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Tempted by a Mercier...

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Tempted by a Mercier...

Old 05-04-15, 12:35 PM
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Tempted by a Mercier...

Any experts out there that can identify this? Link to ad



For the price and with those lovely chrome front lugs, I'm sorely tempted...
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Old 05-04-15, 12:56 PM
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One of the forum members has a lovely Panasonic Professional with chrome stays, fork socks and head tube lugs. That bicycle, in my opinion, would far outshine the Mercier presented. Suntour trans with Barcons adds some sweetness to the machine.



My guess is it would be a much less expensive and more satisfying way to go. Wish I had more room in my dramatically diminished stable.
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Old 05-04-15, 01:15 PM
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Ok. Is the Panasonic for sale?
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Old 05-04-15, 01:16 PM
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Ok. Is the Panasonic for sale?
I will mention this to the owner. He will contact you, I hope, if the bicycle is still available.

I have contacted the owner on your behalf.
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Old 05-04-15, 03:05 PM
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Don't bid on the Mercier without knowing both the outer diameter (likely 28.0mm, because it is French and thus hard metric) and inner diameter (the larger, the better) of the seat tube. If it has a butted moly steel alloy (probably Reynolds 531) frame, the seat tube ID should be roughly 26.6mm. The purists may sneer at the dropouts, which appear to be stamped with a brazed-on fitting for the QR clamp, rather than forged, but this is actually not a bad system, and a cost saving trick Otto Cap used on his otherwise high-end frames.

The blue one is the plain version used with straight gauge 531 frames, whereas the chrome one has the extra braze-on used with his double-butted 531 frames.
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Old 05-04-15, 03:10 PM
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Originally Posted by randyjawa
One of the forum members has a lovely Panasonic Professional with chrome stays, fork socks and head tube lugs. That bicycle, in my opinion, would far outshine the Mercier presented. Suntour trans with Barcons adds some sweetness to the machine.

. . . My guess is it would be a much less expensive and more satisfying way to go. Wish I had more room in my dramatically diminished stable.
The OP is in France where presumably French parts are easier to come by than say North America. Shipping to Europe will add to the cost. Plus 50 euros is not exactly big money for what looks to be a pretty nice frame. There is some pretty good advice in post no. 5 regarding what to look for in this frame.
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Old 05-05-15, 12:15 AM
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Thanks for all the notes! The reardropouts have a slight angular form to them, and I would say are forged, I have another bike with the same, stamped Vitus. The ad says Reynolds, so it could be 501 but I reckon 531 is much more likely - who would bother chroming the lugs on a 501 frame??
Still thinking...
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Old 05-05-15, 01:26 AM
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Originally Posted by MiloFrance
Thanks for all the notes! The rear dropouts have a slight angular form to them, and I would say are forged, I have another bike with the same, stamped Vitus. The ad says Reynolds, so it could be 501 but I reckon 531 is much more likely - who would bother chroming the lugs on a 501 frame??
Still thinking...
Mercier made a lot of different models over the years between the early 70s and when they went out of business. There's not a lot of documentation about the details on the post bike boom models.

The Asian made "Mercier" bikes have NOTHING to do with the olde French company.

I've never seen a yellow Mercier. Looks like the frame has been repainted - not a very good job either.

I'd check the lugs for rust... Rusty chrome is a deal breaker for me but if someone wanted to build up a beater/rider bike then it's not such a big thing.

The dropouts look like they're Super Vitus which would indicate a reasonably good quality frame. Mercier used pantographed fork crowns in the early 80s.

They also built a bikes with various kinds on Columbus tubing.

Here's my 1984 Mercier frame. I wanted a Mercier Team Pink one but this red frame was in such nice condition I couldn't pass it up.

It's made of Columbus SL tubing and the workmanship is top quality.



verktyg

Chas.
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Last edited by verktyg; 05-05-15 at 01:40 AM.
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Old 05-05-15, 03:06 AM
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Thank you again Chas

Panto'd seat stays, 'something' on the fork crown and what looks to be the same lugs as in your pics, I think my only remaining question is "will I ever get around to doing something with it?"

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Old 05-09-15, 04:33 AM
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Sent the email last week, never got a reply. Ahh well.
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