Are these mercx bikes rebadged blades? they look too much alike for them not to be
http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech.php?id=photos/2003/tech/features/belgium/Bike2
I can’t say with authority but it doesn’t appear the Merckx has the same seatstay as a Blade. The Merckx looks straight and maybe thinner than the Blade. Of course, it could just be the angle of the photo…
Here is the caption of the picture; “While Litespeed’s association with Lotto-Domo lasted only one season, it appears the American company’s cutting-edge designs have influenced Merckx’s latest TT frames, with the main triangle adopting airfoil-shaped tubes reminiscent of the Litespeed Blade.”
Which would indicate that they are not rebadged Blades. Again, I don’t know for fact. :^)