# Racing a Corsa 01



## r_mutt (Aug 8, 2007)

hello all, 

just wanted to get your expert eddy merckx opinion on this matter. i'm looking to build up a bike for racing, and rather than buy a new, disposible, aluminum frame that i have little attachment to, i was considering building up my 52cm Corsa 01 frame that just arrived from south africa. what do you gents think? 


is the corsa 01: 


too heavy against the lightweight carbon and aluminum bikes? i don't mind a pound heavier than a carbon frame, but 2-3 pounds is a lot when you're an older guy racing 20 year olds.  

not stiff enough? (i'm 5-7 and weigh 155)

too rare/expensive/nice to be raced? by the way, in the 3 races i've been in thus far this year, each has had a awful sounding crash in front of me that i've been fortunate to avoid. 

too old to race? has technology has left the steel merckx behind?



:thumbsup:


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## philippec (Jun 16, 2002)

2-3 lbs is a lot to be hauling around if you want to be competitive. Assuming you've lost as much weight as you could on your body, I wouldn't consider racing the Merckx b/c of the weight penalty. Oh, and evn if you can repair steel - it still costs $$. Get the disposable frame for racing, keep the Merckx for training - that's where th weight will really help out in the long run.


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## r_mutt (Aug 8, 2007)

thanks for your honest insight. i've got 5 more pounds to go to get to my ideal weight. i don't think it's going to be hard to lose that weight  

you propose a good idea in using the merckx for training and the like. i'm going to built it up as a training bike and perhaps keep searching for a aluminum race frame on the cheaper side.


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

I race the snot out of my MX leader, I worried about the weight at first but don't really notice it much. It's such a nicely built durable bike, I have zero problems racing road races and crits of all shapes and sizes;;


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## r_mutt (Aug 8, 2007)

thx jro- 


good to see the merckx out there. still, i'm thinking that i want to find a lightweight alum frame for the hills. i seem to have a problem with the hills and something stiff and lightweight might be in my future.


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## DM.Aelis (Jun 19, 2007)

I wouldn't race the Merckx if you'd be devastated if it were to be crashed.

However, I wouldn't "not" race it for something like weight; 2-3 pounds probably won't keep you from winning races, especially flatter things and crits and the like.

Race what you love; but if you love the frame too much to risk seeing it layed down, I'd pick up a cheap aluminum cannondale or something to throw around.


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

I take mine down dirt roads all the time and generally pound the heck out of it. I was even rougher on my old corsa, it was crashed many times, flown on planes, etc. In the end, the road salt finally did it in, but it had a great run of luck.

Those things are such nice sturdy bikes, they were built to be used. I know what you mean about the weight, it kind of gets in your head, but when I switch to alighetr bike, I don't seem to do any better, go figure.


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