# SA Merckx - 52 Corsa 01



## r_mutt (Aug 8, 2007)

hello gents- 

first off- a thanks to the sleuthy work of a certain innergel for locating these wonderful frames :thumbsup: 

here is my 52cm corsa 01. it arrived last week at newark airport but no one called. i had to do a bit of sleuthing myself to track them down. i paid a 30 charge for handling, and surprisingly, customs didn't want anything but a signature  perhaps that $200 shipping charge that rashid charged us took care of that. 

"only" 1 small nick on the top tube near the seatpost (you can make it out just under the exit for the internal cabling). it's a bit annoying, but i'll deal. 


i'm not at home atm, but away for work for a few weeks. when i get back, i can have a look at the fork as there is a label taped to the threads and we can determine if i have the proper fork, or if it may belong to another bike. 

has anyone weighed their frame yet? 

enjoy! 


p.s. i wish she were that wonderful yellow that the others have been displaying.


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## zmudshark (Jan 28, 2007)

That is a beautiful bike, I love the chrome rear triangle, and the full chrome fork. That you have enough thread is a plus!

I still like the yellow, but yours is a close contender. Cannibal's blue MXL with the number hanger is a real stunner, as well. Heck, they're all really nice.

I just hope everyone who has fork woes has resolution.


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## innergel (Jun 14, 2002)

Very nice! +1 on the chrome. I knew there were a bunch of red Corsa's in the bunch. Glad to finally see one. I forsee a white saddle, white bar tape and all silver components. I'm clairvoyant like that :thumbsup:

FWIW, I think customs is based on the item value. If you bring something in, there is a low limit of $800 or so where you are exempt from customs. That's how it works when you carry something in personally. It sounds the same if it's shipped in as well. 

Now, who will be the first to show us a picture of a built up SA frame?


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## r_mutt (Aug 8, 2007)

thanks to you both. innergel- funny you mentioned white tape, seat and silver components as that is exactly how i built up my mondonico 2 months ago. i'm quite partial to silver components with white tape and seats. 


here is my mondonico that i just finished building. it's in the same vein as what i see this bike becoming: https://img228.imageshack.us/img228/8992/03mondfutlegg4zj7.jpg


it may take me a few months to build this as i am presently working on a full-on racebike build. after that finished, then i can begin the merckx.


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## Marz (May 14, 2006)

I'm building my MXL this week but I'm more attracted to my red 52cm Corsa 0.1 which I also picked up from Rashid and I see ONLY white tape and silver components. The chrome forks take my breath away and I almost wish that the MXL in my size wasn't available. I'm glad he had another Corsa in the 52cm size because us shorties are really undercatered for.

R mutt, I have a setback Thomson on my De Rosa and I think they look fine. Why do people hate them so? Yours looks great on the Mondonico. What an impressive stable you have.

What's the full on racebike?


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## r_mutt (Aug 8, 2007)

just curious marz- why are you more attracted to your corsa rather than the mxl? 

funny you mention the set-back thomson. originally, i had a non-setback thomson but after having been fit, it was decided that i needed a set-back one to get the correct amount of set-back from the pedal axel center. i didn't like the "funny" bend of the thomson setback, but there were really no other silver seat post choices. the lbs who assisted me on the build was pushing me towards getting the thomson as he felt it was by far the best seat post available- and since i already had a non-setback style, why take a step down replacing it? i reluctantly agreed, and after putting it on the bike, i realized that i didn't mind the "funny" bend. 

here's what it looked like with a non-setback thomson: http://www.bikecult.com/works/archive/08bicycles/mondonicoRJB.html

my lbs has a great website and they took pics for their archive  


as for the full racebike, i was toying with the idea of racing the mondonico, but i think i might just buiild a dedicated race bike up for 2 reasons: 1- the mondonico is somewhat rare, being an antonio mondonico handbuilt bike and since he's now retired, no new ones are forthcoming. i'd rather not trash one in a crash in a cat 5 race. 2- i feel (now i may be completely off base here) that an aluminum or carbon framed bike might have increased stiffness in the bottom bracket area- better to transfer every ounce of power to the pedals (i need all the help i can get racing against 20 year olds!) and would also be lighter by a pounds or so. 

presently, i am racing an old (96) steel lemond alpe d'huez, which is 22 pounds, and i'm struggling to stay with the peleton up the steep hills in the last few miles of the races. i've got to get a lighter and more stiff bike than the lemond. i was looking at an aluminum or carbon ridley (either ridley compact or excalibur) or a caad 8 cannondale (cheap and stiff) or even an aluminum or carbon merckx- though these are harder to find, and somewhat more than i want to spend on a frame. carbon is of course much more expensive, and goes against my plane of spending less than 1g on the frame. 

any suggestions?


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## Marz (May 14, 2006)

I know that the MXL is supposedly the holy grail and I'm keen to see what the fuss is about but the chrome forks and red paint of the corsa are just too beautiful i think.

Yes i initially had my reservations about the bend but I think it's not so offensive on my De Rosa and I definately don't notice it when I'm on the bike. Check it out here and tell me that it's ugly...

