Old carbon

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uart
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Re: Old carbon

Postby uart » Tue Nov 06, 2018 3:23 pm

Lots of steel bikes wrote: The Z-plus is an interesting discussion. I’ve never seen a carbon tubed bike with welded joints but the bike owner has to be the best judge as he’s seeing it in the flesh.
How is your Merada (above) joined at the head tube?

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Re: Old carbon

Postby Lots of steel bikes » Tue Nov 06, 2018 3:44 pm

uart wrote:
Lots of steel bikes wrote: The Z-plus is an interesting discussion. I’ve never seen a carbon tubed bike with welded joints but the bike owner has to be the best judge as he’s seeing it in the flesh.
How is your Merada (above) joined at the head tube?
Aluminium lug. Like the seat tube join on the Merida 907. If you zoom in you can just make out the top tube join.

Image

gregedo
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Re: Old carbon

Postby gregedo » Thu Oct 03, 2019 6:19 pm

Lots of steel bikes wrote:Found another lugged carbon. Merida Extreme 990. The carbon weave looks great in the sunlight.
Image

Image
Hi! I realise this is an old thread, but I'm trying to find out some more info about the Merida Extreme 909. A colleague has gifted me his old one, so I'm now proudly riding this as my first ever road bike. He bought it second hand maybe about 15 yrs ago, and that is all I know! Any info would be gratefully received!!!

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pedalleur
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Re: Old carbon

Postby pedalleur » Fri Oct 04, 2019 2:59 pm

[quote="Lots of steel bikes"]Thought I’d post a few pics of my carbon fibre bikes.



Image

Nice collection.
I picked up a frame the same as this, no idea of the age.. i'm guessing 90s? new old stock apparently for just $50 {Not a scratch on it}
These are about the only carbon bikes i'd have ..like the aluminum lug idea

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Re: Old carbon

Postby Lots of steel bikes » Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:00 am

gregedo wrote:
Hi! I realise this is an old thread, but I'm trying to find out some more info about the Merida Extreme 909. A colleague has gifted me his old one, so I'm now proudly riding this as my first ever road bike. He bought it second hand maybe about 15 yrs ago, and that is all I know! Any info would be gratefully received!!!
As you have found it is very difficult to find info on these bikes. I believe that the 909 was the top of the line of the Extreme range but would need to find a catalog to confirm.

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Re: Old carbon

Postby Lots of steel bikes » Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:03 am

pedalleur wrote:
Lots of steel bikes wrote:Thought I’d post a few pics of my carbon fibre bikes.



Image

Nice collection.
I picked up a frame the same as this, no idea of the age.. i'm guessing 90s? new old stock apparently for just $50 {Not a scratch on it}
These are about the only carbon bikes i'd have ..like the aluminum lug idea
It’s amazing how many of these bikes can be found in such excellent condition.

gregedo
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Re: Old carbon

Postby gregedo » Fri Oct 25, 2019 12:07 pm

Lots of steel bikes wrote:
Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:00 am
gregedo wrote:
Hi! I realise this is an old thread, but I'm trying to find out some more info about the Merida Extreme 909. A colleague has gifted me his old one, so I'm now proudly riding this as my first ever road bike. He bought it second hand maybe about 15 yrs ago, and that is all I know! Any info would be gratefully received!!!
As you have found it is very difficult to find info on these bikes. I believe that the 909 was the top of the line of the Extreme range but would need to find a catalog to confirm.
Thanks man!!

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WyvernRH
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Re: Old carbon

Postby WyvernRH » Mon Jan 27, 2020 5:56 pm

Recently two Giant carbon tubed bikes have come to live in my garage. This is the first of them a a 1996(?) Giant CFR-3. Was very tatty with very few original parts, nominally a 59cm but nearer a 57cm by my measurement. After the rebuild it still has nowhere near the original spec but working fine now. This is to be my new 'at work' bike. The frame came up very nicely with a clean and polish-up with some light cutting car wax.

Image

Current parts spec:
Campag front hub on Mavic rim (original?)
Shimano 8 Speed rear on Weinmann rim - Standard issue replacement part quality but works fine.
Un-named 44cm bars (original ?) on a TTT stem sourced from spares to fit my reach
Rx100 brifters and twin pivot brakes (original I think)
Rx100 Chainset 50x42 rings (from my spares to replace the crappy MTB triple it came with)
Specialized SPD/flat pedals (for versatility at work)
Rx100 front derailleur (as above)
SunRace long arm rear derailleur - a bit of overkill but I was thinking of a triple originally
13-32 8 speed Shimano cassette (new)
Kalloy seat post from spares with original Giant saddle (very comfortable!)

