1981 Merz show bicycle with Dura_Ace AX group
01-09-24, 10:25 AM
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1981 Merz show bicycle with Dura_Ace AX group
https://photos.app.goo.gl/hVoG1TcTgPkCipR66
Click link for more photos. I was going through my photos and saw this bike, thought it might be of interest here. Very trick bicycle! Jim Merz
Click link for more photos. I was going through my photos and saw this bike, thought it might be of interest here. Very trick bicycle! Jim Merz
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01-09-24, 10:51 AM
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Cutting Edge at the Time
Gorgeous build, Jim! The first year of the AX gruppo. A good reminder that aero cable routing started a few years earlier than the mid 80s. Love the aero Araya rims you picked for this build. What made you pick them over others that were available at that time?
01-09-24, 11:00 AM
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I think the only other aero rims available at that time were Assos. They were very narrow and not really suitable for road bikes. I worked very closely with Shimano USA, I built show bikes for Shimano USA using Dura-Ace AX before it was available for sale to dealers. This bike became my personal ride, I'm on it in this James Mason photo. Mark DiNucci on the right, Bruce Gordon behind me. Jim Merz
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01-09-24, 11:10 AM
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Thanks for sharing this piece of history. The rear caliper under the chain stays is interesting. Can you share why you mounted it in this location? Finally, what became of this bike?
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01-09-24, 11:19 AM
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Chainstay mounting of the rear brake allowed the brake cable to be almost totally hidden, only showing a bit behind the head tube and in front of the BB shell. Aero! In those days, I always had a new bike to ride. If some customer showed a fancy for the bike I was riding, I would just sell it to them. I have no idea where it went. I made a few replica versions of it, even with the orange color. But they weren't as trick as this bike. Jim Merz
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01-09-24, 11:20 AM
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01-09-24, 11:59 AM
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Jim, spectacular, super clean, love it, not so secretly want it!
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01-09-24, 02:24 PM
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01-09-24, 02:47 PM
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This is painfully cool. Thanks for sharing!
01-09-24, 03:49 PM
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01-10-24, 12:35 PM
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01-10-24, 01:55 PM
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Cool bike.
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01-10-24, 02:51 PM
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Lovely bike and lovely build 
how much did the bike weight ??
how much did the bike weight ??
01-10-24, 03:43 PM
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01-10-24, 03:54 PM
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The frame was made with a mild version of the Columbus AIR tube set, around the same weight as Columbus SL. The AX parts are similar to Campagnolo NR in weight. I don't remember the total weight, but it must have been similar to a normal road bike with tubular wheels. Around 21 pounds.
Jim Merz
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01-10-24, 04:11 PM
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The frame was made with a mild version of the Columbus AIR tube set, around the same weight as Columbus SL. The AX parts are similar to Campagnolo NR in weight. I don't remember the total weight, but it must have been similar to a normal road bike with tubular wheels. Around 21 pounds.
Jim Merz
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01-10-24, 04:42 PM
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I can still hear the neighbors saying: "Well, there goes the neighborhood" 
I think the only other aero rims available at that time were Assos. They were very narrow and not really suitable for road bikes. I worked very closely with Shimano USA, I built show bikes for Shimano USA using Dura-Ace AX before it was available for sale to dealers. This bike became my personal ride, I'm on it in this James Mason photo. Mark DiNucci on the right, Bruce Gordon behind me. Jim Merz
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01-10-24, 04:48 PM
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01-10-24, 08:49 PM
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01-10-24, 08:52 PM
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The frame was made with a mild version of the Columbus AIR tube set, around the same weight as Columbus SL. The AX parts are similar to Campagnolo NR in weight. I don't remember the total weight, but it must have been similar to a normal road bike with tubular wheels. Around 21 pounds.
Jim Merz
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01-10-24, 09:37 PM
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I'm sure Jim will straighten us out, I can almost see BG on his HT and would certainly expect Mark to be riding his own.
Pretty sure this pic is from when Mark was working for/with Jim.
We visited that shop a couple of times after we met Jim at CycleCraft to begin with.
So flippin cool, we were so amazed at all that was going on while really having no idea what we were actually seeing.
One of our group, my best friend did almost go to work for Andy at Strawberry a little later, he ended up working at the shoe shop that made the super fancy top of the line, curled up toe Shriners "elf" shoes.
Pretty sure this pic is from when Mark was working for/with Jim.
We visited that shop a couple of times after we met Jim at CycleCraft to begin with.
So flippin cool, we were so amazed at all that was going on while really having no idea what we were actually seeing.
One of our group, my best friend did almost go to work for Andy at Strawberry a little later, he ended up working at the shoe shop that made the super fancy top of the line, curled up toe Shriners "elf" shoes.
01-10-24, 09:54 PM
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