Hello,
I have been riding a Merckx MX Leader for two years and was wondering if anyone has experience with the MX Leader and an Aegis road bike. I ride between 100 and 200 miles per week including a 100+ almost every Saturday in the mountains. I value stability and comfort on rough roads. I have heard that the Aegis is super smooth and stable.

Thanks,
Doug

It does not get much more stable than a Merckx MX Leader. If you have not tried an Ageis,anythig else is just subjective opinion.

Thanks boudreaux
I have a friend with and Aegis Aro Svelt that is acouple of sizes too small for me but he is going to try to get it set up so that I can test it out. You mentioned that it does not get much more stable that a MX Leader. Is there anything comparable in Carbon or Ti?

I would not care to speculate. Part of the magic of the Merckx was the steel Max tubing and heavy weight of the frame. Current light stiff frames go the opposite direction.

I guess I was wondering if some of the MX Leader's comfort was due to it's weight. It is hard for me to test ride bikes because of my extreamly long legs and shot torso. (84.5cm from BB to top of saddle) It may take alot of effert but I'll just have to try and find some tall demo bikes.
Thanks again,

I've got a Merckx Corsa .01 and a Merckx AX ti. I suspect that you are considering the Aegis due to lighter weight. Greenville is a pretty hilly area and shaving some weight would definitely help on the hills. You might consider one of the Merckx ti frames if you like the handling of your MX Leader and want something lighter. My Merckx ti is about 2 lbs. lighter than the steel Corsa, and I notice the difference when climbing. The two bikes handle nearly identically, equipped with same wheels. My Merckx ti has a Serotta F1 carbon fork, and it's smoother on rough pavement than the steel fork on my Corsa. The only downside to the Merckx ti frames is their decals/graphics aren't too appealing. I bought my AX frame used, removed the old decals and replaced them with new ones from Gita. The replacement decals are much better quality and more durable than the cheesy ones they put on the new ti Merckx Majestic.

Hello Tarwheel,
I assume from your name that you are familiar with the Mountains around Tryon, Ceasars Head, etc. Thanks for your input! I have really been thinking about the Merckx Ti. It is very hard for me to demo a bike because of my leg length. 34" from crank center to top of saddle. I rode a friend's Aegis last night but the saddle was 3.5" lower than I needed. The road feel was similar to my MX Leader. I have also considered a Merlin SuperLite Custom.

Hi-Fi,
My in-laws live in Greenville, and I generally bring my bicycle and ride there while visiting. The ride from Furman to Saluda is one of my favorite rides, mainly for the stop at the bakery.

If you're looking at carbon, you might also want to check out Calfee bikes. They can customize their geometry as well. If you like the MX Leader handling, though, I think you would be very pleased with a Merckx ti. I am amazed out how similar my two Merckx handle. I'm not sure about the aluminum and al/carbon Merckx bikes. I am sure they handle similar, but probably don't ride as smoothly on rough pavement and might not be as durable.

Thanks Tarwheel,
I love the Saluda ride also. Never get tired of the scenery! I leave from Simpsonville, ride by Furman to meet friends, climb past Camp Old Indian, climb the grade, eat, and back. It's a nice 109 miles with 5000+feet of climbing. I read some reviews on the Merckx TeamSC and most comment that it handles like it is on rails. Sounds familiar.

Source I have list frame weight of the Corsa 01 as 4.25 pounds and the AX at 3.3. Difference in parts probably accounts for the other pound.

Hello Tarwheel,
I went on a group ride this morning at our local bike dealer. One of the riders had a new Merckx Magestic Ti, in my size!! He let me try it out after our ride. It was wonderful!!! It had the stability of my MX Leader with buttery smooth dampening of road vibration. I'm sold on Ti. I am scheduled to go and be measured by my LBS this coming week. They will measure me and my bike and send the info to Merlin to see if I need a custom or if a stock frame will work. The Merckx Ti is made in the same factory so I could possibly have them duplicate it. I'm excited.
Thanks for your input.

Correct. It's not just the frame, but fork and other parts that makes the ti Merckx lighter. However, my Corsa (size 57) is heavier than published weights -- it's about 6 lbs. just for the frame and fork. Merckx steel forks are very heavy, about 1.5 lbs. My ti Merckx has a Serotta carbon fork, so that accounts for about 1/2 pound.

Also, the new Merckx Majestic ti frames come equipped with Reynolds Ouzo Pro carbon forks, so with that combination they probably are at least 2 lbs. lighter than an all-steel MX Leader.

Steel Merckx frames have some great qualities, but lightness isn't one of them. My Corsa w/ Ultegra group, Mavic Open Pro wheels, and Look pedals weighs 22 lbs.

I think that my MX Leader Motorola 60cm w/MXL tubing and Cane Creek AeroHead wheels, weighs in at a robust 24lbs. The Ti Merckx Majestic did have a Reynolds fork.
Thanks

I think that my MX Leader Motorola 60cm w/MXL tubing and Cane Creek AeroHead wheels, weighs in at a robust 24lbs. The Ti Merckx Majestic did have a Reynolds fork.
Thanks

the 650g weight I have for a Serotta F-1 translates to 1.45 pounds. Serotta never promoted it as being a lightweight,and given that their ad hype states they were trying to duplicate the ride of a steel fork,one wonders why they bothered given the cost. Maybe it damps a few more vibrations?