# Two More Merckx Arrivals from South Africa



## nickb4 (Jan 24, 2006)

I ordered these two frames in April when Innergel's list broke down, and it took until July to get the order (mostly) straightened out. The 57cm MXL was shipped from South Africa to the wrong address and wound up in New Zealand instead of New Jersey. It then went on a voyage from New Zealand to Los Angeles back to New Zealand and then finally shipped to me in New Jersey. The 58cm Arcobaleno was delivered with the dreaded fork problem but somehow Rashid pulled a rabbit out of his hat and found an Arcobaleno fork with a longer steerer. This one is too long though and I will have to have a few cm of threads added to the steerer tube. Both of these bikes arrived in wonderful shape. There is one tiny chip on the MXL while the Arcobaleno is in perfect condition. 

Thanks to Innergel for everything, Barry1021 for giving up his spot on the Arcobaleno to me, the forum member in New Zealand who took very special care of the MXL and a few others on the forum who I PM'd along the way.


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## cannibal (Dec 3, 2004)

Nickb4,
patience and perseverance have paid off, your MXL color is stunning, never seen one on the road in that specific color scheme. Naturally, we've the same Arcobaleno paint scheme, baby blue!

Nice work and needless to say sublime rigs.


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## barry1021 (Nov 27, 2005)

All this fuss about forks, they look and ride better with carbon fiber forks anyway!!  

Nick, what an adventure! I am glad you finally got a fork that will work, I just hope there isn't a guy with a 62 cm in Botswana or Greenland or Moscow with your fork. Rashid is a piece of work.

Now get to work!!

b21


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## waydownsouth (Dec 30, 2006)

*Nice!!!*

Hey Nick

Great to see the MXL where it belongs and out of the bubble wrap (I was the temporary custodian in New Zealand so I got a peak but it was all wraped up). That MXL colur sheme is very nice and quite unique. Also great news regarding the fork for the Arco. I'm still waiting for a correct fork from Rashid so your experience gives me hope. :thumbsup:


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## innergel (Jun 14, 2002)

I am LOVING both those frames. I thought they were all purchased up but I'm glad to see more being liberated from the dusty wall rack in Praetoria. They need to be built up and ridden. The red MXL with the yellow accents is stunning. 

With all this mess with the forks, I'm almost glad I was not able to do the group buy. Then all you folks would be pestering me about getting it fixed. :-D Let Rashid get it worked out, if he can. Piece of work indeed.

waydownsouth, what did you order? Sorry to hear about you fork problems too. Sheesh, what a mess.


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## eddymerckx#1 (Aug 5, 2005)

thats 2 of my most wanted colors


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## waydownsouth (Dec 30, 2006)

innergel said:


> waydownsouth, what did you order? Sorry to hear about you fork problems too. Sheesh, what a mess.


I've got a 58cm Arco and 59cm MXL as well as a Corsa 01 for a friend which is still making it's way here via various other parts of the world. I'll post some pics when they all get here (hopefully with appropriate forks).


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## eddymerckx#1 (Aug 5, 2005)

whats a used corsa 01 frame& fork goin for ,was thinkin of sellin mine


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## zmudshark (Jan 28, 2007)

Very nice, indeed, Nick. The fork on the Arco looks way long. Is it threaded far enough down the steerer?


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## nickb4 (Jan 24, 2006)

zmudshark said:


> The fork on the Arco looks way long. Is it threaded far enough down the steerer?


Zmudshark,
The Arco fork is way too long so I will need to get threads added.


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## Guest (Jul 31, 2008)

nickb4 said:


> Zmudshark,
> The Arco fork is way too long so I will need to get threads added.


Adding threads isn't that big a deal, I bought a steel replacement fork for one of my bikes last year, and it was too long.

I chucked the fork up in the vise, got a cup of coffee and set at it.

Lots of cutting oil, 1 full turn down, back off half a turn, clean it up with a rag, more cutting oil, full turn down, .......................

etc.

You eventually get there, but it can take some time.


TMB

zMud - this was the fork that is now on the Ti Merckx.


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## nickb4 (Jan 24, 2006)

toomanybikes said:


> Adding threads isn't that big a deal, I bought a steel replacement fork for one of my bikes last year, and it was too long.]
> 
> 
> Thank you for the tip. I unfortunately do not have a die kit for fork steerers, and as this is (hopefully) the only fork I plan to have thread work done to, I may just farm this job out to a qualified shop.


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## thedips (Mar 26, 2007)

beaufitufll thanks for sharing... 

now does anyone have any MERCKX pistas available out here???

52 or 53 pleassee!!


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## r_mutt (Aug 8, 2007)

nick!!!!!!!!!!!! 

congrats on a successful adventure. which one are you going to build up first? 

when are you going to join us slugs in central park? c'mon- getting up at 4:30 am is not that bad once you get used to it!


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## backofthebunch (May 11, 2009)

_"It then went on a voyage from New Zealand to Los Angeles back to New Zealand and then finally shipped to me in New Jersey."_

Hi Nick, just posted my built up Corsa 01 on this gallery. This is the frame you looked after for most of last year, thanks for taking such good care of it...glad to see the MXL arrived to you in good shape too!


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## zmudshark (Jan 28, 2007)

I think Nick has a lot of building to do. He hasn't really shared with the group all he has bought over the Winter.


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## nickb4 (Jan 24, 2006)

Wow backofthebunch, that's a wonderful build. Your bike deserves a thread of it own here on the Merckx forum. Glad to hear it all worked out for you and we both owe waydownsouth a big thanks for managing our New Zealand to New Jersey to New Zealand red frame switch.


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