# Bike Snobs: Do NOT Look at this picture!



## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

Told you. Shimano and everything.


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## bsdc (Feb 15, 2002)

Wow. Nothing is sacred anymore.


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## sw3759 (Jul 10, 2004)

:cryin: oh the humanity!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

That big steel frame gives the baby a compliant, yet vigorous ride. I have done some scary stuff on bikes, but riding with my 4 year old this week for his first outings without training wheels has to rank pretty high. It's cool being able to take both the kids out on the course and run some warm up laps between races when we have our crits.


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## bsdc (Feb 15, 2002)

jroden said:


> That big steel frame gives the baby a compliant, yet vigorous ride. I have done some scary stuff on bikes, but riding with my 4 year old this week for his first outings without training wheels has to rank pretty high. It's cool being able to take both the kids out on the course and run some warm up laps between races when we have our crits.


Yea, but on a Molteni Merckx? A child seat, Shimano, a black straight fork?


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

That bike's been ridden right through the seven circles of hell, a little extra duty in the summertime hauling around baby sister won't hurt it a bit. The daily rides through the sand, road salt and winter grime have taken a toll. The ability of that frame to withstand all the crashes, abuse, dirt roads, airline travel and finally the baby seat / trailer duty in the summer and winter filth bike indignities for the rest of the year really underscore for me how well built that thing is, which I why I went out and bought an MX leader when I saw the rust spots starting to come through the metal. 

You can't get a better friend on a crappy day than a nice steel bike like that one.

That being said, I have to note it's just a replica, maybe only 12 years old. One of the masters 70 plus guys here in Buffalo has an orignal Molteni, it's sharp, he still races it from time to time.

Shame about the fork, I hooked the saddle over a tree and was hosing the driveline with some Gunk Engine Brite and it fell from the tree, landed funny with no wheel in the fork and it never lined up right after that. If I had it to do over, I'd have gotten it cold set back into shape, it wasn't chrome, but had a flat top with some engraving in it, a very pretty fork, really nicer than the monster fork on the MXL. Carbon fork really helps snap up the steering though, I must say.


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## bsdc (Feb 15, 2002)

jroden said:


> That bike's been ridden right through the seven circles of hell, a little extra duty in the summertime hauling around baby sister won't hurt it a bit. The daily rides through the sand, road salt and winter grime have taken a toll. The ability of that frame to withstand all the crashes, abuse, dirt roads, airline travel and finally the baby seat / trailer duty in the summer and winter filth bike indignities for the rest of the year really underscore for me how well built that thing is, which I why I went out and bought an MX leader when I saw the rust spots starting to come through the metal.
> 
> You can't get a better friend on a crappy day than a nice steel bike like that one.
> 
> ...


Good enough. Any bike being ridden is a happy bike.


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## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

Did the child find the ride.....sublime?


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## jroden (Jun 15, 2004)

Being able to do warm up laps on our training crit course with my 4 year old on that bike with my daughter on the back and a nice new MX leader leaning on the car for when the real racing starts is sublime for sure. There is nothing cooler than seeing a child realize the freedom of a bicycle without training wheels. We just ride around that 1K loop with the other racers and he is so proud to be part of the boys and my daughter just rides along in her seat waiting just a little longer until she can propel herself. It's great to be part of.


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## texbike (Oct 21, 2004)

*That's too funny! *

While in France following the Tour in 2004, two of the funniest moments were seeing:

1. A little boy no more than 6 pedaling his way up Alpe d'Huez on his little bike (w/no training wheels) along with his dad, and

2. A mom 2/3 the way to the top of Mount Ventoux slowly pedaling her way up on an old Raleigh International w/a baby in a baby carrier just like yours. 

Your pic brings back memories! 

On Alpe d'Huez, we were 3 turns from the top and the little guy just came riding by headed for the summit finish like he was out for a spin on his block. He sure didn't look like it was as tough for him as it was for me. Low center of gravity perhaps??? 

Anyway, to get this back on a Merckx topic, there are only 12 more days to Eddy's birthday!

Cheers,

Texbike


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