Looking for info on older Merckx bike

[* * Chas]

Someone offered me an older Eddy Merckx Belgian made steel frame bike.

I wasn't all that interested at the time and so I didn't get much info on
it. Now my curiosity is getting the better of me.

The bike has a flat top crown with Eddy on one side and Merckx on the
other. The sticker on the frame says Columbus SL tubing. Another sticker
says Made in Belgium. It has a full Campy grupo with C Record Delta or
Delta Croce D'aune brakes. It's in very good condition with almost no
scratches in the paint or components.

Is there a site where I can get some info on these bikes?

I searched on Google and couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?

Chas.

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

* * Chas wrote:
> Someone offered me an older Eddy Merckx Belgian made steel frame bike.
>
> I wasn't all that interested at the time and so I didn't get much info on
> it. Now my curiosity is getting the better of me.
>
> The bike has a flat top crown with Eddy on one side and Merckx on the
> other. The sticker on the frame says Columbus SL tubing. Another sticker
> says Made in Belgium. It has a full Campy grupo with C Record Delta or
> Delta Croce D'aune brakes. It's in very good condition with almost no
> scratches in the paint or components.
>
> Is there a site where I can get some info on these bikes?
>
> I searched on Google and couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?
>
> Chas.

Peter Chisholm might have some info.My very general comment would be:
"Nice bike!"

Re: the brakes, if the springs are visible on the back, they're CdA, if
not, Record. Also, if it has the early aero/non-aero levers with the
"power grade" adjuster, replacing them will really improve the feel of
the brakes

 

[Qui si parla Campagnolo]

* * Chas wrote:
> Someone offered me an older Eddy Merckx Belgian made steel frame bike.
>
> I wasn't all that interested at the time and so I didn't get much info on
> it. Now my curiosity is getting the better of me.
>
> The bike has a flat top crown with Eddy on one side and Merckx on the
> other. The sticker on the frame says Columbus SL tubing. Another sticker
> says Made in Belgium. It has a full Campy grupo with C Record Delta or
> Delta Croce D'aune brakes. It's in very good condition with almost no
> scratches in the paint or components.
>
> Is there a site where I can get some info on these bikes?
>
> I searched on Google and couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?
>
> Chas.

Nice bike!!

Judging from the components and SL, probably in the mid to late 80s...

 

[Derk]

* * Chas wrote:

> Someone offered me an older Eddy Merckx Belgian made steel frame bike.
> The bike has a flat top crown with Eddy on one side and Merckx on the
> other. The sticker on the frame says Columbus SL tubing. Another sticker
> says Made in Belgium. It has a full Campy grupo with C Record Delta or
> Delta Croce D'aune brakes. It's in very good condition with almost no
> scratches in the paint or components.
Like this one?

http://www.bikecult.com/works/archive/merckx711.html

Derk

 

[[email protected]]

* * Chas wrote:
> Someone offered me an older Eddy Merckx Belgian made steel frame bike.
>
> I wasn't all that interested at the time and so I didn't get much info on
> it. Now my curiosity is getting the better of me.
>
> The bike has a flat top crown with Eddy on one side and Merckx on the
> other. The sticker on the frame says Columbus SL tubing. Another sticker
> says Made in Belgium. It has a full Campy grupo with C Record Delta or
> Delta Croce D'aune brakes. It's in very good condition with almost no
> scratches in the paint or components.
>
> Is there a site where I can get some info on these bikes?
>
> I searched on Google and couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?

Merckx Corsa Extra:
http://sports.webshots.com/album/553386006AbwIxI

The flat crown could be "early", or Corsa model (no "extras"), or
custom order like a friend, who doesn't like sloping crowns, has on his
Corsa Extra custom.

I might have an old catalog around here-- I'm thinking Corsa existed
first, then Corsa Extra followed, with Corsa still available, maybe in
a different steel tubeset. (Do I know how to fish for authoritative
correction, or what?)

Does it have a pump peg on the headtube? My (delivered in early) 1984
SL didn't, later "same" bikes that year did, at least from what came
into the local shop. I don't know for sure when the SLX bikes started
showing up, but "by '86" sounds about right.

Mine had the "plug in" under-BB cable guide, too, which was another
item of the times, like the second (or first!) bottle cage mount, and
pump peg on headtube.

There are some differences in the decals, too, IMS. Some letter shapes,
and outlining, which might be significant.

