# What do the BB numbers mean?



## Biggie_Sized (Jan 27, 2005)

This is my ride, picked it up last year NOS, along with two similar Team Telekom frames(already sold). I am curious at to what the numbers and letters on the underside of the BB mean.

On the left it has "5TT" on the right it has "B423" with the numbers underneath the B. I may be selling this beauty so it would help knowing exactly what it is....

It is a Corsa Extra Team Kelme made with TSX superbutted tubing but what does the 5TT mean? Please forgive me if this question is boneheaded, I'm one of the neanderthals from mtbr...


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## kjmunc (Sep 19, 2005)

Have you tried contacting GITA? I know someone posted a similar thread last year trying to decipher the BB codes and another forumite had the answer, but I can't seem to find that post. Sorry I'm no help, but keep us posted with what you find!


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

*it's all serial numbers*

send the numbers to Gita they'll let ya know


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## Biggie_Sized (Jan 27, 2005)

*I'm in Canada...*

Would it matter if Gita wasn't this bikes importer?


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## em3 (Dec 25, 2005)

Gita will know...if you call them ask for Nelson. By the way, I own the same frame and it is Century model, not a Corsa or Corsa Extra. I am almost certain that all TSX frames (with the exception of some Motorola and 7 Eleven replicas) were made with the century geometry and with the flat fork crown.
EM


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## Biggie_Sized (Jan 27, 2005)

em3 said:


> Gita will know...if you call them ask for Nelson. By the way, I own the same frame and it is Century model, not a Corsa or Corsa Extra. I am almost certain that all TSX frames (with the exception of some Motorola and 7 Eleven replicas) were made with the century geometry and with the flat fork crown.
> EM


Our bikes are similar that's for sure - however, mine is clearly labelled as a Corsa Extra. I believe, the 5TT on the BB underside stands for Time trial. Joris has a Telekom TT bike(as seen in the Merckx photo thread) I wonder is that a Corsa Extra made with TSX tubing???


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## kevrockselmundo (May 27, 2010)

Did you ever discover whether Corsa Extra were made in TSX tubing?


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

*ahem...*

Pasted from the from the OP's original message: <<_It is a Corsa Extra Team Kelme made with TSX superbutted tubing_...snipped>>
Also, do realize that this is a post from 3 years ago and that the OP hasn't left a message on this forum since then?


kevrockselmundo said:


> Did you ever discover whether Corsa Extra were made in TSX tubing?


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## kevrockselmundo (May 27, 2010)

*no need for snarky comments*

I may be new to this forum, but I didn't realize that it had a statute of limitations for posts. 

First, I realize that the OP said his bike was a Corsa Extra with Kelme color combo. My question was in regard to the subsequent post, namely, that em3 believed the TSX with Kelme color is usually a Century. Em3's response was based on, what I believe, the readily found information online from different forms. Em3's response waS reasonable given that online research yields that Corsa Extra were made with SLX whereas Century were made with TSX.

Second, Biggie_Sized created this thread because he or she had a question pertaining to a early 1990s Merckx. The bike is almost 20 years old; a three year old post is a drop in the bucket compared to the bike's age. The questions are timeless, as are the bikes. Reviving old threads to answer legitimate questions about vintage bikes is perfectly reasonable. The important thing is that the question is relevant, which mine was, as Em3's belief reflected what my online research yielded.


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

No statute of limitations on posts. I was pointing out that the person asking the question did so 3 years ago and has not posted since, making it very unlikely that they would be reading your reply. Unless of course you PM'ed them and even then, 3 years with out a post very likely means they are not even following this forum anymore. From my reading of em3's message, he may be correct that the "geometry" is Century, but it's pretty obvious that he would be wrong to say (which he didn't) that TSX ONLY came with the Century model, which was the question I thought you were asking. It's plain to see that the Corsa Extra was built with TSX as per the OP's picture. Also I don't really think it's a good comparison, the thing about bike age and message age. I mean who's going to wait 3 years for an answer to a question*? Better be a pretty good question....
BTW I love those Kleme colors. Mine is Team Stuttgart colors, my Corsa I mean.
*ever see HitchHichkers guide to the Galaxy?


kevrockselmundo said:


> I may be new to this forum, but I didn't realize that it had a statute of limitations for posts.
> 
> First, I realize that the OP said his bike was a Corsa Extra with Kelme color combo. My question was in regard to the subsequent post, namely, that em3 believed the TSX with Kelme color is usually a Century. Em3's response was based on, what I believe, the readily found information online from different forms. Em3's response waS reasonable given that online research yields that Corsa Extra were made with SLX whereas Century were made with TSX.
> 
> Second, Biggie_Sized created this thread because he or she had a question pertaining to a early 1990s Merckx. The bike is almost 20 years old; a three year old post is a drop in the bucket compared to the bike's age. The questions are timeless, as are the bikes. Reviving old threads to answer legitimate questions about vintage bikes is perfectly reasonable. The important thing is that the question is relevant, which mine was, as Em3's belief reflected what my online research yielded.


