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EXCLUSIVE

Merlin
XLM 29 Titanium Mountain Bike Frame

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The legend continues.

Shaped stays, both seat and chain, define the ride and form of modern hardtails. It all started over a quarter century ago, when Merlin set out to build a frame for the defending '85 NORBA champion -- and proudly lives on in this XLM 29 Titanium Mountain Bike Frame.


That Merlin resulted in two mountain bike firsts; curvy, manipulated stays and titanium as a frame medium. It also launched them into the lime light -- almost immediately, Merlin cutouts from period 'zines joined the airbrushed model shots and super car collages decorating shop work benches. Fast forward to today, and those manipulated stays now allow large, 2.4-inch twenty-niner rubber to comfortably reside in the XLM's stubby 17.5-inch chainstays.


No easy feat, considering the requirements of current one-by and narrow Q-factor cranks populating the bottom brackets of high-end, race-worthy 29ers. Just as important as tire/crank clearance, the XLM's mix of 3-2.5 titanium and appealing curves reward riders with an experience well out of reach of the omnipresent black weave -- no matter how much marketing magic is wished into carbon, its inherent dampening is going to feel dead and dull next to the XLM.


This is due to the double-butted 3Al-2.5V titanium's modulus and ability to express less deformity under stress than aluminum, but more so than carbon fiber. This translates to a responsive and direct feeling under load (think of a spring) that, unlike carbon fiber which redirects shock energy throughout the frame, creates a natural dampening of vibration with a lively ride.


Like all Merlins, the XLM possess oversized down, top, and seat tubes that are connected to a 44mm head tube and PressFit 30 bottom bracket. This produces a triangle that's extremely light and stiff for excellent steering response. In fact, Merlin was a pioneer of oversized tubing, dating back to its very first mountain bike designed for Joe Murray and later, designed with him.


Also, just like those originals, every XLM features American sourced titanium tubing and is hand-built in the USA. It even includes a Thomson seatpost collar to keep things on this side of the pond. When spec'd with a 100mm suspension fork sagged at 20%, the XLM's head tube angle settles in at 70 degrees with the BB floating above terra firma just over 12 inches.


A 120mm fork, on the other hand, will slacken the head tube slightly and raise the BB height. The seat tube tilts at a standard 73 degrees; it accepts 31.6mm posts and 34.9mm front derailleurs. The XLM is compatible with IS standard brake adapters and comes with a Shimano 12 x 142mm thru axle for the rear drops.


Staying true to the Merlin name, the XLM Titanium Mountain Bike Frame has a natural, brushed finish that will never rust -- even for those living seaside. It comes in sizes Medium, Large, and X-Large.


Frame Material
3-2.5 titanium
Suspension
hardtail
Head Tube Diameter
44mm
Headset Included
no
Bottom Bracket Type
PF30
Cable Routing
external
Front Derailleur Mount
34.9mm clamp-on
Derailleur Pull
top
Seatpost Diameter
31.6 mm
Seat Collar
Thomson
Recommended Use
cross country
Manufacturer Warranty
2 years

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