Some people liked those steel Eddy's, some didn't ("too heavy,
flexible"). Mine worked great on the dirt road rides of yore. Metallic
red over silver. Hot stuff for the times. --D-y

 

[Ernst Blofeld]

[email protected] wrote:
> Some people liked those steel Eddy's, some didn't ("too heavy,
> flexible"). Mine worked great on the dirt road rides of yore.

Yeah, I flogged mine up and down a few dirt roads.

It was a *****in bike once you got it above 20 mph. Great in
a crowd or on descents, lots of stability.

My circa '87 bike had a fully sloping fork crown and SLX.
Oddly, a few years later I picked up a warranty replacement Corsa
with a flat fork crown. I wonder if they just had it sitting back
in the warehouse for a few years.

 

[Tim McTeague]

>
> Merckx Corsa Extra:
> http://sports.webshots.com/album/553386006AbwIxI
>
I had one of these in yellow with white panels years ago back when Eddy only
had one road frame. It was made of Columbus SL tubing. It replaced a
Condor Italia that got killed by a car that put me in the hospital for a
couple of days. While recovering I had loads of fun going over bike
catalogs planning on how to spend the insurance money, the Percocet helped I
think. Anyway, the Merckx was a nice bike but did not seem to ride as
nicely as the Condor. Very stable but just a bit heavy and boring. It felt
neither stiff nor alive. After about 5 years I replaced it with a Spectrum
Ti and that was wonderful except for a slightly too quick steering tendency.
I road that for 10 years and then moved on to a custom Seven Axiom. The
Merckx paint was also prone to chipping which lead to rust, mostly around
the top mounted brake cable eyes.

Tim McTeague

 

[* * Chas]

"Ozark Bicycle" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> * * Chas wrote:
> > Someone offered me an older Eddy Merckx Belgian made steel frame bike.
> >
> > I wasn't all that interested at the time and so I didn't get much info
on
> > it. Now my curiosity is getting the better of me.
> >
> > The bike has a flat top crown with Eddy on one side and Merckx on the
> > other. The sticker on the frame says Columbus SL tubing. Another
sticker
> > says Made in Belgium. It has a full Campy grupo with C Record Delta or
> > Delta Croce D'aune brakes. It's in very good condition with almost no
> > scratches in the paint or components.
> >
> > Is there a site where I can get some info on these bikes?
> >
> > I searched on Google and couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?
> >
> > Chas.
>
> Peter Chisholm might have some info.My very general comment would be:
> "Nice bike!"
>
> Re: the brakes, if the springs are visible on the back, they're CdA, if
> not, Record. Also, if it has the early aero/non-aero levers with the
> "power grade" adjuster, replacing them will really improve the feel of
> the brakes
>

Thanks for the tips. The bike has aero levers with DT shifters. The seller
seems to think that it has a CdA grupo. I'm going to look at it again
tomorrow.

It's a solid non metallic dark red. If it were Ferrari red I'd be a LOT
more interested.

Chas.

 

[* * Chas]

"Ozark Bicycle" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> * * Chas wrote:
> > Someone offered me an older Eddy Merckx Belgian made steel frame bike.
> >
> > I wasn't all that interested at the time and so I didn't get much info
on
> > it. Now my curiosity is getting the better of me.
> >
> > The bike has a flat top crown with Eddy on one side and Merckx on the
> > other. The sticker on the frame says Columbus SL tubing. Another
sticker
> > says Made in Belgium. It has a full Campy grupo with C Record Delta or
> > Delta Croce D'aune brakes. It's in very good condition with almost no
> > scratches in the paint or components.
> >
> > Is there a site where I can get some info on these bikes?
> >
> > I searched on Google and couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?
> >
> > Chas.
>
> Peter Chisholm might have some info.My very general comment would be:
> "Nice bike!"
>
> Re: the brakes, if the springs are visible on the back, they're CdA, if
> not, Record. Also, if it has the early aero/non-aero levers with the
> "power grade" adjuster, replacing them will really improve the feel of
> the brakes
>

I checked out the bike closely today. The brakes have external springs so
they're CdA. There's small adjusting screws in slots in the top front of
the aero levers. They have white hoods.

Chas.

