citizen-snips
Retro Guru
Up for sale here one Merckx MX Leader in custom colour scheme. Metallic Merckx blue with dark blue lettering.
The frame was built up and ridden for less than 100 miles.
All chrome is perfect as is the custom paint. There is only one very small chip on the entire frame so in effect the frame is in an as new condition.
Bottom bracket threads are clean and were chased plus shell faced before being built up. As you can see in the photographs the frame has never been crashed or dropped and is straight with drop outs/derailleur hanger in alignment. This one has room for 28mm tyres front and rear (please see the photographs of it built up; the rear caliper has the pads set at the bottom of the slots so ample clearance for 28mm tyres).
As you may well have read or heard via club friends this bike is utterly sublime to ride. A combination of the beefed up MAX lugs coupled with Eddy Merckx’ own Max fork crown, bi-ovalised down tube and massively oversized chain stays make this one of the stiffest vintage steel frames ever made. From what I understand after Merckx first issue of this frame labelled as the ‘Corsa Extra MAX’ built using Columbus’ original MAX tube set and lugs, a few alterations to the tube set were made. It was rumoured the top tube was replaced with Columbus EL OS albeit bi-ovalised in the opposite direction from the original MAX top tube with vertical section against seat tube and horizontal against the head tube (plus Merckx’ own lug set to work with this new tubing configuration). The seat stays apparently were from Columbus SLX. Either way the frame is ‘extremely’ smooth to ride yet stiff enough there is no noticeable flex when out of the saddle.
“The MAX concept originates with Columbus research. The steel used is Nivacrom; thanks to its extraordinary toughness, the tubes thickness has been cut to 0.4mm, making the tubes extremely light. A standard section in a so thin tube would normally make the frame too flexible and so reduce riding performance. i.e. part of the energy generated during pedaling would translate into bicycle deformation. To reduce the flexibility in a MAX tube down to optimum level, the diameters of the tubes need to be increased. In the MAX set this is done selectively, by adopting elliptical sections in areas under the greatest stresses, which are oriented with their major axis along the direction of the stress itself. In the steering area, which is particularly vulnerable to the stresses induced by terrain, the top and down tubes have major axes in longitudinal plane. By contrast, in the areas around the bottom bracket, the top and down tubes have their major axis in transversal plane, in order to better withstand the alternate oscillation which is especially high during sprints.”
IMO there is nothing negative that could be said or written about this frame. It really is that good.
Dimensions:
TOP TUBE = 57.5cm C-C
SEAT TUBE = 58.75cm C-C (60.5cm C-T)
HEAD TUBE = 165mm (end to end)
Flickr album can be found here:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmD1ozq2
(NB: all photos can be enlarged using the magnifying glass)
The frame and fork are for sale at XXXXX posted to a UK address ONO
The frame was built up and ridden for less than 100 miles.
All chrome is perfect as is the custom paint. There is only one very small chip on the entire frame so in effect the frame is in an as new condition.
Bottom bracket threads are clean and were chased plus shell faced before being built up. As you can see in the photographs the frame has never been crashed or dropped and is straight with drop outs/derailleur hanger in alignment. This one has room for 28mm tyres front and rear (please see the photographs of it built up; the rear caliper has the pads set at the bottom of the slots so ample clearance for 28mm tyres).
As you may well have read or heard via club friends this bike is utterly sublime to ride. A combination of the beefed up MAX lugs coupled with Eddy Merckx’ own Max fork crown, bi-ovalised down tube and massively oversized chain stays make this one of the stiffest vintage steel frames ever made. From what I understand after Merckx first issue of this frame labelled as the ‘Corsa Extra MAX’ built using Columbus’ original MAX tube set and lugs, a few alterations to the tube set were made. It was rumoured the top tube was replaced with Columbus EL OS albeit bi-ovalised in the opposite direction from the original MAX top tube with vertical section against seat tube and horizontal against the head tube (plus Merckx’ own lug set to work with this new tubing configuration). The seat stays apparently were from Columbus SLX. Either way the frame is ‘extremely’ smooth to ride yet stiff enough there is no noticeable flex when out of the saddle.
“The MAX concept originates with Columbus research. The steel used is Nivacrom; thanks to its extraordinary toughness, the tubes thickness has been cut to 0.4mm, making the tubes extremely light. A standard section in a so thin tube would normally make the frame too flexible and so reduce riding performance. i.e. part of the energy generated during pedaling would translate into bicycle deformation. To reduce the flexibility in a MAX tube down to optimum level, the diameters of the tubes need to be increased. In the MAX set this is done selectively, by adopting elliptical sections in areas under the greatest stresses, which are oriented with their major axis along the direction of the stress itself. In the steering area, which is particularly vulnerable to the stresses induced by terrain, the top and down tubes have major axes in longitudinal plane. By contrast, in the areas around the bottom bracket, the top and down tubes have their major axis in transversal plane, in order to better withstand the alternate oscillation which is especially high during sprints.”
IMO there is nothing negative that could be said or written about this frame. It really is that good.
Dimensions:
TOP TUBE = 57.5cm C-C
SEAT TUBE = 58.75cm C-C (60.5cm C-T)
HEAD TUBE = 165mm (end to end)
Flickr album can be found here:
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmD1ozq2
(NB: all photos can be enlarged using the magnifying glass)
The frame and fork are for sale at XXXXX posted to a UK address ONO
