Had this project for a fair while, originally purchased from Ed back in mid 2006. First build was mostly Mavic but with the inclusion of Campag Ergos and Deltas. The ergos never worked properly with the mavic mechs and it bugged me slightly mixing gruppos on a road bike. Finally got round to sourcing the correct (or almost correct) parts. Ditched the deltas (an excuse for another project) in favour of period correct late mavic (modolo made) ssc callipers. The ergos made way for modolo aero brake levers and simplex retrofriction dt shifters. The brake levers are modolo branded but identical to the mavic levers which are ‘correct’ for this gruppo – maybe one day I’ll source the matched mavic at a sensible price. The simplex levers were often used with this gruppo, believe mavic branded retrofrictions are available but again not managed to source any.



Going off frame number I believe the bike dates from 1993. The mavic equipment is from a similar era and I’m reasonably sure it’s all ‘matched’, be interested to have some feedback on this.



The only real anomalies on this build are the tyres and seatpost. The tyres are new and ride quite well, although not retro in the sense of being vintage they look the part. Originally had a campag aero post for this, sadly the frames previous owner was probably a big chap and possibly ran the frame with a lot of post – guess the top of the seatube has been ‘tweaked’ slightly because the aero post would slip whilst riding (either that or I’m to heavy myself ). Substituted another longer road post. Wrong for the built but looks ok-ish and more importantly allows me to actually ride the bike! Need to find something more fitting for the build, mavic would be nice but they are quite rare and the black would look somewhat wrong, open to suggestion on that.



Now the bike is setup and ready for the summer looking forward to getting some miles in on the merckx finally. Been riding this in favour of my modern litespeed so far this year, initial ride report is favourable!



Frame Merckx Corsa Extra 1993
Forks Merckx
Headset Mavic
Stem Cinelli XA
Bars Cinelli Eubois
Grips Cinelli Cork
Levers Modolo
Shifters Simplex Retrofriction
Calipers Mavic
Rear Mech Mavic
Front Mech Mavic
Cranks Mavic
Pedals Mavic
Chain Sedis
Block Sachs 12-23
Front Wheel Mavic 501 / Mavic CXP-33
Rear Wheel Mavic 501 / Mavic CXP-33
Tyres Veloflex Pave
Saddle Flite
Seatpost ****-***
Skewers Mavic
Bottom Bracket Campag
Cage Elite
Extras Mavic Computer

PS, will dig out the mavic nos another day

godamn beautiful holy crap

Superb, an absolute classic frame

Simply wonderful. Are the shifters indexing? If so, how does the changing compare with the big S and Campagnolo? Its my size too. I'm off to finish the Alan so I can ride retro metal (albeit aluminium) on the road too. I'm inspired.

Nice work, John.

Yes, looks great John.

Iself missed the oppertunity to acquire a full Mavic specced bike a week ago

Those Modolo brakes came in all flavours. How is their performance?

I sold this to John in a carpark in Leamington for a brown envelope of unmarked bills in small denominations. Felt part Brian Clough, part George Graham. Think I called John "young man" at one point.

I also bought the bike at the Templemeads carpark (train station in Bristol), out the back of a chancers car with a flat tyre. Components were rubbish - I think RX100 was as good as it got - but it had CXPs as pictured.



Hmm, would respectfully suggest that current owner is a) slightly beefier than he is prepared to admit; b) consumed by jealousy that previous owner has a 7-11 Corsa Extra that is every bit as pretty as this one, perhaps more so.


Regardless of my jibber jabber, this is a very handsome looking and well proportioned bike and the Mavic groupset (never gruppo by the way) is stunning.

Classic retrobike type of purchase....

Yummy!!!!

Not, perhaps, the most eloquent comment you'll receive for this vision of loveliness, but the best I can do with a lap-full of drool.

Cheers


@ Ed - point conceded

@ Iwasgoodonce. The shifters are friction (hence retrofriction I guess). The gears work well, lots of pros used these simplex levers over their sponsored kit, notably Fignon. Going back to downtube levers from STIs takes some getting used to but is fine. Ultimately the Dura Ace 10 speed on my good bike works better but the simplex/mavic setup is perfectly serviceable,

@Melvin. The modolo/mavic brakes are a touch wooden compared to dual pivots but are perfectly adequate. One of the strength of the merckx is super stable descending (as Ed can verify), the brakes do the job as long as you plan ahead...

Very nice John, I like it.

I've got a pair of those Modolo brake levers but all black. I've not seen the black and white ones. I might use them on a bike sometime but not got the right one yet.

I've also recently started using DT shifters again on the Duralinox. It's quite a backward technology shift to have to grope down to find them. It's a good job they're Shimano indexed, just a quick click and away. I still find myself trying to move the brake lever to shift though!

Found it pretty tricky at first going back to DT levers I have to admit. I'd only ridden dt levers in the very early 90s and they were indexed. Never done any time with friction until now. Have to say that having done a few miles with them I quite like them now

That is one racey looking bike indeed. Top job and an interesting project.

Ok, off on a tangent as usual and plowing a furrow well worn by me but downtube shifters are the schnizzle and, bar racing, laugh at STIs.

Downtube shifters are an area of infinite subtlety in a machine controlled world. Want to chance gear? The subtlety of gently grasping the smoothly working lever, the finessing of the gear so that it is 'just so'. Against that the cold, harsh, brilliance of the STI, all cold efficiency and no soul. Think vinyl v CD. Think form AND function. Go the STI route and soon we'll be changing gear by thought alone. And then not even riding the bike. It is a slippery slope my friends, a slippery slope.

Also, in an increasingly comfortable, mollycoddled world, isn't the uncertainty of friction shifting somehow reassuring, even a little bit rock and roll (ok, so I argued above that friction shifting was superior and more subtle above but let's not place consistency of argument in the way of the flow). Don't conform, stick it to The Man, friction shift, it's what Che would have done.

And don't even get me on to the tyranny of compatability.

Ok, waffled on but to paraphrase Keith Bontrager - light, simple, robust, cheap, for downtube shifters pick all four.

Keeping it sundial

Ed

I bet your next bike has Record 11.

I think you should put some miles in on 'brifters'. I enjoy riding the merckx with it's retrofriction gearing. As you say it takes a subtle touch.
However the 10 speed Dura Ace on my modern bike rules