Classic & Vintage - Butted 531 Merckx?

http://cgi.ebay.com/1970s-Eddy-Merckx-Reynolds-531-Steel-Road-Bike-Lugs-/170524856593?pt=Road_Bikes

This one looks like it would be straight-guage 531 at best? Kind of puts in to question the Cyclart decal policy. The hard line of only using the correct decals on bikes they paint to protect the vintage world from future fraud?

I may be wrong but that does not look like a high-end Falcon to me.

The rr dropouts look really cheap.

I like orange bikes.

Some nice lugs to go along with the not so nice rear drops and a terrible brake bridge.
Pretty brazing voids and a 26.4 seatpost.
All adds up to a top of a line frame to me. ;)

Can't imagine paying CyclArt what it cost to paint the frame. But it'll make a pretty fixie.

Ditto with Chuckk. The previous owner had CyclArt polish a 3-main-tubes turd to make it look like something more desirable.

I will not believe those tubing decals for a second - and it's not because Chuckk ID'ed the frame - it's because the rest of the decals are the 1990's Kessels set, hence the "Belgian Handmade" lettering. I'll bet you anything that Chuckk's decals are completely different at close inspection (even from the photo he already posted, it's apparent that the original bands appear to be chrome foil).

-Kurt

That's not an actual Merckx.

That's not an actual Merckx.

Falcon/Clements built.

-Kurt

That's not an actual Merckx.

What do you mean by "actual Merckx"? The seller claims it is a Falcon built Merckx. If it is, and it certainly looks like a Falcon frame, than it could be an "Actual Merckx" as Eddy Merckx had not yet started building frames himself but had licensed his name to Falcon and Kessel.

A top of the line Falcon or Falcon built Merckx is much more cleanly constructed but this isn't a gaspipe either. I suspect it was a mid level frame. A lot of frames from the early seventies suffer from occasional sloppy brazing. Every builder in Europe who exported to the States had to double production every year to keep up with demand. As a C&V collector and connoisseur I have a tendency to turn up my nose and sniff at such poor workmanship, but in 1976 for a teenager or young adult this was great stuff (for what we could afford then).

But I agree with the others, it's a lot of money to spend on a paint job for a mid level bike and 531DB stickers probably should be 531 Tubing (straight gauge). Maybe worth it to the original owner but not worth it on the market.

This Saturday while cycling I met a guy still riding his Falcon he purchased in 1975 that he had had repainted at Franklin Frames. It looked nice.

Price is climbing.

Price is climbing.

It has long been established that the eBay buyer is amongst one of the least intelligent life forms on Earth.

-Kurt

Save your money for a Raleigh Super Course.