 

[* * Chas]

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> * * Chas wrote:
> > Someone offered me an older Eddy Merckx Belgian made steel frame bike.
> >
> > I wasn't all that interested at the time and so I didn't get much info
on
> > it. Now my curiosity is getting the better of me.
> >
> > The bike has a flat top crown with Eddy on one side and Merckx on the
> > other. The sticker on the frame says Columbus SL tubing. Another
sticker
> > says Made in Belgium. It has a full Campy grupo with C Record Delta or
> > Delta Croce D'aune brakes. It's in very good condition with almost no
> > scratches in the paint or components.
> >
> > Is there a site where I can get some info on these bikes?
> >
> > I searched on Google and couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?
>
> Merckx Corsa Extra:
> http://sports.webshots.com/album/553386006AbwIxI
>
> The flat crown could be "early", or Corsa model (no "extras"), or
> custom order like a friend, who doesn't like sloping crowns, has on his
> Corsa Extra custom.
>
> I might have an old catalog around here-- I'm thinking Corsa existed
> first, then Corsa Extra followed, with Corsa still available, maybe in
> a different steel tubeset. (Do I know how to fish for authoritative
> correction, or what?)
>
> Does it have a pump peg on the headtube? My (delivered in early) 1984
> SL didn't, later "same" bikes that year did, at least from what came
> into the local shop. I don't know for sure when the SLX bikes started
> showing up, but "by '86" sounds about right.
>
> Mine had the "plug in" under-BB cable guide, too, which was another
> item of the times, like the second (or first!) bottle cage mount, and
> pump peg on headtube.
>
> There are some differences in the decals, too, IMS. Some letter shapes,
> and outlining, which might be significant.
>
> Some people liked those steel Eddy's, some didn't ("too heavy,
> flexible"). Mine worked great on the dirt road rides of yore. Metallic
> red over silver. Hot stuff for the times. --D-y
>

Thanks for the info. I checked out the bike in detail today. The bike is
solid non metallic dark red with chrome front and rear dropouts. It looks
like at one time you could get either flat top or sloping fork crowns:

http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/eddy_merckx2/6.jpg

It's stamped 6C on one side of the BB and 84xx on the other and it has
cast in or brazed on cable guides on the bottom. There's a pump peg on the
headtube and it has mounting points for 2 water bottle cages.

The brakes are CdA with aero levers and white hoods. The back sides of the
cranks have a 41 stamped in a square. It has a 7 speed freewheel and non
index DT shifters. The FD is either CdA or C Record and the rear
derailleur has the solid cover over the top pulley that looks like a
fender skirt on an old Indian motorcycle. The hubs have flat black dust
covers, the rims are Campy aero style. The seatpost is Campy aero. The
bars and stem are Cinelli with an XA style stem.

On closer inspection it's not as cherry as I thought. There's some rust
under the brake cable housing near the front of the top tube and there's
about a 6" line of blistered paint on the underside.

Some of the components may have been changed.

Any additional info would be appreciated. I'm shying away from this bike
but a friend is interested in it.

Guess a value???

Chas.

 

[* * Chas]

"Tim McTeague" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> >
> > Merckx Corsa Extra:
> > http://sports.webshots.com/album/553386006AbwIxI
> >
> I had one of these in yellow with white panels years ago back when Eddy
only
> had one road frame. It was made of Columbus SL tubing. It replaced a
> Condor Italia that got killed by a car that put me in the hospital for a
> couple of days. While recovering I had loads of fun going over bike
> catalogs planning on how to spend the insurance money, the Percocet
helped I
> think. Anyway, the Merckx was a nice bike but did not seem to ride as
> nicely as the Condor. Very stable but just a bit heavy and boring. It
felt
> neither stiff nor alive. After about 5 years I replaced it with a
Spectrum
> Ti and that was wonderful except for a slightly too quick steering
tendency.
> I road that for 10 years and then moved on to a custom Seven Axiom. The
> Merckx paint was also prone to chipping which lead to rust, mostly
around
> the top mounted brake cable eyes.
>
> Tim McTeague
>

The bike I'm looking at has some rust under the brake cable housing on the
top tube and blistering underneath, probably from sweat. Just like
Colnagos are prone to. It seems like those folks never heard of primer!

Chas.

 

[[email protected]]

* * Chas wrote:
> http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/eddy_merckx2/6.jpg

"looks familiar" <g>

> It's stamped 6C on one side of the BB and 84xx on the other and it has
> cast in or brazed on cable guides on the bottom. There's a pump peg on the
> headtube and it has mounting points for 2 water bottle cages.

>From my limited recollection, I'm guessing it's a Corsa SL from '84 or
later.

(Still fishing, you notice...)

> On closer inspection it's not as cherry as I thought. There's some rust
> under the brake cable housing near the front of the top tube and there's
> about a 6" line of blistered paint on the underside.

