In January 2003, our trusty Merlin--originally purchased in 1991--finally gave up the ghost, cracking through the bottom bracket, seat tube, and down tube.  Thankfully, Merlin (check our their web site at www.merlinbike.com) warrants their frames for life, and they graciously replaced our frame with a brand-new Agilis model.  

Note: This bike is no longer part of our stable. These photos and info are here for archival purposes only.

We had the frame built with the Centaur parts that had been on our former Merlin, plus a few new pieces to fit the larger, 1-1/8-inch steerer tube on the new bike.  Shown below are photos of the finished product.

The Merlin frame is very, very nicely finished--they have the art of welding titanium nailed.  The welds are smooth, the beads almost other-worldly perfect.

The tried-and-true Tom Kellogg geometry handles well--the bike is stable enough for easy hands-off riding, but dives into turns confidently.  We ran the frame's specs through a calculator and came up with just under 6 inches of trail--right on the money for great handling (Merlin matches fork rake to frame size to keep trail within proper parameters).

The Agilis' compact geometry's looks take a little getting used to, but it has a cool, techno appearance that we like (although it's worlds away in looks and philosophy from our Richard Sachs). A few cool features:  the oversized top and down tubes, the massive 7/8" chainstays, the one-piece machined brake bridge, and the oversized integrated head tube.  Thoughtfully made and bomb-proof, we'll be riding this bike a lot.

Dscn1820_800.jpg (202979 bytes)
We kept the black-and-Ti color scheme of our former Merlin
Dscn1821_800.jpg (214862 bytes) Dscn1823_800.jpg (79084 bytes)
9-speed shifting--who needs 10-speed?
Dscn1824_800.jpg (177215 bytes)
Non-Campy carbon crankset. Click here for more info
Dscn1825_800.jpg (148957 bytes)
Scirocco wheelset is a great value. Click here for our road test
Fork is a matching Merlin all-carbon (legs, crown, steerer)
Dscn1826_800.jpg (168000 bytes) Dscn1827_800.jpg (76416 bytes)
Agilis frame features an integrated headset. Campy makes a matching headset--this frame came with Cane Creek's version. The Merlin fork is designed to complement the integrated headset
Click on any image for a larger version Dscn1828_800.jpg (105760 bytes)
Cinelli bar and stem are "Groove"-y
Dscn1829_800.jpg (174292 bytes)
Top view shows the "hourglass" seatstays

Specs:

Frame:  Merlin 3/2.5 Titanium Alloy (read about it at http://www.merlinbike.com/english/bikes/agilis.html
Fork: Merlin full carbon
Crankset:  "Carbonlord" carbon fiber, Campagnolo 53/39 chainrings and bolts
Bottom Bracket:  Chorus 102mm
Ergo Levers: Centaur 9-speed
Brakes: Centaur
Derailleurs: Centaur
Wheels: Scirocco
Headset: Cane Creek
Bar/Stem: Cinelli Groove/"B" Groove
Seatpost:
Record carbon (photos show a Ritchey post, since changed out)

About Centaur--We've used Daytona/Centaur equipment for more than a year now (as of March 2003), and can confidently say that it is perhaps Campagnolo's best value.  You get a very nicely finished gruppo that works very nearly as well as Record, with a not too significant weight penalty.  All this for $589.88 from Branford Bike (a Campy Only sponsor)--at this price, you can buy two Centaur gruppos for the price of one Record gruppo, and have about $100 left over . . . For more info, check out Branford Bike's Centaur page, at http://www.branfordbike.com/gruppos/gruppo3.html