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=37730&page=4 #90


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## r_mutt (Aug 8, 2007)

you de rosa looks great! the thomson looks good and you can be sure that you bought the strongest seatpost in the business. i'm a bit jealous as i'd love to race that! 

still looking for a suitable race bike frame. staying with campy so i can swap out wheels and other parts as i see fit and more importantly, to keep shifting action consistant- better to not be confused in a racing situation 

there are a few aluminum racing merckx frames still available from gita, but i'm trying to keep the price of my race bike under $2000. i went a bit crazy this winter buying frames and i should really sell some of them to fund the race bike. i've got a cinelli super corsa, a really nice baby blue cromor ciocc with chrome everywhere, and a used 80's guerciotti in storage. if i'm honest with myself, i can't justify having all of these frames!


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## eddymerckx#1 (Aug 5, 2005)

I got a 54( corsa 01) in yellow, what are they goin for these days,thinkin about sellin


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## bluemarinoni (Mar 15, 2007)

I dig that frame. I have the yellow corsa 01, and I think yours is the first I've seen that I -might- think is prettier than mine.

If it's any consolation, that appears to be the same fork that I have on my corsa 01, and it is the nicest riding bike I've ever ridden. It just feels like home.

As to "what are they goin for" if the owner is smart, they're not going anywhere. I cringe when I hear (too often) that their corsa is their foul weather, salty road, towin the baby trailer bike. Geez, get a beat to crap gary fischer for that stuff.


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## r_mutt (Aug 8, 2007)

bluemarinoni said:


> I dig that frame. I have the yellow corsa 01, and I think yours is the first I've seen that I -might- think is prettier than mine.
> 
> If it's any consolation, that appears to be the same fork that I have on my corsa 01, and it is the nicest riding bike I've ever ridden. It just feels like home.
> 
> As to "what are they goin for" if the owner is smart, they're not going anywhere. I cringe when I hear (too often) that their corsa is their foul weather, salty road, towin the baby trailer bike. Geez, get a beat to crap gary fischer for that stuff.


hi- thanks! 

i'm going to start my build soon. i decided that my other bike is too small- so i am taking all the parts off and putting them on the merckx. 

pics soon-


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## tbong27 (Oct 6, 2008)

*52cm standover?*

Rmutt, what is the standover height for your corsa? Rashid still have an arco hanging around and i m not too sure it will fit me. I m contemplating between a 51cm strada or the 52cm arco.. :S maybe the arco have the better paintjob...


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## r_mutt (Aug 8, 2007)

don't go for stand-over- the difference between 51 and 52 in stand-over is negligible. go for the one with the proper top tube length. or- go for the arco as it's much more rare, and unavailable here in the usa. 

if this helps, i wear a size 30 inseam for pants.


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## tbong27 (Oct 6, 2008)

wow that was quick. oh i m in australia.. but i m sure its unavailable here as well. I m about 29.5 inseam at 5'5 but we wear shoes anyways so i don think it will be different. Can you stand on both feet without tiptoe-ing? I m using a cheap bike atm with around 57c-c toptube and around 53cm seat tube c-c. Have to tilt the bike by a fair bit just to stand properly. i m a student and 800 australian is abit dear.. hmmm in a delimma here.. Arco is more flamboyant while strada is more subtle...


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## r_mutt (Aug 8, 2007)

if you are 5-5, i would say to go for the 51. which bike is that? with the 52, i did not have to tip toe at all. i can ride a 53 without fear of contact in the nether regions.


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## tbong27 (Oct 6, 2008)

the 51 is the strada OS. Is there a big jump in performance btwn the strada and arcobaleno? I know strada is lugged while the arco isnt. and the arco is the lightest tube at that time. I have been riding the 53 w freakish 57 toptube bike for 2 yrs already. But that was when i didnt know better haha. so maybe i wont be intimidated by a 52 frame. But its a shame to get an ill fitting frame ye?


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## cannibal (Dec 3, 2004)

*Yes*



tbong27 said:


> the 51 is the strada OS. Is there a big jump in performance btwn the strada and arcobaleno? I know strada is lugged while the arco isnt. and the arco is the lightest tube at that time. I have been riding the 53 w freakish 57 toptube bike for 2 yrs already. But that was when i didnt know better haha. so maybe i wont be intimidated by a 52 frame. But its a shame to get an ill fitting frame ye?


FWIW, my Arco. is lugged at the bottom bracket but filet brazed at the head tube. The seat tube and top tube juncture is an anomoly. The steel is Nivacrom, same as MXL, but different shapes, wall thickness(?) and construction, top quality stuff imho. The ride is sublime.
My Strada OS is heavier and feels a tad duller. A very nice ride but not the level of the Arco. or MXL imho; however, the paint job on my Strada OS and detail work is parallel to my Arco. and MXL based on my observations.
If I was in your position, reach for the Arco. if it's available.


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## tbong27 (Oct 6, 2008)

Hm. I m really tempted now with your review of the arco...Really wish it is 50cm instead. Would you if it was 2 cm larger than what you would normally ride? I just found out with my running shoes the 53 cm sits pretty alright w out endangering the family members..but its a two inch boost.. any work for the paint to prevent scratching? Wax? Btw i have no idea about quill stems or how they work! just screw it onto the thread on the fork with the headset? Maybe will figure it out if the purchase works out..


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## tbong27 (Oct 6, 2008)

Hmm, how was the communication process with rashid? I've agreed with the arco and he promised to give me payment details and some pictures few weeks ago. Still nothing atm. I;ve got back to him a couple of times and the phone bills are not cheap.. to make things worse the Rand rose over the past week.. How does the arco feel compared with the MXL? I understand the MXL is for heavier riders?


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