Originally Posted by Gary Fountain
Yes - I believe the Merckx TI frames were built by Litespeed. I remember reading a review of one of the Merckx AX bikes and it received a very good review (but not brilliant). With the Durace ensemble it should be a top quality riding bicycle.
The other thing to take into consideration is the MERCKX name on the frame; I'd love to have one.
DA-8 is an orphan and incompatible with anything that's available now. The derailleur doesn't move the same, the shifters won't move a modern derailleur the same, the cassette isn't spaced the same (as other 8-speed components) - nothing wrong with it but may be a pain to replace individual components. I would consider the future cost of component replacement in my decision if I were thinking about buying it.