Poll: What to hang on the Colnago MXL.

[KidWok]

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=109495
Looking forward to getting the Colnago MXL from lovetoclimb and am having a difficult time deciding how to build it. Due to some reshuffling of bikes/components, I'll have the option of throwing 7700, 7800, or 7900 onto the MXL. Looking for some opinions...

I'm leaning towards 7700 since it will come directly off the Merckx MX Leader thta the MXL is replacing. Not so concerned about being "period correct" but have always thought 7700 was the last group that had the correct proportions for a lugged frame.

I'm sitting on a 7800 group right now. Having seen the new 11spd DA pics, I'm thinking that I will begin my descent into neoretrogrouchiness now and not acquire future generations of DA. Just picked this group up recently from Co-Motion...came off one of their display bikes as pretty much new. Intended to squirrel it away for a couple of decades, but the Colnago may be worth breaking those plans.

Could take the 7900 group off the Merlin 6/4 TR I posted in classifieds and throw it on the MXL. The matte/polish finish would look good with the MXL's chrome and paint...Would have a nice neo-retro look to it.

So...what do you think?

Tai

[Muttleyone]

Are you selling your MXL frame?.....to me? LOL

Dang, just saw where you were putting a 7900 group on it.

Mutt

[gomango]

I ran 7700 on my 1999 Master Extra Light.

Loved it.

Let me know if you would like to see pics.

[Fishbike]

7700 without question. silver, silver and more silver. none of this matte, battleship, greyish, satellite dish stuff for a proper steel 'nag.

[wc1934]

No, no, and no - It's Italian.

[slidey]

I'm going 7800 for my Merckx MXL, but that's 'cause I want all my bikes to be 10-sp.

Never know when a compatibility issue might kick in due to wreckage of some part + want to keep training bike closer to racing bike.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . .but it just seems so, well, so WRONG to put anything but Campy on that bike.

But in the meantime, I think it would really help us all give you advice if you could post some pictures? (Hint, hint!)

BBD

[vav]

7700

[MadeinGermany]

The question should be: what Campy gruppo do I throw on..

[jr59]

No, no, and no - It's Italian.

^^This^^

[gomango]

The question should be: what Campy gruppo do I throw on..

Chorus 10 speed gruppo.

To be honest, both 7700 and Chorus worked fine.

My friend that bought the bicycle from me wanted the 7700.

He's still riding the daylights out of her two years later.

[thwart]

Here ya go... my Master X Light from a few yrs back, built (even now I find this hard to believe) with DA 7700:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=41058&stc=1&d=1205456987

[gomango]

Here's one of the versions of mine.

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3316/3430639098_9a70261ff5_o.jpg

[Spin71]

The question should be: what Campy gruppo do I throw on..

Record Chorus Mix,,,
http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/9693/dscn3889i.jpg (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/163/dscn3889i.jpg/)

[slidey]

Gotta say, the yellow paint scheme looks magnificent!

Not taking anything away from other colour schemes but credit where it's due :)

[KidWok]

Some nice looking colnago's amongst the audience...If I were a campy fan, I'd love to put an all alloy chorus kit on this thing. DA has never let me down, so I haven't felt the need to stray...makes swapping wheels easier. Besides...this is a rabobank bike we're talking about...gotta go shimano.

The Merckx isn't available for sale...yet. I've been on velonews forum for over a decade but only started here recently (getting kind of slow over there and I'm only interested in talking about bikes/tech). Am trying to work out a deal for a forum friend there to buy it. If that doesn't work, I'll post it here.

I'm leaning towards 7700. Seems to be the best fit. If that is the case, I'll add the 7900 group to my DA treasure chest in the basement, which already contains a NIB 7700 group and like new 7800 group. After seeing pics of the new 11 spd DA group, I think I'll probably stop buying the new stuff and become a neoretrogrouch. Should have enough parts squirreled away to last a few decades!

Tai

[bluesea]

Forget the romance---the reality is Colnago riders Zabel, Museuw, Rominger, Bartoli, Ballerini etc, etc have used Shimano.