[Eric_H]

I have a 2002 Merlin Extralight, with the hourglass shaped integrated headtube. Don't bother to tell me about the woes of integrated headsets....I already know them! However, the Merlin/Litespeed design does have "cups" that sit in the frame, therefore it is not that different than any other headset.

Merlin/Litespeed made a change to the cups in late 2002. The original design was compatible with both the Campy and Cane Creek design, however it was found that the Cane Creek bearings would slop in the races no matter what. So the cups were re-designed around the Cane Creek design only, and will now only fit a Cane Creek IS bearing. Merlin has sent me the new cups and I am about to put a new fork on my bike, so I need to change out the cups. The Merlin rep I spoke to on the phone said it can be done using the Park HS press. I have no Merlin dealer locally, so I am on my own here.

Does anyone have experience doing this? I assume I can just bang out the old cups with the cup removal tool and then press in the new cups using the wide flat upper piece of the Park HS press so I do not damage the surface where the bearings sit. Thoughts?

 

[Pierre]

I'm not expert, but think you're right.

If you have a digital camera and some time, would you mind posting somewhere a picture gallery of your Merlin ? I have a 99 model and would like to see what has changed. As far as I know, changes are this integrated headtube (why did they do that ???), the engraved stuff, and the shape of the seat stays.

Thanks,

Pierre

 

[trekmtnrider]

Merlin cups (not Janets)

You should be able to knock that thing out. I just built my new Merlin that uses a Cane Creek IS-6 Integrated HS and it the aluminum cups look to be just pressed in. Dont forget to use Ti prep when you press in the new cups...

Andy

 

[Eric_H]

no time for pictures

I do not have enough time for pictures, but the main changes from 1999 to the new 2004 model:

1) Integrated 1.125" headtube, introduced 2002, an earlier version in 2001, the 1999 was 1" non-integrated.

2) S-bend seatstays, introduced 2002.

3) 1" chainstays, introduced 2004.

4) Engraved BB shell, dropouts, introduced 2003.

If I was doing it all again, I would get a custom Extralight with a conventional 1.125" head tube.

 

[Calvin Jones-Park Tool]

Possibly not "integrated" but internal

It may be that this is not an "integrated" headset at all. Look closely at the bearing. Is there a lip on the bearing that would sit on the headtube face? Or, does the bearing sit fully inside the headtube? From what you describe, it seems likely this is the case.

Does it look like the image below?

This is a pressed raced, it is simply very low profile, but it is not "integrated". There is a tolerance fit of nominally 0.1mm, and is pressed in like any "conventional" headset. The cup and "bearing" are self contained.

See basic background of headsets at https://www.parktool.com/repair_help/howfix_headtypes.shtml