Dan Kaempff
Still for sale, but the frame and headset only at $1,250. Please reply off list if you're interested. Would really like to not have to resort to CL or eBay, so make me an offer I can't refuse. Thanks!
From: dkaempff@hotmail.com
To: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: FS: Eddy Merckx MX Leader 53cm
Date: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 13:55:57 -0700
Reluctantly, I’m selling my Eddy Merckx MX Leader.
If you’re not familiar with this bike, a quick search on teh
Interwebs will get you up to speed. Some say this is the ultimate steel frame.
Built in the waning days of steel's dominance of the pro peleton, it's crafted from
Columbus MAX tubing, tweaked to Eddy’s exacting standards with custom lugs and
fork design.
The MX Leader was designed for the rigors of professional
road racing and was the top of the Merckx line. It was ridden by Motorola, Team
Telekom, Lotto, and other European teams back in the 1990s in Paris-Roubaix,
Tour of Flanders, Grand Tours of France, Italy and Spain, World Championships,
and more. Built by hand in Belgium, designed by the best cyclist there ever
was, this is a reminder of how bikes used to be built and a testimony of how
great Eddy Merckx bicycles used to be.
You'll find a lot of eloquent reviews of this frame, and in
my opinion, they're true. It's a truly stiff bike, particularly in a 53 cm
size, but the ride isn't harsh in the least. It's a bike that you can ride 100+
miles with no problems, day in and day out. The seat and down tubes are
ovalized, leading to a super-stout bottom bracket. Combine that with fat chainstays
and you have a frame that puts every erg of power down to the road, even when
you're cranking hard out of the saddle.
It's in the hills where this frame really shines. Despite
its near-6 lb. frame weight, it's efficiency at power transmission means your
energy is used to move you forward and not to flex your frame tubes. On the
descents, the MXL is other-worldly. It goes where you point it, no drama, no
wobbles, no fuss.
I purchased this bike new from River City Bicycles in 2000
and have taken great care of it since day one. It has a few paint chips here
and there, but no dents, rust or other issues. The paint and chromework are all
original and still shiny. Bike mechanics swoon when they see it. You can't buy
this frame new, as it's been out of production for years now. But this might be
as close to new as you can get, unless you find a NOS version somewhere.
Frame dimensions:
seat tube: 53cm c-c
top tube: 54.3cm c-c
seat tube angle: 73.33 degrees
setback: 15cm
fork rake: 4.3
Components are the following:
Campagnolo Record 10 speed front/rear derailleurs
Record 10 shifters (totally rebuilt last year)
FSA carbon fiber compact crankset (50/34), 172.5 mm crank
arms
FSA ISIS ti bottom bracket
13-26 Chorus cassette
Record brakes
32 spoke Record hubs, Velocity Aerohead rims (off-center
rear), DT spokes
Thompson seatpost
Chris King 2 Nut headset
Deda Newton stem (120 mm)
Deda Newton bars (shallow drop, 44 mm c-c)
Deda quill stem adapter
Vittoria Open Pave’ tires (fairly worn, but serviceable)
It currently has a Fizik saddle and Look Keo pedals, which
are not included. I can provide another saddle and pedals if needed. Total bike
weight as currently configured is ~20 lbs.
There are no issues with this bike. Slap on your preferred
saddle and pedals, lube the chain, and you’re ready to ride. This is truly a
wonderful bicycle that deserves to be owned and ridden by someone who truly
appreciates it for the work of functional art that it is.
I'm asking $3,000 for the full bike as described above. Or,
$1,500 for the frame alone. I'm in SW Portland, so let me know if you want to
see it in person. Thanks for your interest.
Dan