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## Biggie_Sized (Jan 27, 2005)

Hey, I'm still here. That bike's long gone though....


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

you did that just to prove me wrong! 
you sold the Merckx eh? got any others? That was a great looking bike, I love them.


Biggie_Sized said:


> Hey, I'm still here. That bike's long gone though....


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## kevrockselmundo (May 27, 2010)

*3 years*

Three years is an old thread. But my online research was at a dead end; this thread was the closest thing I came across to confirm whether Corsa Extra (not Century) did, in fact, come in the Kelme color with TSX tubing. The pictures don't necessarily lie, but they can be deceiving if the owners were unscrupulous and changed stickers. 

I have confirmed, however, that Corsa Extra was made in TSX tubing and came in the Kelme color:

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=40867


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

*changing stickers*

I've often wondered about that, false stickering I mean. On my 753 frame, I had it power coated and bought new decals for it. Just in case I wanted to sell it, I kept lots of pictures of the original frame to show that it really was a 753 frame and not just a "re-stickered" Merckx.
It's actually a possibility as it's really a little large for me. I ride a 58cm, and it was advertised as a 59 cm. When I got it, I saw that Merckx had stamped it a 60 and compared to my (stamped) 58cm Corsa, it's definitely 2 cm larger. It's really borderline for me, but it still rides pretty nice. I just barely have a fistfull of seat post showing, which was an old school way to tell if the frame fits. A 59, I could handle, probably a 57 also, but for now I'm keeping it unless I come across a 58 cm Merckx 753, them I may end up with another bike.


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## em3 (Dec 25, 2005)

Resurrecting 3 years old threads is great when we have new info. Good find kevrockselmundo on the catalog scan for the Kelme Corsa Extra. Also, I just saw another example of a Kelme Corsa Extra w/TSX currenly on ebay (item 160437879441).

Also, here is a link, which has been shared before on this forum, that unlocks some of the codes linked to the #s stamped on Merckx BB shells:
http://www.cadre.org/Merckx/

EM3


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## em3 (Dec 25, 2005)

Resurrecting 3 years old threads is great when we have new info. Good find kevrockselmundo on the catalog scan for the Kelme Corsa Extra. Also, I just saw another example of a Kelme Corsa Extra w/TSX currenly on ebay (item 160437879441).

Also, here is a link, which has been shared before on this forum, that unlocks some of the codes linked to the #s stamped on Merckx BB shells:
http://www.cadre.org/Merckx/

EM3


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## kevrockselmundo (May 27, 2010)

Yeah, I saw that frame on eBay, which sparked my search. Everything I found indicated that the Kelme color only came in Century. The www.tearsforgears.com blog had a great amount of information. I think that blogger may be involved with the link you posted, EM3? Anyway, I eventually found that catalog, which is pretty solid evidence that the Corsa Extra was made in the Kelme team color. 

That frame on eBay is nice...but not nearly as nice as Biggie_Sized's one that started this thread! What a sweet buildup. 

Does anyone know why some Merckx forks are chrome while others are painted? See item 290436793185 on eBay for an example of a really nice one with chrome forks. Is this something done aftermarket? Or was it original?


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

*chromed forks*

I'm pretty sure it's original


kevrockselmundo said:


> Yeah, I saw that frame on eBay, which sparked my search. Everything I found indicated that the Kelme color only came in Century. The www.tearsforgears.com blog had a great amount of information. I think that blogger may be involved with the link you posted, EM3? Anyway, I eventually found that catalog, which is pretty solid evidence that the Corsa Extra was made in the Kelme team color.
> 
> That frame on eBay is nice...but not nearly as nice as Biggie_Sized's one that started this thread! What a sweet buildup.
> 
> Does anyone know why some Merckx forks are chrome while others are painted? See item 290436793185 on eBay for an example of a really nice one with chrome forks. Is this something done aftermarket? Or was it original?


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