vintage MXL v modern MXL

[Climb01742]

awhile back, off ebay i found an early 90s MXL. it was one of the sweetest riding machines i ever threw a leg over, particularly over lousy roads. then my position evolved, frame was then too small, swapped the vintage MXL for one of the "last 100" new MXLs in a larger size. and i gotta say, it just doesn't ride the same. ok, it could be my imagination, but honestly i doubt it. wheel sets were very similar, same saddles, DA9 vs DA10, steel forks on both, but darn, the vintage MXL was just sweeter. possible? could the old batches of MXLs be just different? could it just be a bike-to-bike difference? that old MXL was the one steel frame that made me feel what the "steel is real" fans feel. so i'm tempted to try to find a vintage MXL, but a little wary at the same time. has anyone else experience this "difference" between vintage and new MXLs? any theories as to what might account for the difference? anyone got an old MXL with a 58 TT? :D

[alancw3]

can't help with the mlx issue specifically but i do believe that every once in a while no matter what we are talking about that all the forces perfectly aleign to create one truly exceptional product. just mho. hope to hear some interesting feedback to your original question.

[rnhood]

I believe some companies change their tube specs (thickness, butting,etc) based on size. As well, even with similar wheels spoke tuning (tension) can make a difference, as well as tires. Having said this, everytime I ride an older bike, for some reason it just seems to always ride better. They tend to lack the stiffy edge that so many newer bikes have.

[Too Tall]

You could cut to the chase and have T.K. build you a steel bike...just sayin'.

[Fat Robert]

rupert pupkin time:

go to chester, hold him hostage until he builds you a frame

[OldDog]

I have a 1995 mxl bought nos off ebay back in 2004. Bought it 'cause 1) the hype I read here, and 2) it was a steel for an Eddy. It is a fabulous bike and one I'll keep. Not an answer to your question, but a vote for the sweetness of an old mxl. Find one in your size, what do you have to loose.

[Fixed]

bro I didn't think I'd find a bike to replace my miele but my merckx corsa has. it is from 89 it doesn't bounce over bumps it goes through them ..i.m.h.o.
cheers

[chrisroph]

You could cut to the chase and have T.K. build you a steel bike...just sayin'.


Amen bro, the search would be over.

[Climb01742]

rupert pupkin time:

go to chester, hold him hostage until he builds you a frame

like it's that frickin' easy. he's got bodyguards for just that reason.

[Marron]

I just sold my '92 MXL after swearing I never would. The reality was that my '89 Corsa Extra is a better frame for me. I guess you need something north of 300 Watts LTP to make the MXL come alive all the time.

The only difference I can see is the traditional vs. threadless steerer tube. I was told by a friend who was a former Eddie dealer for many years that Merckx was working off old stock of the tubesets for the various re-issues.

[dvancleve]

Do you think it could be related to the threadless fork on the current/recent ones? I presume your old, too small one used a quill stem which I would guess was more flexible than the average threadless setup. I have an MX Leader that I got for a song from Holland and had repainted in the Faema colors but I haven't had a chance to build it up and ride it yet.

Doug Van Cleve
Chandler, AZ

P.S. Oh man, beat to the punch while proof reading...


awhile back, off ebay i found an early 90s MXL. it was one of the sweetest riding machines i ever threw a leg over, particularly over lousy roads. then my position evolved, frame was then too small, swapped the vintage MXL for one of the "last 100" new MXLs in a larger size. and i gotta say, it just doesn't ride the same. ok, it could be my imagination, but honestly i doubt it. wheel sets were very similar, same saddles, DA9 vs DA10, steel forks on both, but darn, the vintage MXL was just sweeter. possible? could the old batches of MXLs be just different? could it just be a bike-to-bike difference? that old MXL was the one steel frame that made me feel what the "steel is real" fans feel. so i'm tempted to try to find a vintage MXL, but a little wary at the same time. has anyone else experience this "difference" between vintage and new MXLs? any theories as to what might account for the difference? anyone got an old MXL with a 58 TT? :D

[Fixed]

bro t.k. buildt the fork on my merckx so i guess i have the best of both worlds
cheers

[Climb01742]

Do you think it could be related to the threadless fork on the current/recent ones? I presume your old, too small one used a quill stem which I would guess was more flexible than the average threadless setup.

doug, you're right about fork differences, but could that account for the differences? not arguing, just wondering.

[goonster]

then my position evolved, frame was then too small, swapped the vintage MXL for one of the "last 100" new MXLs in a larger size. and i gotta say, it just doesn't ride the same.

That might make a difference right there. I'm not saying it should account for a night and day difference, but it's a variable.

After all, this is cycling, where everything that matters is completely unquantifiable, but we fret over every millimeter. :beer:

[Big Dan]

I just sold my '92 MXL after swearing I never would. The reality was that my '89 Corsa Extra is a better frame for me. I guess you need something north of 300 Watts LTP to make the MXL come alive all the time.

The only difference I can see is the traditional vs. threadless steerer tube. I was told by a friend who was a former Eddie dealer for many years that Merckx was working off old stock of the tubesets for the various re-issues.


Did exactly the same thing last year. My Corsa 01 is more than enough bike for me.
The MXL felt like I was dragging an anchor around..... :D

[dvancleve]

As I understand it, Barron Corpuz (sp?) of Renaissance Cycles was visiting the Merckx factory for some reason and saw a bunch of unpainted MX Leaders that had been in that state a long time. He struck a deal to get them cleaned up and painted in the Molteni colors. Not too long after that other sellers started offering that version. If you are curious you can search the Classic-Rendezvous archives.

Doug


I was told by a friend who was a former Eddie dealer for many years that Merckx was working off old stock of the tubesets for the various re-issues.

[texbike]

As I understand it, Barron Corpuz (sp?) of Renaissance Cycles was visiting the Merckx factory for some reason and saw a bunch of unpainted MX Leaders that had been in that state a long time. He struck a deal to get them cleaned up and painted in the Molteni colors. Not too long after that other sellers started offering that version. If you are curious you can search the Classic-Rendezvous archives.

Doug


A couple of months ago, I purchased an NOS MXL frameset from 1994 in the Telekom Team colors (complete w/a factory number hanger!). For some reason it sat in the Merckx factory until November of 2005 (I have the shipping documentation from it being shipped from the factory to the original owner last November). I'm not sure why this bike would be sitting around 10 years after it was manufactured, but it made me wonder if there were more of them around the factory that have been unsold to this point.

Texbike

[bluesea]

There have been revisions over the years.

[Fivethumbs]

Some of the early MXLs did not have the entire frame made with MAX tubing. If my memory serves correct I think the top tube and another tube in the main triangle plus the rear triangle were not MAX. This would account for a plusher ride.

[StephenCL]

So here are a few thoughts....

The original Team Motorola MXL bikes were actually full MAX tube sets with square seat stays and a different down tube. Those seat stays attached to the seat lug in a rather un becoming fashion.

I have been told that these early MAX bikes ride like a dream.

The MXL frames sold today are using a revised specially drawn tubeset for Eddy.

My guess is there is a bit of difference between your early bike and the 100 last frames built.



Stephen

[Climb01742]

I have been told that these early MAX bikes ride like a dream.

that describes my old one. _long sigh_