Consensus on Merxcks Liege75? thinking of replacing a Schwinn Peloton 853 (circa 1998).

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Catagory6
Posts: 612
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:36 am

by Catagory6

there's one up on ebay for $1385 usd last time i checked
couldn't find any info, other than sales pitches.
claims are it fits up to 25 tires. i run Kenda Karvs on the peloton, with mavic open pro rims

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mmendoza87
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by mmendoza87

I have not ridden a Liege 75, it looks great though.
However, I am the owner of a Kendo Phantom, which is from a small brand in Taiwan (see here: https://www.facebook.com/42807650726361 ... 54/?type=3)
I picked it up while on a business trip to Taipei. The Kendo Phantom is made in the same factory in Taiwan as the Merckx Liege 75, uses the exact geometry and same tubing (Columbus Zona). The only differences I can spot of my Kendo to the Merckx is a tapered head tube and a generic Taiwan or Chinese-made carbon fork (the Merckx appears to use a straight steerer) and perhaps some subtle differences to tube profiles. The Kendo can only fit 25mm tires as well.

How it rides: I've only tried a handful of steel bikes, including my own 18' Ritchey Road Logic. I found my Ritchey to have a livelier feel than the Kendo thanks to the Ritchey's lighter weight. Rear-end stiffness feels about the same. The Kendo feels slightly more sluggish than the Ritchey but more solid going over bumps. It excels at providing comfort, especially with its tall headtube. Again, this may not represent the Merckx due to subtle differences between the Kendo and Merckx. I'm light and like to spend a lot of time with my head down, hammering or sprinting. I can attest to the Ritchey because I own other carbon bikes (BMC SLR01, Look 595) and I enjoy the ride quality of the Ritchey and put an equal amount of time on it as my carbons. I probably won't say the same for the Columbus Zona Kendo. If you are looking for comfort, my guess is the Merckx will suit you. If you are looking to ride aggressively, something else might be better.

Catagory6
Posts: 612
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:36 am

by Catagory6

been looking at the geometry and a couple things appear odd to me
for size Small, the headtube seems fantastically tall at 165 mm
ETT = 537mm
Reach = 375 mm
Setback (B) = 151 mm
shouldn't Reach + Setback = ETT
what am i missing here?

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Fiery
Posts: 420
Joined: Sat Mar 16, 2013 9:21 am

by Fiery

Reach is measured center-top, while effective top tube and setback are measured center-center. Look ar the two dots at the top of the head tube - top tube is measured to the lower one, while reach is measured to the higher one.

Catagory6
Posts: 612
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:36 am

by Catagory6

Fiery wrote:
Mon Jan 22, 2018 11:48 pm
Reach is measured center-top, while effective top tube and setback are measured center-center. Look ar the two dots at the top of the head tube - top tube is measured to the lower one, while reach is measured to the higher one.
ok, that makes a bit of sense
so what's going on with that head tube?
i've never seen nearly such a tall head tube on a "small" frame

joeg26er
Posts: 122
Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:40 am

by joeg26er

I am 5'7 and the S with ETT of 537 is way too long for me so I would pick the XS which has a HT of 136

seems to be trendy these days to have high headtubes and slammed stems

by Weenie


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themidge
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by themidge

^That's cheating! Smallest headtube + slammed stem is the way to go :x

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