# My first Merckx Corsa Extra - can you help with Id?



## mherm (Mar 5, 2009)

Hi Guys,

Just picked up what seems to be Corsa Extra Team. Can’t id the team though.

The serial number is T-0626-A. There are clear raised stickers that are now worn on either side of the top tube near the seat with ‘RSN Racer’ visible in the light. The sticker on the seat tube is partially intact, but I can not make it out.
The frame has a race number holder. See photos for your interest.

I can’t find any similar colour bikes in old Merckx catalogues online or gallery pictures.

Can anyone help with more info?


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

No Columbus tubing stickers?

Hard to tell from those photos but looking at the BB shot I'm thinking repaint. Of that area anyway.

For the stamps, T indicates TSX tubing and the A indicates '86-'87 which is also consistent with the introduction of TSX.

As for Ronny, why not ask the store?

Google is wonderful https://www.mystore411.com/store/view/4280072/Belgium/Shimano-Cycling-NINOVE


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## mherm (Mar 5, 2009)

Thanks for info. What makes you think repaint?

May have to try the store. Was hoping to find an email address but may need to call them.

The sticker in the first shot that is damaged appears to have the word Columbus at the bottom, couldn’t make out the rest though.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

Only that the BB shot looks a little too unblemished for a 30 YO frame.

As for the paint job I don't think there's anything too unusual. Merckx produced lots of one-offs and specials for bike shops like this one.

I just looked at the map. That was a neighbouring bike shop (that appears to be no longer there). Ninove is only about 25 KM from the Merckx factory in Meise.


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## mherm (Mar 5, 2009)

Fair observation. That’s the cleanest part of the bike!

I did a bit more googling on that bike store you found and they also go by the name of R.S.N Racer - Ronny Sports, explains some of the frame stickers.

Most importantly, got a good long ride in on this morning and it felt great!


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

bikerjulio said:


> No Columbus tubing stickers?
> 
> Hard to tell from those photos but looking at the BB shot I'm thinking repaint. Of that area anyway.
> 
> ...


That sure looks like a Columbus sticker at the top of the seat tube.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

velodog said:


> That sure looks like a Columbus sticker at the top of the seat tube.


Although really beaten up.

I went looking for it. And found it.









And then I went to look for what "Riverniciato" meant.

Guess what, I was right. 

Columbus provided that sticker to indicate a frame had been repainted. BikeStuff: Riverniciato You don’t see these stickers too...


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

bikerjulio said:


> Although really beaten up.
> 
> I went looking for it. And found it.
> 
> ...


Man, I think that having a bike with one of those stickers would be pretty cool. 

Seeing the ribbon kind of threw me but there was no way that that isn't the Columbus dove. Interesting stuff, thanks for finding that.


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## bikerjulio (Jan 19, 2010)

I'm wondering if it's a Merckx repaint, or someone else. Hard to know without having it next to an original with similar colours.

My '85 has a similar looking pearl paint although hard to tell from the pics. The blue is way darker than the blue on mine.


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## mherm (Mar 5, 2009)

Good find. Probably repainted and per the website suggested by the bicycle shop in their colours. Given the stickers are no longer in use still puts the paint job at circa 25years.

I like the history behind these about old rigs.


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## acg (Feb 13, 2011)

The chrome rear chainstays (from the first pic in the OP's first= post) means it is a TSX frame from the Merckx collection in the 90s. This is chrome running from the brake mounts all the way down to the rear dropouts. I raced a Merckx 7-11 TSX frame back in the 90s and it has the same chrome rear chainstays.


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## Emerxil (Nov 21, 2019)

Hi! Sorry about the digging. This is Eddy Merckx Corsa Extra SLX built in late 1986, repainted later outside the EMC factory. T never meant Columbus TSX. This tube model was introduced to EMC in 1988, and its designation is TT for the Corsa Extra and TTB for the Century. The information on cadre.org is misleading and inaccurate.


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