[wsriii]

I have recently returned to riding after a number of years off. (birth of son; too much work and stent in heart). I am riding my mid/late 90s Merckx Corsa 01. I am also suffering a bit of "new bike fever" and I began to look around at what is out there. Anyway, to my question, I got hold of a 2005 Merckx brochure in which I noticed that the "classic" frame geometry now shows the 52cm frame with a 54.5cm top tube. During the last two days I have remeasured my 52 and the top tube is defintely a 53.35 or so. Definitely not a 54.5. When did this, significant to me, change occur? Can someone give me some idea of any changes in the way the bike rides and feels with this change? Anybody got an idea why the change?
Thanks for any info.

Bill

 

[jroden]

If I had to speculate, I think you would find the new design is different in many ways to your Corsa, including chainstay length, seat tube angle and the height of the bottom bracket. I assume this would all contrbute to a different sort of ride.

My cursory look at the new frames and geometry suggested to me that the Merckx of today really has no resemblence to our Corsas and Leaders and is just another lightweight race bike that either fits you or doesn't and has no real difference from a Cannondale at half the price.

Keep that Corsa, it's a real nice bike.

 

[tarwheel2]

Not all Merckx have the same geometry, even the older ones. The geometry most frequently associated with Merckx is what they used to call their "century" frames, but not all Merckx use that. The Corsa .01 frames I have seen all use the "century" geometry, but not all of the older Corsas. A friend of mine has a very nice older Merckx with their "criterium" geometry, and it has as steeper seat tube angle. Finally, you also can order Merckx frames with custom geometry, and some frames I have seen for sale on eBay apparently are customs because the dimensions are different than most I have seen.