# Merckx Motorola 25th anniv. special



## sailorboy

#7 of 100 made. Last of the MXLs to come out of the Merckx factory. Topped it off with dura ace 25th anniv. set up.


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## Nessism

sailorboy said:


> #7 of 100 made. Last of the MXLs to come out of the Merckx factory. Topped it off with dura ace 25th anniv. set up.


Looks great. How does it ride?


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## j-son

wowser ... that's the coolest bike i've seen in a looong time. maybe ever. i wants one and i'm cannibal orange with envy. 

re: 'how does it ride?' huh ... it's a Merckx mx leader. it rides perfect. the standard against which all other racing frames should be judged.

one tiny little thing: you need to get you some round bars on that thing. dump the anatomic abominations for something Merckx would approve (like Deda 215 shallow drops).


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## kajukembo

*that's purty*

that is darn groovy. A MX leader. I've never riden one, but I've always wanted to. I have a Corsa 01 that I absolutely love. The best descending bike I've ever owned. I'm sure it has something to do with the frame and fork weighing over 6 pounds. Enjoy.


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## sailorboy

Thanks for the nice comments. I wouldn't be totally honest if I didn't say at least part of the reason for getting it is to show off a bit. 

As for the ride, I would describe it as telepathic. It really shines most in cornering and descending as someone already mentioned. I think I know a little bit better why Sean Yates was able to descend like hell through the team cars etc. after being dropped on the big climbs when he rode for Motorola. I thought initially it would feel a little sluggish and heavy on climbs but the stiffness built into it helps to transfer energy, as well as having a nice light set of rims (Amer. classic 350s). Only reason not to take this puppy to the races is that I couldn't live with myself if I layed it down...

Get a merckx steel frame if you ever have a chance! They come up pretty often on ebay.


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## Dorf411

I just picked up a 10 year old MX Leader with Campy Record and Chorus in excellent condition. Yesterday was its first long ride and there is no way to describe how well these bikes ride. Solid, Stable, and Predictable. I love mine!


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## kajukembo

*the ultimate training bike*

I think these steel Merckx's are the ultimate training bikes. Kind of like wearing heavy-more protective running shoes all week and doning racing flats for the weekend 10k. I have mine built up with split fenders and being that I live in the Pacific Nortwest, it gets a lot of use. One thing I find (that's quite settling on wet pavement) is when you hit rocks and gravel the steel fork just plows through it and sends em flying. My A bike, with it's light CV fork will sometimes bounce off stuff and change the line. I'd love to try one of the newer-lighter Team SCs for a comparison.


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## bigman

*Ditto*

 
I am waiting for my new old MX Leader size 63 which I bought on RBR - also a mix of Campy10 record and chorus with RaceXlite wheels.

Supposed to arrive next Thurday - frame I am told is about 9 years old - has both chain stays chromed - which is what I was looking for. Can't wait to take it for a ride after all the great comments I have seen on RBR.

Anything in particular I need to pay attention to on these bikes?

Thanks


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## merckxman

*Re-issued Motorola Jersey Now Available*

Congrats on your Motorola MX Leader anniv edition. I have an original; it's the one bike I will never part with. Giordana has just re-issued the Motorola jersey as a "limited edition" (whatever that means) so get them while you can. $90 retail price.


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## merckxman

*Some Motorola Merckx Photos*

...for your viewing pleasure...Lance, Hampsten, Lance


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## Duke249

*hair splitting*

Wouldn't that top photo be a Motorola Caloi photo? 

Just kidding...


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## merckxman

*You're right!*

....but it was a Merckx bike, Caloi labeled. 



Duke249 said:


> Wouldn't that top photo be a Motorola Caloi photo?
> 
> Just kidding...


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## txzen

Very nice indeed, although I'm a little more partial to the Molteni. . . 










Mine's completed with Campy Chous, 3TTT 4GXL stem/bar, and Proton rims.

I agree about the surprising decending ability of the bike. I've only put about 500 miles on mine, and am just starting to push it downhill. Last week descending the 3500 feet from Mt. Diablo, I finally let 'er rip. Amazingly stable, and easy to cut nice arcs downhill like a pair of good skies. 

I love mine.


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## bigman

*Looks great*




txzen said:


> Very nice indeed, although I'm a little more partial to the Molteni. . .
> 
> All this praise for this bike is making me wish the damn thing was sent FED EX.
> 
> Nice to see everyone is hard at work on a Friday afternoon.


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## bigbill

*I bought mine in 1999.*

It was midnight blue with airbrush looking details and a chromed drive side chainstay. I had it restored late last year by a frame builder in Portsmouth, VA. It is now a dark (reddish) yellow with a red Merckx decal set. Both chainstays are now chrome. In reality, due to a screw up at the chroming place, the whole bike was chromed. The chrome was scuffed before painting. I have it in a crate in my garage and will wait until I am back on the mainland before building it back up. I will have to find some silver campy components, I don't know that black would look that good. I have a circa 1986 Merckx super butted SLX track bike as well.


