I have been wanting an older steel Eddy Merckx for sometime for my stable. For any of you out there who have an older Eddy Merckx - what do you think of this bike listed on e-bay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3668045081&indexURL=1#ebayphotohosting

Any ideas on the quality of the Merckx frames from the mid-eighties and the geometry? Yea, I know I can ask the seller, but I wanted to see if anyone else may have input on this.

Thanks.

What a beautiful bike. The reserve is met, now bid only under $1K....but I bet some collectors get wind of this and it goes to $5K..

I have been wanting an older steel Eddy Merckx for sometime for my stable. For any of you out there who have an older Eddy Merckx - what do you think of this bike listed on e-bay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3668045081&indexURL=1#ebayphotohosting

Any ideas on the quality of the Merckx frames from the mid-eighties and the geometry? Yea, I know I can ask the seller, but I wanted to see if anyone else may have input on this.

Thanks.


I have a 86 Corsa Extra. It's Columbus SLX so it would be a little heavier than that one, but also quite a bit stiffer. I think it is the nicest riding frame I own. I am looking to get another one to put a new Dura-Ace groupo on. My current is Super Record, so I don't ride it much because the parts are in mint condition and I don't want to mess them up. I really wish I had that frame with more modern parts on it that I didn't care about riding becuase of all my bikes, that one is the most comfortable frame I have. The catch with that particular bike is that it is going to probably sell for too much money. It's a bike that will attract a collector, not someone who is going to ride it. I recently saw a really nice Concorde in a 54 on ebay. SLX and Campy C Record... it sold for around $525 if I remember right.

Here's one you may be interested in checking out...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3668266900&category=7298

You just have to look around and find the right deals. But I think if you are looking for a great steel frame, a mid 80's Columbus SLX frame is about impossible to beat. If you are under 140 lbs, you could still look at SL frames, but I think the ride of the SLX bikes is that much nicer. SLX bikes of that era from Merckx, Pinarello, DeRosa, Masi, Concorde, Olmo, Colnago, and a few other builders were in my opinion the pinnacle of steel frames.

Here's another you may like... a very nice Rossin Ghibli. I had one of these back in the late 80's when I was in high school.... super nice bike.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3668482243&indexURL=0&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting

I only pointed the above bike out so you could check out another frame option.... there seems to be some weird stuff going on with this seller being in Italy and the bike in Detroit and him only taking a US money order.... so keep in mind I was just pointing out another bike you may want to look at, but I know nothing of that seller.

Russ

by the way, I can post a pic of my Merckx if you want to see what it looks like.

Russ - Thanks for the imput. One of my bikes is a Pinarello Vuelta with full Chorus. The frame is great and it is a sweet ride. I would love to ride the Merckx shown on e-bay to compare the two bikes.

I would like to see your Merckx - post the pictures if you can.

Thanks.

there seems to be some weird stuff going on with this seller being in Italy and the bike in Detroit and him only taking a US money order.... so keep in mind I was just pointing out another bike you may want to look at, but I know nothing of that seller.

Russ

This guy has been on Ebay for a while selling Italian frames. He is a legit seller. I agree with you Russ, that is a collector bike and it's going to go for big $$$.. Expecially with a the panto Merckx parts

Russ - Thanks for the imput. One of my bikes is a Pinarello Vuelta with full Chorus. The frame is great and it is a sweet ride. I would love to ride the Merckx shown on e-bay to compare the two bikes.

I would like to see your Merckx - post the pictures if you can.

Thanks.

An SLX Merckx will actually ride fairly similer to your Vuelta. A little less twitchy in corners (not that your's is twitchy, but a mid 80's Merckx would even be less so) due to a slightly longer wheelbase, and slightly smoother over bumps. But it will also be heavier. A 54 cm SLX frame will come in around a full 5 pounds with fork. Not really light, but smooth and bomb-proof. Bikes aren't made like that anymore. My current bike, a Pinarello Paris, is sweet, but I love to take that Merckx out on some nice weekend rides now and again. By the way, keep looking for that Merckx frame.... do you need a 54? I saw a Motorola replica a few days ago in a 54... if it was a 56 or 57, I would have bought it. But it's the time of year that a few nice ones will start popping up. Spring time, and some guys are cleaning out their garages to get new bikes.

Anyways... here's a pic of mine...

Russ

This guy has been on Ebay for a while selling Italian frames. He is a legit seller. I agree with you Russ, that is a collector bike and it's going to go for big $$$.. Expecially with a the panto Merckx parts


If that guy is actually legit, I think I may look at buying that Ghibli.... he actually has two of them and they are both nice looking.

I think that particular Merckx is going to go for over $800.... I got mine last year off ebay for $600 shipped.... and shipped from Holland. It's final bid price was $535, which was a steal for a Super Record bike! I cleaned it up, did a complete overhaul, replaced all the bearings with new Campy bearings, swapped out the seat and post, and changed the tires, and that was it. I work in a shop, so the overhaul just cost me my time and the parts were a post and saddle I had around the house and the tires I had in a box too... so I made out in the end on my bike. Deals can still be had on ebay, but you have to be very patient and know when to walk away from them too... I happen to think that the bike that bikenow posted about is one to walk away from because it's going to go for too much.

Russ

That is a very sweet looking bike. I can't quite describe why, but a nice older Merckx just has a certain look that few other bikes can match.