A tale of two Merckx

Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra

1991 was a year which saw a huge shift in geo-politics and I acquired an Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra.

The year had begun with Moscow reinforcing Soviet authority in Lithuania and ended with the disbanding of the Warsaw Pact military alliance, which had faced off across Germany with Nato for 50 years in the Cold War. 1991 witnessed the fall of the Soviet Union when a military coup against reformist leader Mikhail Gorbachev led by the Russian military failed and a new political order evolved as countries previously tied to the Soviet bloc gained independence.

Also of note was the decision by the United Nations to 'allow' the USA and allies to liberate Kuwait from occupation by Iraq and the subsequent fighting of the first Gulf War. In the cycling world Miguel Indurain (Team Banesto) won the Tour de France ahead of Gianni Bugno Italy and Claudio Chiappucci.

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Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra
As the world turned upside down around us I took delivery of a top of the line Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra constructed with state of the art Columbus steel SLX tubing. Funnily enough in the same year a paper was presented to the scientific community outlining nano carbon technology.

I entered my first ever race on the Merckx Corsa and I put in many rides in randonees (More fashionably called sportifs today) and races on it. I still have that bike and so when I took ownership of a full carbon Merckx recently I coudn't stop myself from making comparisons.

7-Eleven Merckx
The Merckx Corsa Extra racing bike is not much different from the bike that Eddy Merckx would have used to win five Tour de France and hundreds of races making him a legend of the sport in the 1960's and 70's.

The most notable difference at first glance to Eddy's race bike is the eight speed Shimano STI groupset. (Eddy would have used a five speed cassette) In the 1980's Shimano rewrote the standard when they introduced six speed index gearing, replacing friction gear changing and then followed it with the first incarnation of STI, combined brake and gear levers. At a stroke the Japanese company had made a quantum leap and gone was that hand search for the gear the levers on the down tube. I loved it and Shimano have since moved the system on from six, to seven, eight, nine and now to ten cogs at the rear. 20 Gears in total!

My Merckx Corsa was first kitted out with Shimano 600 (Now called Ultegra) index down tube levers and 105 concealed cable levers (I still have them), I then opted for the eight speed STI's levers after seeing how well they worked in races and some parts remain on the bike. In 1996 I fitted a mix of Campagnolo Record and Athena (The later being comparable with Shimano 105) - I later moved some of these parts onto my cyclo cross bike. (The Athena Chainset and front mech remain on the Corsa) The rear Campag Record mech finally got mangled by a big stick at a cross race and which I then turned into a trophy for the single speed category at the Beastway MTB series I helped organise in London.

The Shimano 600 eight speed STI's returned to the Corsa and although now a little worn, it still works and although some changes are more ghostly rather than factual, it is usuable. What is it that people say - 'Campagnolo wears in and Shimano wears out?'

The wheels featured in the picture are modern Mavic Kysriums, simply because the original Ambrosio rims are now far too thin to ride, a testimony of the many miles I rode this bike. Personally I think the modern hoops look good on the bike.

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Columbus
At one time Columbus tubing was the bees knees for bike frame construction and the Italian company battled it out with the likes of Reynolds to make ever lighter and stronger steel tubing. Columbus SLX was the lighter version of SL and the SLX's chrome molybdenum tubes featured five helical reinforcements at the butted tube ends imparting greater stifness to the lugs.

7-Eleven
In the late 1980's the United States riders made their first impact on European professional cycle racing when 7-Eleven sponsored a team and at first they rode Huffy's (Although made by Serotta) and then Merckx. My bike is a 7-Eleven team copy

The 7-Eleven pro race team was created in 1981 by Jim Ochowicz and ran until 1991 when it became the Motorolo squad and it was with this team that Lance Armstrong won a World Championships aboard an alloy Merckx. Motorolo later became US Postal in 1996.