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## Szozda

*Mine bought in 2004*


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## bigman

*MX - Experts*

Beautiful build - love the saddle, I have a few of those on different bikes.

Any experts out there able to date my MX Leader - both chain stays are chrome - pin stripe on TT - pics are still available on this site under classifieds - complete bike MX Leader size 63.

thanks


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## merckxman

*Could be as early as 1993/1994....*

.....they were like this that early...not sure how long they continued though....





bigman said:


> Beautiful build - love the saddle, I have a few of those on different bikes.
> 
> Any experts out there able to date my MX Leader - both chain stays are chrome - pin stripe on TT - pics are still available on this site under classifieds - complete bike MX Leader size 63.
> 
> thanks


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## bconneraz

Any experts out there able to date my MX Leader - both chain stays are chrome - pin stripe on TT - pics are still available on this site under classifieds - complete bike MX Leader size 63.

thanks[/QUOTE]


here is a pic of mine- same scheme as yours. I bought mine new in 1993.


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## carioca

merckxman said:


> ....but it was a Merckx bike, Caloi labeled.


Talking about Caloi-labeled Merckx bike, chekc out this one, ridden by Lance, selling for a mighty spicy price at eBay: 

https://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=98084&item=7159954053&rd=1 









My first bike was a Caloi, back when I lived in Brazil, they always made great bikes, I wonder if they are still associated to Trek... I checked their website and their offerings of road bikes are slim... and they are all Sora equiped..​


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## carioca

nmnmnm


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## bigman

*Sweet*



bconneraz said:


> Any experts out there able to date my MX Leader - both chain stays are chrome - pin stripe on TT - pics are still available on this site under classifieds - complete bike MX Leader size 63.
> 
> thanks



here is a pic of mine- same scheme as yours. I bought mine new in 1993.[/QUOTE]


I take it that you love it to own it so long - the saddle can't be original - I have one which is new old stock which I plan to install on mine after seeing how nice it looks on yours. The pedals look the same as the one's which are coming on my bike - Look ? Unfortunately the stem on mine is black - Syncros - I think the silver on yours looks great - also what type of seatpost is that?

Thanks


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## bigbill

bconneraz said:


> Any experts out there able to date my MX Leader - both chain stays are chrome - pin stripe on TT - pics are still available on this site under classifieds - complete bike MX Leader size 63.
> 
> thanks



here is a pic of mine- same scheme as yours. I bought mine new in 1993.[/QUOTE]

I used to ride with a guy in Va that had an older MX. The only difference between his and my "newer" version was at the seat cluster. The seat stays brazed on differently, hard to describe. The frames were the same size.


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## rocco

That's so stange... When I was riding today I saw a dude racking up his Merckx Motorola Caloi on his car. It really caught my attention.

My first real racing bike was an orange Merckx made with Columbus SL. That was a couple of years before SLX. That was a seriously lux bike.


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## rocco

sailorboy said:


> #7 of 100 made. Last of the MXLs to come out of the Merckx factory. Topped it off with dura ace 25th anniv. set up.



Nice. It even has the right cinelli ti stem.


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## bconneraz

I take it that you love it to own it so long - the saddle can't be original - I have one which is new old stock which I plan to install on mine after seeing how nice it looks on yours. The pedals look the same as the one's which are coming on my bike - Look ? Unfortunately the stem on mine is black - Syncros - I think the silver on yours looks great - also what type of seatpost is that?

Thanks[/QUOTE]

I love this bike, and would never sell it. The saddle isnt original- I stopped riding this bike regularly a couple years ago when I had my Seven built, and put the NOS regal on it. The entire group is 8 speed Campy Record, including the seatpost. Look pedals. The stem is a Cinelli with E. Merckx engraved on it. Im anal about my bikes, and can say that this frame is in mint condition. Im on the lookout for a really clean 7-11 merckx to complete the collection. I also love the Molteni, but could never find an MX Leader with the Molteni paint scheme in my size, so I opted for a De Rosa. I ride the heck out of the DeRosa.


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## bigman

*Sweet 2*



bconneraz said:


> I take it that you love it to own it so long - the saddle can't be original - I have one which is new old stock which I plan to install on mine after seeing how nice it looks on yours. The pedals look the same as the one's which are coming on my bike - Look ? Unfortunately the stem on mine is black - Syncros - I think the silver on yours looks great - also what type of seatpost is that?
> 
> Thanks


The DeRosa looks great - but I like MX look better - any big differences in ride? What type of stem is that on the DeRosa ?


