MX Leader Build Suggestions...

[oldguy00]

I'll be building up an MX Leader in Motorola colors hopefully before the new year.

I have a NOS 7700 crankset and NOS 7700 brake calipers to go on it. Also a new set of Fulcrum 7 wheels for now, since they are at least somewhat classic looking (ie. shallow).

Not sure how I want to finish off the rest. Could go full retro silver and hunt down a set of 10 speed downtube shifters, 7800 derailleurs, 10s cassette on the fulcrums, and a set of slr brake levers.

Or could go with the 7700 stuff, but then put some two year old (11 speed) ultegra di2 derailleurs on that I have laying around, and ultegra di2 STI lever.

White bar tape most likely. But then for saddle....white? Black??


Thx!

[jtbadge]

If you've got those classic high polish cranks and brakes, stick with the 7700 or 7800 stuff to match, whether that's STIs or downtube shifters. A full 11 speed group would be great, but mix-and-match will look cheesy.

White Flite saddle and white Fizik bartape, and try to find a Dura-Ace SP-7410 seatpost!

[Ozz]

I like matching tape to seat.....sort of like your belt should match your shoes.

;)

[velofinds]

So you found one. Congratulations, must be a great feeling.

[tv_vt]

I'll have the same project very soon. Merckx MXL is in the mail headed my way!
Going to go with a blend of parts to start out, ranging from 7700 sti with 7800 brakes and 9000 cranks. If I connect to the frame, I might switch to Ultegra 11 speed STI eventually.

Very curious to try out this classic steel frame. Wondering how much I'll notice the weight of the frame on the hills around here. But total rider/bike weight will go from roughly 200 pounds to 203 pounds, so what's that, 1.5% increase in weight?

[oldguy00]

So you found one. Congratulations, must be a great feeling.

Thanks. :) It only took, what, like 7 years or so of searching....lol. It is with Alan Wanta now waiting for its new paint. Now I'm hoping a 54 is still the right size...lol. Shoes and pedals have lowered stack heights since I rode steel back in the 90's.....hopefully my saddle/post don't look like they are sitting on the top tube!

[oldguy00]

I'll have the same project very soon. Merckx MXL is in the mail headed my way!
Going to go with a blend of parts to start out, ranging from 7700 sti with 7800 brakes and 9000 cranks. If I connect to the frame, I might switch to Ultegra 11 speed STI eventually.

Very curious to try out this classic steel frame. Wondering how much I'll notice the weight of the frame on the hills around here. But total rider/bike weight will go from roughly 200 pounds to 203 pounds, so what's that, 1.5% increase in weight?

I am def somewhat tempted to go with 11 speed di2 shifters and derailleurs for now since I have a lot of it on hand. Then keep an eye out for other retro parts and switch to those if I want to down the road.

Doesn't look too bad on this one:

https://twohubs.blogspot.com/2016/07/team-motorola-eddy-merckx-mx-leader.html

[GregL]

If you already have some mint 7700 parts, I would take the time to get the rest of a full 7700 group together for the build. 7700 started showing up on pro bikes in the summer of 1996. I don't know if any of the Motorola Merckx/Caloi bikes were actually built with 7700, but Motorola was still riding Merckx steel frames that year.

Looking at images from the 1996 Tour DuPont, Motorola used black saddles, white bar tape, and tan wall tires. Wheels were conventional handbuilts with dark anodized rims.

Greg

http://www.jsmcelvery.com/photos/armstrong/96armstrong2.jpg

https://s27394.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/DupontRichmond.Getty_.jpg

[OtayBW]

^ Case closed...

[oldguy00]

If you already have some mint 7700 parts, I would take the time to get the rest of a full 7700 group together for the build. 7700 started showing up on pro bikes in the summer of 1996. I don't know if any of the Motorola Merckx/Caloi bikes were actually built with 7700, but Motorola was still riding Merckx steel frames that year.

Looking at images from the 1996 Tour DuPont, Motorola used black saddles, white bar tape, and tan wall tires. Wheels were conventional handbuilts with dark anodized rims.

Greg


Thanks, cool pics. :)

[oldguy00]

I am def somewhat tempted to go with 11 speed di2 shifters and derailleurs for now since I have a lot of it on hand. Then keep an eye out for other retro parts and switch to those if I want to down the road.

Doesn't look too bad on this one:

https://twohubs.blogspot.com/2016/07/team-motorola-eddy-merckx-mx-leader.html

Oh I just realized thats not di2... Newer 11 speed levers and derailleurs, but still mechanical. Yeah, might look pretty bad with external wires, battery, etc... :(
SRAM etap.... ;)

[jtbadge]

Oh I just realized thats not di2... Newer 11 speed levers and derailleurs, but still mechanical. Yeah, might look pretty bad with external wires, battery, etc... :(
SRAM etap.... ;)

Definitely do eTap.

[Spaghetti Legs]

I'll have the same project very soon. Merckx MXL is in the mail headed my way!
Going to go with a blend of parts to start out, ranging from 7700 sti with 7800 brakes and 9000 cranks. If I connect to the frame, I might switch to Ultegra 11 speed STI eventually.

Very curious to try out this classic steel frame. Wondering how much I'll notice the weight of the frame on the hills around here. But total rider/bike weight will go from roughly 200 pounds to 203 pounds, so what's that, 1.5% increase in weight?

I don’t notice too much difference between my lightweight carbon and steel, except for the ones with the 42 tooth chainrings maybe. The 15 lb Colnago will get up the longer climbs a little quicker on a good day. Steel goes downhill faster!

[93KgBike]

Is that Big George?

[rccardr]

I would suggest a full 7410 group.

Solid performance, maybe the prettiest DA crankset ever made, dual pivot braking, plenty of gearing leeway, RD will shift up to a 28 cog.

