The Cannibal Thread - Eddy Merckx

[olffie1]

My MX Leader with beautiful paint work.

[bikebloke]

My MX Leader with beautiful paint work.

kind of makes mine look even sadder

[Dirkieuys]

My uncle has that shirt, signed by Merx. My Aunt sent it from Italy yonks ago.

 

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I recently did some research into Eddy Merckx for a build project and thought I'd share it here. Feel free to correct mistakes and add pictures and stories of your own bikes. (It will run as a series over the next week and cover his whole career.)  

 

1 - Eddy Merckx - Introduction

 

Eddy Merckx is widely credited as the overall most successful rider in the history of bicycle racing.

His victories include eleven Grand Tours (5 Tours de France, 5 Giros d’Italia, 1 Vuelta Espana), all 5 the Monuments of Cycling (Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix, Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Giro de Lombardia), 3 World Championships, a 1 hour record, and all the major European 1 day races except one. He also won numerous time trials, track races, kermesse and criteriums.

From 1961 to 1965 he won 80 races as an amateur before turning professional in 1965. His appetite for winning quickly gained him the nickname "The Cannibal". Merckx achieved 525 victories over his 18 year professional career. However, sadly, he was caught in three separate doping incidents during his career.

In 1978 Eddy Merckx retired from racing and in 1980 started his own bicycle factory. His bicycles quickly built a reputation for excellence and were used by several successful professional racing teams in the 1980s and 1990s. He stayed involved in cycling as a coach and an ambassador for the sport.

[Dirkieuys]

There we go.

[CAAD4]

My Corse Extra done in the traditional Molteni Mercx colors.

Very nice. The only bike on Le Hub that should have tan skin wall tyres on. Those of you with modern bikes, just no. Now I feel better. Coffee!.

[EvanB]

 

The refurbishment of the Leader frame almost done

[DJR]

This from an interview with Ernesto Colnago:

Eddy Merckx hour record, 1972
‘I built this bike for Eddy Merckx to attempt the Hour record on. At the time it was the lightest I had ever made, 5.75kg, and this was 46 years ago!‘The stem is titanium, and I had to send it to America to get it welded as no one in Europe knew how to weld titanium back then. ‘The spokes are titanium as well, and the hubs are made by Campagnolo from beryllium alloy, very light and stiff. ‘I drilled out every chain link by hand [saving 95g], which upset the chain’s makers, Regina Extra, as they said it would be too weak for Eddy’s power.’ Colnago also created an especially light headset – just 122g – and had a Columbus steel tubeset drawn that thinned to a mere 0.4mm wall-thickness in the middle, groundbreaking for the day. French company Clement provided 80g tubular tyres and Colnago redesigned a Cinelli Unicanitor saddle to have special sliding seat rails to achieve Merckx’s desired position. The bars were also Cinelli, again drilled out to save weight. Colnago says the fabrication alone took over 200 hours, but it was worth it. ‘I went to Mexico City [chosen for its high altitude and low air pressure] as Merckx’s mechanic. I was not that nervous, but Eddy was. Just five minutes before the start he asked to change the handlebars. ‘In the end he broke the record with 49.431km, and we got drunk together afterwards. It was one of the greatest days of my life.’

[DJR]

Just to make sure you don't miss what the important bit above is:

 

A steel framed bike of 5,75kg was possible 46 years ago.   Ok, I know it was a single speed stripped to its underpants, but still!

[Cippo]

Stolen from another thread.

[EvanB]

 

 

[Tim Brink]

Cue ball jokes...

 

http://www.kozoom.com/en/billiard-carom/news/eddy-merckx-strikes-again-in-seoul.html

[DJR]

It is fitting that the first steel bike in the TdF in 20years, should be an Eddy Merckx. 

 

"For the first time since '98 we're back in the Tour peloton with a steel bike! Oliver Naesen will start stage 21 with this brand new Corsa. A steel bike with a custom geometry and a custom Retro design"

[DJR]

And in case anyone else want to see the new Corsa in THE fastest colour (Thanks Gummy):