# Strada differences



## bolo yeung (Jul 14, 2008)

Im hunting for another steel merckx to replace the winter bike I currently use (and to complement the Corsa Extra SLX I keep as a sunday rig).

I've spotted several Strada's on fleabay with seat stays devoid of the stamped Merckx logo on each side (see item number 140279261814 )

Is this usual for the Strada's ???

Apologies for starting a daft thread but after looking through the posts in this section I could find very little info on the specific differences between the Strada & Strada OS. Im guessing that this may have been one of the models from the lower end of the range but expect it will ride as well as my SLX Corsa.

Am I correct to assume that a 57cm Strada in SLX tubing will feel very similar to a Strada in SL tubing ? (with rider weight at around 185 - 190lbs)

Also regarding the geometry does the Strada come in both "Century" and "Race"?


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## The Green Hour (Jul 15, 2008)

I rode a Strada (pre Brain OS) in the mid to late 90's and it was made from Columbus Gara. It was a straight gauge tubing, which was on the lower tier of the Columbus line, but the bike rode beautifully never the less.

Granted this was a 52 size so other larger sizes may have been constructed of a different tubeset. I wouldn't be concerned about any of the Merckx steel bikes, they were very well designed and made regardless.

BTW, my Strada had the Merckx Century geometry and looked (at a glance) identical to the Corsa of it's era. 

All that said, I wish I still had that frameset....


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## hroch (Jul 9, 2008)

I got an '87 Strada, size 56, in deep metallic lingerie red, currently set as a fixie, a beauty to look at and a pleasure to ride.
http://hrosaci.rajce.idnes.cz/Eddy_Merckx_frame/
http://hrosaci.rajce.idnes.cz/Eddy_Merckx_fickxie/
There were Cromor and Strada decals on this frame, but they were removed by some previous owner. Still you can recognize them from slight fade difference. 

From what I found here and elsewhere Strada was introduced in about '86, with Cromor tubing, same geometry as Corsa Extra, build in Capma Victory group- catalog here: 
http://www.retrobike.co.uk/gallery2/main.php?g2_itemId=1063
All the details look the same as on Corsas and Corsa extras, with the exception of dropouts, which seem to be stamped Columbus on most Stradas but Brev Campagnolo on Corsa Extras.
Later on, about 90-91, they were made of " Columbus Eddy Merckx Strada custom tubing" with Eddy Merckx stamped dropouts. There are few people mentioning Strada made of Gara, but I have never found a picture of one.
And then there is Strada OS, from Brain, which is different story.

I would be very curious if one of you multi-Merckx guys can compare the ride and feel of a Strada and Corsa/Corsa Extra. It should be fairly similar- the geometry si the same The wall thicknesses of Cromor tubing set match quite closely that of SLX/SPX mix used on Corsa Extras- TT 0.9-0.7-0.9 mm vs SLX 0.9-0.6-0.9; ST 0.6-0.9 both; DT 1-0.7-1 both Cromor and SPX, Cromor 0.9, 0.9 and 0.8 fork blades, seat and chain stays vs 1.05-1-1 in SP. And of course the helical reinforcements in SLX-SPX. Perhaps Strada has a bit more flex, or comfort?

Of course assuming Strada is full CROMOR which is doubtful- I was surprised that only TT and ST are really SLX tube on a SLX- marked Corsa Extra (with SPX DT and SP fork, seat and chainstays, as printed in an old catalogue scan for 1989 58cm Corsa Extra Team 7-11) .
http://gallery.roadbikereview.com/showphoto.php?photo=51829&cat=648&ppuser=321079
I wonder what the SL marked Corsa's were made of, and if the tubing differs for different sizes. Most probably also the early Professionals are not pure SL set.


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