It rides very nicely on short trips around town. The Rx100 brifters are showing their age and may well be replaced at some point if they get too annoying (and I can find some 8-speed replacements of course!)

Of course as soon as this CFR-3 was ready to roll a Cadex CFR1 (1993?) with a full Sachs/Campag/Cinelli fit out arrives in the garage...
Which will need a little attention as it has belonged to a triathlete at some point... :wink:
More details about this one in thread https://bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopi ... 3&t=102526.
When/if I finish getting it rolling I'll post finished pics on this thread.

Richard

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Re: Old carbon

Postby Lots of steel bikes » Mon Feb 03, 2020 1:08 pm

Good to see you’re getting into old carbon Richard. I just found a CFR2 to add to my collection. Will post a photo when I can.

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Re: Old carbon

Postby Lots of steel bikes » Mon Feb 03, 2020 1:26 pm

Lots of steel bikes wrote:
Mon Feb 03, 2020 1:08 pm
Good to see you’re getting into old carbon Richard. I just found a CFR2 to add to my collection. Will post a photo when I can.
Image

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WyvernRH
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Re: Old carbon

Postby WyvernRH » Thu Feb 13, 2020 2:09 pm

Bit of a cross-post, here is the Cadex CFR1 now it is all clean and tidy.

Image

Full story at: https://bicycles.net.au/forums/viewtopi ... 3&t=102526
Richard

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WyvernRH
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Re: Old carbon

Postby WyvernRH » Sun Jul 26, 2020 3:58 pm

Lots of steel bikes wrote:
Mon Oct 07, 2019 10:00 am
gregedo wrote: Image
Hi! I realise this is an old thread, but I'm trying to find out some more info about the Merida Extreme 909. A colleague has gifted me his old one, so I'm now proudly riding this as my first ever road bike. He bought it second hand maybe about 15 yrs ago, and that is all I know! Any info would be gratefully received!!!
As you have found it is very difficult to find info on these bikes. I believe that the 909 was the top of the line of the Extreme range but would need to find a catalog to confirm.

Resurrecting this one again as I am now in possession of a Merida Extreme 909 carbon/alloy frame exactly like the red/black frame in the original post. Just the frame - so I am wondering what to build it up with, when it was made etc etc. As noted above there is nothing obvious out on the web as far as I can see about early <sic> Merida bikes, this model especially.
So.. has anyone found anywhere out there that has a 90's (I'm assuming) Merida catalog or info? Or has a print copy from this era they might digitise?
My frame has an 'Imported by REPCO Cycles' sticker on the downtube so it was an official import at least. It did at one point have a bike shop sticker as well but that has disintegrated unfortunately. I picked it up on the Central Coast so it may have been used in anger around that area? Given the frame has been stripped of parts I'm assuming they were of a reasonable quality and so worth taking off.
The frame number is hidden under the plastic b'bracket cable guides and the screw that holds it is proving obstinate - so I will supply the frame number at a later date :P

I bought this as another variation of design in the short-lived carbon tubed frame era, to stand next to the Giant and TREK Carbon tubed bikes that have come to live with me (and as it was incredibly cheap!) so it would be nice to vaguely correct components on the frame.

Frame number is M3LI38889

Any help appreciated!

Richard

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WyvernRH
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Re: Old carbon

Postby WyvernRH » Tue Aug 04, 2020 8:41 am

And here is what my Merida Extreme 909 looks like now.

Image

It came as a bare frame and been built up with bits from the the spares box.

Its a little scruffy in real life, previous owners have not been over careful with the car bike rack/storing so I had to do a bit of paint patching and polishing.
It has been built up with a mixture of Shimano 600/Wolber wheels, Shimano 105 brake/gear levers from their blue phase, Shimano Rx100 2x7 speed drive train and Bontrager brakes (Sun-Race really I think?). Nitto bars and a generic alloy stem up front.
Haven't had a chance to do more than ride it around the block to tune the gears as of yet but it felt nice to ride.

Not sure why but recently my shed seems to have become a refuge for abandoned slightly scruffy 90's carbon tubed bikes recently, they must be out of fashion or something. From the lone TREK that I've had for a year or so now in a space of a few months I now have:

TREK 2300 Composite
Giant CFR 1
Giant CFR 3
Merida Extreme 909

If I don't count the bits from the spares box I think I'm averaging out about $100 a bike at the moment :shock:

Richard

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familyguy
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Re: Old carbon

Postby familyguy » Tue Aug 04, 2020 9:30 am

Came up pretty smart for a bitza.