Racing and Riding
One of the things I love about the Corsa Extra is its stability, I remember racing at London's Crystal Palace and the circuit contained some big pot holes back then, and whilst I could ride round with my hands off the bars, (If I was stupid enough to wish to do so) many of my opponents had to contend with the wild antics of early alloy and titanium bikes that tested the nerves. It was a shame that my legs and lungs weren't good enough for me to compete for any wins!

Eddy Merckx himself is a stickler for detail, safety and good handling. It is worth remembering that he spent a life time racing and training over some very rough Belgium pave and he knows something about arriving at the finish of a race or a ride in good shape. The Corsa Extra, was a little heavier than many of it's contemparies, but it could race over any terrain and survive much punishment.

On reflection I probably rode the Corsa Extra a couple of seasons too many and it was only at the turn of the century did I move to an alloy Cannondale and then a Specialized Roubaix, although much faster, neither really set my world alight (Although the Roubaix got me through the Paris Roubaix sportif) and so when I was offered the chance of buying a new Merckx I just couldn't help myself.

Frame - Columbus SLX Corsa Extra
Fork - Columbus SLX
Chainset - 1996 Campganolo Athena 52/39
Gears - 8 speed Shimano 600 StI with a Campagnolo Record front mech
Brakes - Shimano 105 side caliper
Wheels - Shimano 600 8 speed hubs with Ambrosio Excellence TQB
Tyres - Orange Vittoria Open Corsa's (Looked very cool) and Michelin blue pro race.
Saddle - Selle Italia Flite (The Turbo had been the saddle of choice for many until the introduction of the titanium railed and light weight Flite)
Bars/Stem - Columbus chrome molybdenum steel ITT Pro Chrome
Seatpost - 1996 Campagnolo Record

Merckx CHM Carbon
If you had described my new carbon Merckx to me back in 1991 I would have looked at this science fiction with plenty of speculation.

Eddy Merckx Carbon

The bike features 20 gears in total, ceramic jockey wheels, carbon bars, carbon seatpost, carbon water bottle cages and carbon based Toupe saddle. Not forgetting a full carbon compact frame design, compact chainset and carbon deep section wheels. Science fiction indeed.

The Eddy Merckx CHM is a full monocoque, sloping geometry, carbon fibre frame, made in Europe. The frame uses 3F carbon components in the lay-up.

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When I first boarded my Corsa Extra I, and in common with most people around me, rode with my bum in the air and my nose low on the bars, and I pushed big gears. We were more stretched out back then and now, and not just because I'm so much older, but many of us have now migrated to a taller steerer column. We also spin smaller gears Lance Armstrong style

For sportifs the compact chainset has given riders more versatility and greater scope on big climbs. Back in 1991 if you wanted small gearing you scowered the CTC touring magazine for Stronglight and TA bargains. I can remember grinding up steep ascents on a 39/18, crazy really!

In comparison the modern Merckx is stiffer, lighter, stronger and faster and the equipment works better and is easier to use.

Frame - 3F Carbon monocoque
Fork - Carbon Merckx
Chainset - Shimano compact with XTR chainrings
Gears - Shimano Ultegra 10 speed
Brakes - Shimano Ultegra double caliper
Wheels - Front is a Zipp and the rear a Vuelta
Tyres - Vittoria Open Pave
Saddle - Specialized Toupe
Bars/Stem - USE Atom carbon bars and alloy stem
Seatpost - Carbon Modolo
Chain - Lightweight gold KMC
Bottle Cages - USE Carbon

Future bike
Looking to the future I can envisage the bike of 2020 being fully carbon/plastic, with almost all alloy parts replaced and it might feature a fully automatic Formula One like electric gear shifting. Puncture proof tubular tyres would be high on my wish list and I think the bike will still have a chain.

As I said earlier, if you have described my new Merckx to me way back in 1991 I would have called it science fiction, so goodness knows what a future bike of 2020 will be like. If you can describe such a bike let me know - editor@protournews.com

Merckx in the UK - www.multimit.com/fkm/index.shtml