TMB

In case any of you may be, like me, fans of the Merckx MX Leader.

An eBay auction closed last night for an NOS model with chrome fork and lugs.

The bike went for USD $2,001.

I didn't buy it.

genejockey 

Old Fat Guy

It went to a zero feedback buyer. If I were the seller I would be a tad concerned. I can't say that I'm crazy about the color, either, but the chrome is way cool!

TMB

Well, I will have to disagree - the colour is stupendous!!!

Old Fat Guy

I think it may grow on you

TMB

I am, in fact, already having dreams about it

moki

though I've never ridden one, Merckxs seem like the most overpriced bike out there. For the same price, you could probably have a top-tier bike, like Masi, DeRosa, Pog, or Cinelli. Or a brand new custom from pretty much an American custom builder.

Yeah, they were a mainstay of the pro peloton for years, but I've never seen one with nice lugs. For me, a lustworthy bike should stand out even if it were stripped of paint. I do like a lot of the Merckx paint, but that's not nearly enough to make me shell out the crazy prices they command.

TMB

Where to even start.............

Most Merckx frames even NOS sell for very reasonable prices, the geometry works well for many people ( like me) so the bikes make sense.

Any De Rosa'a or Masi's or the like which I have seen for sale, if they are good examples, have gone for much more than I have ever paid for a Merckx.

i have a De Rosa steel frame, and love it. I paid more for it than I ever paid for a Merckx.

The Merckx that was the subject of my OP is something rare and more so, in that it is not only NOS but also features chrome lugwork.

MX Leaders are a cult bike, and they have a cult following, so finding one in NOS with chrome lug-work .................

Old Fat Guy

Then reserve judgment.

tarwheel 

You don't consider Merckx "top tier," yet you do for Cinelli, Masi, De Rosa, etc.? I'd like to know what your criteria are for a top tier bike. As others mentioned, Merckx are valued for their geometry and nice ride. Maybe you should reserve judgment until you ride one.

texbike

I can definitely understand your justification just from looking at the bikes and not riding one. For many years, I felt the same way.

That all changed in 1996 when I tossed a leg over my first MX Leader at a Motorola Team event in Austin. That ride around the block changed my perspective. All I could say was: WOW!!! I was extremely impressed (and this was in comparison to an early 80s Cinelli SC that I had in my stable at the time). It accelerated unlike any other bike I had ridden and was incredibly smooth on top of it. The 'turn in' was spot on and the bike just disappeared beneath me. It may have been heavy (as most Merckxs are), but it was lithe and light on its feet.

Is a Merckx more crudely finished compared to the nicest Cinellis, Masis, etc? In most cases, yes.
However, I feel that they have a race pedigree that far exceeds most manufacturers except perhaps Colnago (another often crudely finished brand in my opinion). For me, the crude finish (Belgian blue collar?) and race heritage of the frames just lend themselves to the mystique of the brand. These bikes weren't built to be show pieces, but real world weapons of speed for European racing.

I'm a huge fan of the elegantly finished, Italian, English, and American iron (I have a nice, original Pog track bike and an early 80s Cinelli SC that is currently undergoing a total restoration). It is cool stuff.

However, if I could only have ONE bike, it would be a Merckx.

Happy Holidays,

Texbike

genejockey 

Well, their geometry doesn't work for guys like me with short thighs, so I think they're crap.

KIDDING!!

Camel66

I have a MX Leader and man it is something different!!!!!!! I also own a brand new Strada OS frame which I kept locked up for the future. This Eddie Merckx frames will become extinct and one will never find them again. This is for those who want to find one.

gr23932

WoW. Almost a year old thread gets revived. Well, I too have an MX leader and it is "different".