"Used, steel, paint, rust".

Sad but true. I went to plain Ti (old Litespeed Catalyst) for a user.
With decals removed.

> Any additional info would be appreciated. I'm shying away from this bike
> but a friend is interested in it.

> Guess a value???

If you look on Completed Items listings in ebay, you'll see prices all
over the place on these, which reflects condition, components, and even
photography and shipping costs.

One option is to part it out, except maybe for a "C Record"- style
seatpost if it has one (not the lower models with the clunky clamp area
attachment), get a good, possibly non-correct but "real" paint job
(w/primer!), maybe some Merckx decals if they aren't priced on the
moon, and ride it until the next repaint. --D-y

 

[* * Chas]

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> * * Chas wrote:
> > http://bulgier.net/pics/bike/Catalogs/eddy_merckx2/6.jpg
>
> "looks familiar" <g>
>
> > It's stamped 6C on one side of the BB and 84xx on the other and it has
> > cast in or brazed on cable guides on the bottom. There's a pump peg on
the
> > headtube and it has mounting points for 2 water bottle cages.
>
> >From my limited recollection, I'm guessing it's a Corsa SL from '84 or
> later.
>
> (Still fishing, you notice...)
>
> > On closer inspection it's not as cherry as I thought. There's some
rust
> > under the brake cable housing near the front of the top tube and
there's
> > about a 6" line of blistered paint on the underside.
>
> "Used, steel, paint, rust".
>
> Sad but true. I went to plain Ti (old Litespeed Catalyst) for a user.
> With decals removed.
>
> > Any additional info would be appreciated. I'm shying away from this
bike
> > but a friend is interested in it.
>
> > Guess a value???
>
> If you look on Completed Items listings in ebay, you'll see prices all
> over the place on these, which reflects condition, components, and even
> photography and shipping costs.
>
> One option is to part it out, except maybe for a "C Record"- style
> seatpost if it has one (not the lower models with the clunky clamp area
> attachment), get a good, possibly non-correct but "real" paint job
> (w/primer!), maybe some Merckx decals if they aren't priced on the
> moon, and ride it until the next repaint. --D-y
>

Thanks again....

I've traditionally bought luxury items with the idea of using them for a
while and being able to resell them for 1/3 to 1/2 of what I paid. I've
had some bikes in new condition that I never rode because they were too
pretty and I didn't want to mess them up. So now I look for older pro
quality bikes that show some wear and go enjoy riding them without
worrying about getting them dirty.

In the case of this bike, the seller wants too much for it but I can
probably get it for 25% less than asking (which still may be too much).
I've been trying to find out the details to decide what it's worth to me.
Since I'm not wild about the color and it's not in pristine condition, it
has 2 strikes already so I would be buying it to ride not look at. If it
were a brighter red and in better condition with matching components I'd
be jumping all over it just to hang on the wall. I'm still checking it out
because a friend is interested in it.

Chas.

 

[Ozark Bicycle]

* * Chas wrote:
> "Ozark Bicycle" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> >
> > * * Chas wrote:
> > > Someone offered me an older Eddy Merckx Belgian made steel frame bike.
> > >
> > > I wasn't all that interested at the time and so I didn't get much info
> on
> > > it. Now my curiosity is getting the better of me.
> > >
> > > The bike has a flat top crown with Eddy on one side and Merckx on the
> > > other. The sticker on the frame says Columbus SL tubing. Another
> sticker
> > > says Made in Belgium. It has a full Campy grupo with C Record Delta or
> > > Delta Croce D'aune brakes. It's in very good condition with almost no
> > > scratches in the paint or components.
> > >
> > > Is there a site where I can get some info on these bikes?
> > >
> > > I searched on Google and couldn't find anything. Any suggestions?
> > >
> > > Chas.
> >
> > Peter Chisholm might have some info.My very general comment would be:
> > "Nice bike!"
> >
> > Re: the brakes, if the springs are visible on the back, they're CdA, if
> > not, Record. Also, if it has the early aero/non-aero levers with the
> > "power grade" adjuster, replacing them will really improve the feel of
> > the brakes
> >
>
> I checked out the bike closely today. The brakes have external springs so
> they're CdA. There's small adjusting screws in slots in the top front of
> the aero levers. They have white hoods.
>

Those are the levers I originally had (Record). I later replaced them
with some Dia-compes; it was a huge improvement (as was replacing the
original Campy cables and housings). The good news is that
Campy-o-philes will scarf them right up on ePay. ;-)
> Chas.