Slacker Merckx

Like slack seat tubes much? Here’s a Merckx built for Steve Bauer for the 1993 Paris Roubaix using a 60 degree seat tube angle.

from flickr …

An unusual lugged steel racing bike built for the cobbles of the Paris-Roubaix race of 1993. A special saddle made for this bike by Selle San Marco featured a raised back (based on and similar to their “Concor” model design) - obviously to help keep the rider from slipping back. The very long wheel base of this bike must have offered a comparatively comfortable ride.

An interesting racing bike design experiment.

However, Bauer did not even place among the top 10… Gilbert Duclos-Lassalle, age 39, won the race (for the second consecutive year) riding a bike with a massive MTB-style fork with front shock suspension.

from discussions on another forum …

IIRC, Eddy did not want to make it but did so only on the condition it be returned to him after use so he could destroy it! I would go look in the archives for this discussion if I was not so pressed for time

Pretty sure I remember that even Bauer admitted it was a bad idea and abandoned it.

Steve Bauer, the great Canadian champion, was hit by a truck on a training ride, i believe. He returned to racing w/ the pictured bike designed to lessen the pain. I don’t think he had great results, but still did amazingly well, all things considered. A courageous and daring rider.

Rad Roadster.

I know Baum for example advocates a longer chainstay for handling reasons, but clearly you CAN have too much of a good thing!

Yep, You could make the most awesome retarded roadster. I’d ride the shit out of it.

Maybe add some springer forks.

Frederick Pratt and Son had a similar concept bike.

It is interesting to look back and realise that so many of the race results around the early/mid '90s were skewed by who was and wasn’t using EPO.

i like how his helmet appears to be the same helmet you can get for $5 at 7-11 now…