know what the club rider's in England and the like thought of Mercian as a "custom'' lightweight....or where exactly it stands in the heirarchy of collectable and rideable bicycles from the CR approved era (in my case 1981). I would love to buy many of the bicycles I see listed on ebay, in England, or for sale by CR list members in England, but I prefer to buy something I can see first hand and available locally to me, here in the United States. I've been following the comments by all on the F.W. Evans, Selbachs etc. by our list members "across the pond", and I hope we don't lose any list members over the current discussion. You guys bring a lot to the table and from my one touring experience in Great Britain and Ireland in 1989 your bicycle traditions and clubs really are something to behold. I for one highly value all our list members experiences from time in the saddle to time spent reading up on the myriad of subjects,that get debated here on the CR list. I'm hoping more of the list members from across the pond will be able to make it to Cirque 2006. I rode a great 48 miles yesterday out to Leesburg,Virginia on one of my lugged frame bicycles. I'm looking forward to CIRQUE 2006 IN GREENSBORO,NORTH CAROLINA. Yours truly, Marty Walsh in sunny Vienna,VA., U.S. A.