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## bigman

*Sweet 2 cont'd*



bigman said:


> The DeRosa looks great - but I like MX look better - any big differences in ride? What type of stem is that on the DeRosa ?


Also the componenets look newer than 8 spd - are the derailleurs black or carbon? the crank arms also look new - what's up?


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## bconneraz

bigman said:


> Also the componenets look newer than 8 spd - are the derailleurs black or carbon? the crank arms also look new - what's up?


The MX Leader is all original Campy Record 8 speed purchased when I bought the frame.
The Derosa is a 2004 with 2005 Record Ultra 10. The stem is a 3t Mutant which is readily available on Ebay. I wanted a silver stem instead of black. Thomson just came out with a new road stem that I may switch to as I want to run an oversized bar (31.8)


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## merckxman

*Was there a Molteni MX Leader early on?*

I didn't think so. The Molteni MX Leaders I've seen all have a threadless fork.

I also love the Molteni, but could never find an MX Leader with the Molteni paint scheme in my size, so I opted for a De Rosa. I ride the heck out of the DeRosa.[/QUOTE]


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## dougsasha

*I've got one!*

I had an earlier Motorola model with the TSX tubing and the chrome. A bit lighter than the current model and I wish I had never sold it. I got my MX last year as a custom and built it up with all Campy Chorus. Solid ride and beautiful but I miss the chrome. Me like shiney!


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## rufus

me like. me want.  



> dump the anatomic abominations for something Merckx would approve (like Deda 215 shallow drops).


merckx would go with the deep drop.


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## Spunout

I have 3TTT Deep Drop Eddy Merckx bars on my cross bike. They are very, very sweet. Eddy always had 3TTT bars and stem, no? Hard to find, but there are alot of NOS items coming up on EBay.


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## Len J

*May be the best bike ever made........*

I have a NOS 2003 Molitani Orange MX Leader that I got about a month ago. Built it up and have put around 500 miles on it........Great Bike.


I had one of these in the early 90's, got out of cycling for a few years (Young family) and in a moment of stupidity, sold it. I have always regretted it. Started looking about 6 mos ago for an orange one & finally found it.

The bike shouldn't ride the way it does. It's heavy, but it's never sluggish, it's stiff but never uncomfortable. Whatever formula they discovered, it's just a perfect bike. You have to ride one to appreciate it.........and the look of those shaped tubes and lugs......Wow.

Good luck with it and enjoy it.

Len


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## rufus

Spunout said:


> I have 3TTT Deep Drop Eddy Merckx bars on my cross bike. They are very, very sweet. Eddy always had 3TTT bars and stem, no? Hard to find, but there are alot of NOS items coming up on EBay.


i've been looking for one of those for years, the TTT Competizione, with the Merckx deep drop, but I want silver. all the ones i've seen(not many) have been the gun-metal gray finish that TTT used towards the end of this bar's life. or else just too narrow.


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## bigman

*You may very well be right.....*

Just cleaned polished and rode my new old (around 95) MX Leader with mostly campy chorus, record 10 levers and Bontrager Race X-Lite wheels. Only went out for about 15 windy flat (boring) miles - but there is definitely something "special" about this ride.

Enjoy!


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## bigman

*MX Rules*



bconneraz said:


> Any experts out there able to date my MX Leader - both chain stays are chrome - pin stripe on TT - pics are still available on this site under classifieds - complete bike MX Leader size 63.
> 
> thanks



here is a pic of mine- same scheme as yours. I bought mine new in 1993.[/QUOTE]
I have the same frame - color scheme as yours which I bought on RBR this month - found a perfect tuouch up for the red but need help on the blue - any suggestions? I'll get the color for the red for you - do not have it with me.

Great bike!


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## Kenacycle

sailorboy said:


> #7 of 100 made. Last of the MXLs to come out of the Merckx factory. Topped it off with dura ace 25th anniv. set up.


That is the most decent threadless stem I have ever seen on a road bike!! which brand/model is that?? I must get myself one.


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## jroden

I rode mine in a crit the other day, it wasn't so bad. i never liked the low bottom bracket on my 58 Corsa, but to get the same TT on this newer MXL, I needed to buy a size 60, which placed the BB height at pretty much the same as my light Specialized bike I'd usually use for crits and such. Because it is so heavy, it feels a little sluggish when the pace jumps up or on hills in a road race, but it's really a nice day to day bike for training and racing events without extended climbs. I'm hoping to get time to do the 160 mile Montreal-Quebec race this summer, which is just a perfect event for this bike.

I'm so glad I bought this thing, It's just a great riding bike with a lot of class and quality. You just don't get to own a lot of quality tools in one life, I have a MX Leader and a Hobart mixer for making bread, I feel like a millionaire.


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## Kenacycle

I got my 25th anni. MXL frame and I will be fitting it with Deda 215 Shallow drop as j-son suggested. Mine is #82/100


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