Classic & Vintage - Lemond Z team merlin made on ebay.

Was wondering on ebay there is that lemond z team merlin bike. the guy says it was an actual team bike but it does have the frame pump braze on and no number hanger

Oooooh that's nice. I want!

Was wondering on ebay there is that lemond z team merlin bike. the guy says it was an actual team bike but it does have the frame pump braze on and no number hanger

Its hard to say.....maybe, maybe not. Regardless, is a nice bike.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Greg-LeMonds-1991-TI-Team-Z-Campy-road-bike-/130581033268?pt=Road_Bikes&hash=item1e673c7134

It is serial number 4123 and was confirmed by Tom Kellogg as one of the 12 frames made for Team Z for the 1991 racing season.

well that sounds promising. I thought that Greg rode a bigger bike, but I could be wrong.
be nice if the seller could show email or letter proving provenience of the bike.

Marty

I think it's real - I don't think Merlin made a replica Lemond Team Z bike (they didn't end up working with Lemond, that went to sandvick) and I just don't see someone going to the trouble of painting a ti bike to fake it. I think it's quite easy to verify with Mr. Kellogg as he's extremely helpful to those with Merlin questions. That serial number is quite close to my 91' Merlin...so the claimed timing is consistent.

I know this bike was posted by the seller several years ago on Serotta Forums chat areas to just talk about the bike.

Correction - the one on Serotta Forums is NOT this bike.

http://forums.serotta.com/showthread.php?t=90876&page=2&pp=15&highlight=lemond+merlin

I have it personally from a reliable source (a Merlin co-founder) that the frame appears to be authentic. He does add that Tom Kellog never "made" any Merlins. Rather, he would slightly grind down the welds.

I have it personally from a reliable source (a Merlin co-founder) that the frame appears to be authentic. He does add that Tom Kellog never "made" any Merlins. Rather, he would slightly grind down the welds.

My understanding is that he designed the Merlins but didn't really have a role in manufacturing them.

The Serotta thread posted above has a new post further authenticating this bike.

Long top tube is definitly a Lemond characteristic that I doubt you would find on a standard merlin. This bike has 175mm cranks which sounded a bit long to me in comparison to the frame size but I searched and found several references indicating that Greg did in fact ride with 175mm cranks. All the small bits and details seem extremely period correct to me. 1991 was pre-ergo shifting, Greg favored TIME pedals, goofy scott bars.
The sloppy cutout Z sticker partially covering the Merlin logo at top of seattube seems like a touch that only a team bike would have.
Intersting to see that this american/itialian wonderbike had a japanese Sakae alu fork.

Great stuff. Thanks. Im going to bid on that ... if it doesnt go too high. That is the on Lemond bike i would like to get!! I also know that Della Santa did make some of those z bikes as well.

Im going to bid on that...

What's your max? I need to know so I can set my snipe bid. ;)

Well, i think 1500.00...........think i have a chance??
What's your max? I need to know so I can set my snipe bid. ;)

well, i think 1500.00...........think i have a chance??

no.

1991 Giro, Lemond on the left, with the black and blue helmet Original size link. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ta_do/2637898717/sizes/o/in/photostream/) He has Delta brakes here, but is the frame black?


From this Flickr page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27377603@N06/2637898717)

And,
1990 TdF. I can't link the photo. It's the second one from the left on row two. It looks very similar.
http://photos.grahamwatson.com/Print-Gallery/Greg-Lemond

1991 Giro, Lemond on the left, with the black and blue helmet Original size link. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ta_do/2637898717/sizes/o/in/photostream/) He has Delta brakes here, but is the frame black?

Darker frame was probably a carbon fiber frame, he usually switched to a CF frame once the tour hits mountains.

1991 Giro, Lemond on the left, with the black and blue helmet Original size link. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ta_do/2637898717/sizes/o/in/photostream/) He has Delta brakes here, but is the frame black?


From this Flickr page (http://www.flickr.com/photos/27377603@N06/2637898717)

And,
1990 TdF. I can't link the photo. It's the second one from the left on row two. It looks very similar.
http://photos.grahamwatson.com/Print-Gallery/Greg-Lemond

These links are amazing, thanks. Do you know of any other similar pages? Searching Flickr returns a few but there must be thousands of photos out there.

This bike is looking more and more like the real deal to me, I bet it hits $3K.

These links are amazing, thanks. Do you know of any other similar pages? Searching Flickr returns a few but there must be thousands of photos out there.

This bike is looking more and more like the real deal to me, I bet it hits $3K.

I just got them off the first page or so of Google Image Search.

More info on the GL team Z merlins here;
http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/Walter/9/

Just a hair over $3,000...and I think worth every penny. If I had the disposable cash and space, I'd have gone in.

When you consider that pretty standard formula and common mid-80s bikes can sell for 1500...this is a bargain.