Having cut the 3 main tubes out of a Trek 2300, I was surprised how well bonded the epoxy was to the CF tubing even after a few intervening years. Took a Stanley knife and a little convincing to lift the overflow off the inside of the tube. I've little doubt the lug bonds would still be solid after seeing that. I'm back to not-not keeping an eye out for one in my size 8)

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Re: Old carbon

Postby Lots of steel bikes » Mon Aug 17, 2020 2:45 pm

WyvernRH wrote:
Tue Aug 04, 2020 8:41 am
And here is what my Merida Extreme 909 looks like now.

Image
Very nice. I see you have the brake levers positioned similar to how I like mine.

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Re: Old carbon

Postby Lots of steel bikes » Mon Aug 17, 2020 3:08 pm

Found another CFR1. This one has the Sante group set except for the front and rear derailleur.
Even the hubs are Sante.
Image

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P!N20
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Re: Old carbon

Postby P!N20 » Mon Aug 17, 2020 3:44 pm

Lots of steel bikes wrote:
Mon Aug 17, 2020 3:08 pm
Found another CFR1.

You might need to think about a user name change :wink:

Love a bit of Sante.

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Re: Old carbon

Postby Lots of steel bikes » Mon Aug 17, 2020 4:12 pm

P!N20 wrote:
Mon Aug 17, 2020 3:44 pm
Lots of steel bikes wrote:
Mon Aug 17, 2020 3:08 pm
Found another CFR1.

You might need to think about a user name change :wink:
I probably should.

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10speedsemiracer
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Re: Old carbon

Postby 10speedsemiracer » Mon Aug 17, 2020 4:42 pm

P!N20 wrote:
Mon Aug 17, 2020 3:44 pm
.
.

Love a bit of Sante.
Same, and Rx100 white. Looks brilliant on the right frame..
Campagnolo for show, SunTour for go

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WyvernRH
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Re: Old carbon

Postby WyvernRH » Mon Aug 17, 2020 7:26 pm

Lots of steel bikes wrote:
Mon Aug 17, 2020 2:45 pm
Very nice. I see you have the brake levers positioned similar to how I like mine.
To be sure and how else would they be positioned? :D

Seriously, that's what all mine look like more or less, known as the 'Touring' position to UK CTC folk back in the day.
(as opposed to the lower more forward 'racing' position for the poseurs :wink: )

Richard

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WyvernRH
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Re: Old carbon

Postby WyvernRH » Wed May 12, 2021 5:29 pm

The Specialized Epic that followed me home recently (maybe 1993?) with external lugs - an early attempt at carbon tubed frame - built by Giant apparently.

Image

The build on this one is no-where near the original spec but the components are from the same period or just later.

I'll try and get a massed photo of all the carbon together (5 in hand now) when it stops raining!

I suppose I should keep looking for one of the European models or maybe a LOOK but any I've seen are all way out of my price range.

Richard

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Re: Old carbon

Postby Lots of steel bikes » Sun May 30, 2021 12:36 pm

WyvernRH wrote:
Wed May 12, 2021 5:29 pm
The Specialized Epic that followed me home recently (maybe 1993?) with external lugs - an early attempt at carbon tubed frame - built by Giant apparently.

Image

The build on this one is no-where near the original spec but the components are from the same period or just later.

I'll try and get a massed photo of all the carbon together (5 in hand now) when it stops raining!

I suppose I should keep looking for one of the European models or maybe a LOOK but any I've seen are all way out of my price range.

Richard

Looks good Richard.

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WyvernRH
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Re: Old carbon

Postby WyvernRH » Sat Jun 12, 2021 2:59 pm

Had the shed turned out for cleaning today so I thought I would take the opportunity to take a photo of all the carbon tubed bikes together.
Left to Right
Specialized Epic (1993?)
Merida Extreme 909 (1993)
Trek 2300 Composite (1992?)
Giant Cadex CFR-1 (1993?)
Giant CFR-3 (1996?)
Not a great photo but best I could do with the light and background in the garden.
Image
I have to say I really enjoy riding these bikes, they give (me) a very comfortable ride and transmit my meagre power out put efficiently. All handle very nicely, quick but not twitchy. The Epic veers a little more toward to twitchy maybe. I think maybe you could get yourself into problems on a tight high speed corner with the front tucking in if you didn't have a firm hand with that one.

Richard

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Re: Old carbon

Postby 80's Rider » Fri Mar 25, 2022 9:16 am

A slightly shabby Giant CFR One. Shimano 600 components stamped T, so 1995.
Image

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Re: Old carbon

Postby 80's Rider » Sat Mar 26, 2022 9:13 am

Replying to my own post.
Back to the museum again today. :)
This time on a slightly larger 1995 Giant CFR Two, equipped with Shimano 105.
Image
These are the only 2 carbon fibre bikes I own. Maybe I should look out for a CFR Three...

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