# MXL from Sweden



## fatchance1 (Mar 15, 2007)

Hi, I just bought this from an ebayer in Sweden. Can anyone tell me about it? I have read about the serial numbers and it looks like it is from 1993. Thanks


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## kjmunc (Sep 19, 2005)

Beautiful looking bike and a very cool paint job that I haven't seen very often before. I love how many diff color combinations were made! 

It appears that this is one of the earlier MXL's with the seat-stays and seat lug that differ from the most recent versions. There were several discussions about this recently so do a quick search and see if you can find it....I believe some folks felt these were of a particularly rare variety. 

At any rate you got a great looking bike.....I love the painted fork crown too! Congrats and post pics when you're done with the build.


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## texbike (Oct 21, 2004)

kjmunc said:


> It appears that this is one of the earlier MXL's with the seat-stays and seat lug that differ from the most recent versions. There were several discussions about this recently so do a quick search and see if you can find it....I believe some folks felt these were of a particularly rare variety.



Congrats on the bike Fatchance! 

KJMUNC is right. This is definitely one of the early MXLs with the MAX (flattened profile) seatstays. What is interesting about your bike is the way that the stays are attached to the seatlug. Looking at the pictures in the auction, it looks like they are attached to the side of the seattube. 

Most MXLs that have the flattened MAX stays have them attached to the BACK of the seatlug instead of to the sides. 

This is actually the only MXL that I've seen like this. It looks like a rare bike!

Congrats again!

Texbike


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## fatchance1 (Mar 15, 2007)

texbike said:


> Congrats on the bike Fatchance!
> 
> KJMUNC is right. This is definitely one of the early MXLs with the MAX (flattened profile) seatstays. What is interesting about your bike is the way that the stays are attached to the seatlug. Looking at the pictures in the auction, it looks like they are attached to the side of the seattube.
> 
> ...


Thanks. I have looked through the forums and cannot find any EM's with this seat stay/lug combo. Rare? Doesn't really matter because I intend to ride it rain or shine.

Oh thought you two might like my Max tubing SS custom built by J Foster in Auckland. It was built with Fat Chance Wicked geometry.

Cheers!


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## texbike (Oct 21, 2004)

fatchance1 said:


> Rare? Doesn't really matter because I intend to ride it rain or shine.


Good...Build it and ride the hell out of it! 

Nice SS by the way...

Texbike


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## ctam (Apr 21, 2003)

Same paint scheme as mine but with different seat stay attachment. Mine is 58cm.


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## fatchance1 (Mar 15, 2007)

*thanks CTAM*

Thanks for the picture. It gives me some ideas for building up mine. Do you know where your frame came from originally?

cheers


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

You'll love the bike--I was out on mine the other day riding some long intervals and wanted to recover between, so I rode around on some trails at the county park for a while then hopped back on the road. The bike is so solid, I'm spoiled from riding it.


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## fatchance1 (Mar 15, 2007)

*Eddy in the dirt*

I figured it would be pretty good in the dirt by the look of the angles and the tubeset. I am replacing a broken TSX Slim Chance with this bike so it is good to know others arent afraid to get it dirty. Thanks.


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## ctam (Apr 21, 2003)

Mine is one of the Merckx's from S. Africa. I was told this is a team Lotto paint scheme but I don't recall ever seeing them with these colors.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=152410


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## fatchance1 (Mar 15, 2007)

*MXL built*

Rides great!!!


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## em3 (Dec 25, 2005)

fatchance, nice ride...really like the paint scheme. I noticed that your original post showed a threaded headset and your built up frame shows what appears to be a threadless headset set-up (Chris King?...can't tell from the pic). Could you please describe your new headset set-up.
Thanks,
EM3


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## fatchance1 (Mar 15, 2007)

*mxl*

Good spotting. It is a Chris King 1" threadless. I used one of those threaded to threadless converters and found a 1" threadless stem to go with it. I also had a titanium bolt for it so it helped keep the weight down. Still heavier than the original quill stem but I had more options on stems this way. You can also shim the converter up to 11/8" if needed. Here is what I used: http://www.amazon.com/Origin8-Threaded-Threadless-Quill-Adapter/dp/B000AO5HWM


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## em3 (Dec 25, 2005)

fatchance, why not simply keep the campy threaded headset shown in the pic in your original post and use the threadless adapter? Just curious how did you preload your bearings on the threadless headset with a threadless adapter installed...seems you can't have both a starnut and a threadless adapter in the steertube at the same time? 

Here is a pic of my setup with a threadless adapter.
EM3


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## fatchance1 (Mar 15, 2007)

*threadless headset*

The threadless adapter has a quill in it so that part essentially extends the steerer tube. The top of the adapter has a star nut and if you have the spacers right then you can use the star nut to get the right tension on the bearings. I was trying to figure out how it worked for threaded headsets.....I guess you just adjust the headset as per normal and then slide in the adapter? 

I will take a close up picture and post so that you can see it.
cheers


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## em3 (Dec 25, 2005)

Yes, pics would be great. I have not seen a threadleas adapter with a starnut inserted. I am very curious how you can have both a starnut and a quill bolt both inside the adapter...what brand adapter are you using? Thanks EM3


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## fatchance1 (Mar 15, 2007)

*threadless adapter*

The quill bolt is recessed down inside the adapter and the star nut sits above the bolt so that you can adjust the bearings. Hope the pics help. I tried to remember/find out the make but cant. I bought it off our local version of ebay (trademe). I guess it is pretty slick now that I look at it but just thought that was normal.


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## em3 (Dec 25, 2005)

Fatchance, whoa...that is really interesting! I have never seen a threadless stem adapter with a star nut and a quill bolt in the same unit...very cool. Is this a one-off? Thanks for taking the time to dissemble your stem and for sharing the pic. EM3


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## fatchance1 (Mar 15, 2007)

No worries EM3. I dont think it was a one-off....I will do some more searching to see if I can find the manufacturer. It came in a package with a label if I remember correctly. There are some bike parts distributors here in NZ who source parts from China directly and this may have been one of those. I'll find out and let you know. Anyway, I am pretty sure I have seen other threadless headsets on 1" steer tubes so what are others doing if not using one of these?


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