My special thanks go to everyone at Mercian for constructing such a wonderful frame and for letting me make some minor changes, including the addition of one of the new metal headbadges, before my frame went into production. Additionally, since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, innocent bystanders will have to make up their own minds about my color scheme, but it is exactly as I had hoped it would be, and I could not be happier.

I would also like to thank Roger Schroeder at the International Pro Bike Shop in Bellbrook, Ohio for his great help in completing my bike just as I had imagined it. It is truly an outstanding machine.

Fred B.
Hebron, Kentucky
USA

In case anyone is interested, here are the finishing and component details for my 2011 Mercian Strada Speciale:

FINISHING AND COSMETICS
Frame Color – No. 1 Emerald Green Flamboyant
Head Tube, Seat Tube Panel, and Bands – No. 7 Ruby Flamboyant lined with No. 10 Gold Polychromatic.
Lug Lining – No. 10 Gold Polychromatic. Cast Clover Leaf Cutouts and Fork Crown Cutouts filled with No. 7 Ruby Flamboyant and Lined with No. 10 Gold Polychromatic.
Down Tube – Gold Gothic Text Transfer
Head Tube – Mercian Headbadge
Seat Tube – Crest Transfer
Top of Seat Tube – 853 Tubing Transfer
Brake Guides – 3 Through Guides on Lower Left-Hand Side
Rear Dropouts – Vertical
Geometry - Custom

COMPONENTS
Full Campagnolo Athena 11s silver alloy gruppo
Campagnolo Record alloy threaded headset
Campagnolo quick release skewers
White Industries hubs
D/T Swiss Competition double butted spokes and Pro Lock brass nipples
Mavic Open Pro rims
Schwalbe Ultremo DD 700 x 23C tires
Schwalbe SV15 40mm butyl inner tubes
Nitto S-83 seatpost
Nitto Deluxe stem
Nitto M190 Euro 80 handlebar
Nitto Bottle Cage R
MKS Sylvan Touring Pedals with MKS Super Deep Steel Toeclips and MKS Spin-II Pedal Flips
Brooks B15 Swallow Chrome Saddle in Honey Color
Brooks Leather Bar Tape in Honey Color (with oil finish on wood plugs)
Brooks Toe Straps in Honey Color
Zimbale Leather Saddlebag in Honey Color
Jagwire Tube Tops rubber cable/frame protectors

Thank you Fred for your pictures and email earlier this week.