And period correct, if that counts for anything.

[Jellybird3]

Silver on that bike will look great!

Along with a black saddle, white bar tape...just like Eddy.

[jet sanchez]

Chorus. The answer is almost always Chorus.

[johnniecakes]

I finished mine with 68001697968188

[pincopallinobis]

Chorus. The answer is almost always Chorus.

Yes.

[CSKeller]

Yes.^^^This unless you go Record or Super Record.

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[oldguy00]

If I were getting telekom paint, I'd go C-Record.... :)

But motorola.....gotta go shimano!!!

[Steve in SLO]

I did my Team Gan leader up with alloy 10 speed Chorus with a square taper crankset. Brakes are Monoplanars, which are my favorite-looking brakes of all time. The build evolved over time, but this thread will give you an idea:
https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=137337&highlight=Merckx+leader&page=2

[msl819]

If I were getting telekom paint, I'd go C-Record.... :)

But motorola.....gotta go shimano!!!

Do yourself a favor and run some wide rims. I have a set of Belgium+ on my MXL and it really is amazing the ride of the MXL and HEDs.

[Jeff N.]

Silver Campy Athena or Potenza.

[jtbadge]

Do yourself a favor and run some wide rims. I have a set of Belgium+ on my MXL and it really is amazing the ride of the MXL and HEDs.

Or TB14s for a retro look and 23mm width.

[msl819]

Or TB14s for a retro look and 23mm width.

Agreed... I ran some TB14s on a Serotta CRL and they were fantastic too!

[oldguy00]

If I decide to build a wheelset for this bike specifically, I think I'd probably go with HED Belgium tubular rims, and put some 25mm tubie tires on them.
I used to build my own wheels, but been a while and sold my park wheel stand... :(

[merckxman]

Yep, Chorus. The one bike I have never sold, bought new-original owner

[tuscanyswe]

If you go campy route i got this set up to sell.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1869/43751524455_8476113d48_b.jpg

Chorus 8s carbon in very very nice condition, shifters feels like new. Bars n stem are modolo q even. Wheels chorus hubs on omega rims etc.

[rrudoff]

Agreed... I ran some TB14s on a Serotta CRL and they were fantastic too!



I run TB 14 with Paves on my Max bike of similar vintage along with 6800 and have no complaints.


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[Ryun]

Is that Big George?

I think that’s Andrea peron.
I remember seeing them go up that hill in shcokoe bottom (Richmond Va) live at the tour DuPont.
I was a pretty good cat2 at the time had ridden with a bunch of domestic pros etc but seeing them roll that hill
In the big ring lap after lap made me want to quit. It was unbelievable

[Fivethumbs]

Although Peron and Hincapie have similar features, that photo is George. Check out the bike - it's branded a Merckx not a Caloi. It's from the 1994 Tour DuPont. The 1995-1996 Motorola bikes were branded as Caloi. In 1994 Peron was on Polti and did not join Motorola until 1995. He should only be seen on bikes branded Caloi.

[jtbadge]

Bringin' this one back! I have a Motorola threadless reissue on the way, to be fitted with a mix of Dura-Ace 9000 and Ultegra 6800 with some silver T11 > Archetype wheels and gumwall Corsa G+.

Black or silver cockpit? The headset is already silver so I am leaning towards cockpit to match, though the groupset is mostly grey/black. But it looks great both ways!

[Jeff N.]

It's a sweet riding frame for sure. Loved mine.

[Ronsonic]

Chorus. The answer is almost always Chorus.

We need a like button here.

Oh, and Campy needs to keep making beautifully shiny gruppos.

[oldguy00]

Bringin' this one back! I have a Motorola threadless reissue on the way, to be fitted with a mix of Dura-Ace 9000 and Ultegra 6800 with some silver T11 > Archetype wheels and gumwall Corsa G+.

Black or silver cockpit? The headset is already silver so I am leaning towards cockpit to match. But it looks great both ways!

Mine was supposed to arrive yesterday via Fedex, but didn't. :( Maybe today.

So far I have the NOS dura ace 7700 cranks and brake calipers. I have a new Thomson silver zero setback post, a new black flite saddle.
I haven't really decided on the rest of it. I think I have a silver 3t quill stem I could use, and I also have a scott drop-in handlebar I might try with it if they are the proper size to go together. I would then use white handlebar tape.

But I'm not sure what to go with for shifters/derailleurs. The simplest option for me may be to go with 11 speed mechanical DA or Ultegra, as its readily available, cheap for ultegra, and then I can share my 11 speed wheelsets with it.

Otherwise, might look at 7800 brakes/shifters, but then I'll need a 10 speed cassette, and would have to put that on my one training wheelset that I would be sharing with my 11 speed tri bike, so bit of a pain having to swap back and forth, and I don't love the idea of buying another wheelset.

[oldpotatoe]

Bringin' this one back! I have a Motorola threadless reissue on the way, to be fitted with a mix of Dura-Ace 9000 and Ultegra 6800 with some silver T11 > Archetype wheels and gumwall Corsa G+.

Black or silver cockpit? The headset is already silver so I am leaning towards cockpit to match. But it looks great both ways!

Silver...close the thread please--->>>:)

[azrider]

Although Peron and Hincapie have similar features, that photo is George. Check out the bike - it's branded a Merckx not a Caloi. It's from the 1994 Tour DuPont. The 1995-1996 Motorola bikes were branded as Caloi. In 1994 Peron was on Polti and did not join Motorola until 1995. He should only be seen on bikes branded Caloi.

Check out the big brain on brad.........nice work.

[tv_vt]

The 9000 stuff looks pretty good. This one has practically every version of DA from the last 25 years represented in one component or another.