Anyone have opinions on the 2005 Mercier Serpens LTD for $859.95 @ bikesdirect.com?

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...erpens_ltd.htm

They are spec'd the same as the Fuji Roubaix.

My thoughts were ditching the triple and upgrading to all Ultegra components...throw a carbon seat post on it and it could be what I am looking for.

Any thoughts???

Does an AlanBikeHouston post automatically appear when Motobecane, Mercier, or Windsor appears in the title of a thread? He seems to be softnening his formerly hardline stance on communist made bike frames.

Nope. I'm not happy about stores stocking communist-made products. And, I don't like stores violating U.S. laws by removing the stickers that indicate a product is made in communist China.

I looked closely at the Mercier Serpens with the Columbus aluminum frame yesterday. I SUSPECT it was made in China, because the store had removed the "country of origin" sticker. Who would remove the "origin" sticker from a Columbus frame IF it had been made in Italy? Heck, the made in Italy bikes use decals and stickers that can't be removed. A "made in Italy" sticker adds value to a bike.

But, although I hate the way the communist dictatorship oppresses the people of China, I must concede: the Mercier Serpens with the Columbus frame appears to have first-rate workmanship. In every respect, the Serpens LTD 20 appears comparable to a bike from Trek or Cannondale selling in the $1,100 to $1,500 price range.

The Mercier's Columbus "aero" style aluminum tubing, combined with carbon seat stays, a carbon fork, and a integrated headset, with Shimano wheels reminds me of another bike: the 2005 Specialized Allez Comp Triple.

But, the 2005 Allez Comp uses the 2004 nine speed Ultegra drivetrain, not the ten speed 2005 Ultegra drivetrain on the Mercier. And, the Mercier uses an Ultegra bottom bracket and crank, while the Specialized uses FSA. Likewise, the Mercier uses top brands for the stem, seat post, bars and saddle, and the Specialized uses "in-house" parts (although of equally high quality).

The nine speed Ultegra Specialized has a list price of $1,800. The Mercier is selling for under $1,100 at the Spectrum Cycle chain, with ten speed Ultegra. Even if a dealer discounts the Specialized to around $1,500, that is still a huge difference in price.

And THAT combination of a "high spec" and a discount price is very bad news for the few remaining US bike makers. If the communist Chinese can sell bikes that are as well-made as a top-of-the-line "Made in USA" Trek or "Made in USA" Cannondale, plus offer a bargain price, "Made in USA" bikes are gonna be a thing of the past. And, I'd would surely miss them.

Not to hijack the thread, but there's a piece on slate.msn.com about Chinese companies buying regognized brand names that have fallen on hard times, including Maytag and IBM's PC brand. Interestingly, the television ad I saw for the formerly IBM PCs did not mention the IBM brand but had the same look as the IBM business solutions ads. Some text indicating that it was a product of [I don't remember the name of the company but it didn't sound Chinese and neither does the one that bought the Maytag brand] appeared on the screen at the end of the commercial. At any rate, these are the companies that are willing to compete in hte marketplace.

I don't know of any US laws that would be violated by removing such a sticker.

It's hard to find a store these days that doesn't stock communist made products. About 60% of all the items Wal-Mart stocks are made in China. Many bike frames, even from the big name companies, are made in China also.

FWIW, I had a bike from Bike Direct arrive this week, it was in a Mercer Box (wrong box for the bike, but appro. for the topic) that just arrived this week, it's marked "Product of Taiwan"

Steve W

I think that's a lot of why why I can't pull the trigger on buying a bike from them and why I think a lot of people have ill will towards them.

If they were upfront on their website and said "Hey, we buy leftover frames that the name brand manufacturers aren't gonna use, and slap good components on them and sell 'em to you cheap" and told us exactly which frames they are/were and where exactly they came from and which company exactly made them.... I think they would sell a hell of a lot more.

Last years Fuji Team SL frame at a thousand dollar discount? Done and done.

I too had heard removing the country of origin sticker was illegal, but I couldn't quote chapter and verse if I had to.

--Darren

Textile products have such a requirement in the US, but I don't think this holds true for other things. Consider the fact that vehicles don't have such labeling.

My Mercier Corvus was made in Taiwan. Has 2 years and 14000 miles on it. Good Bike. Didn't like the job the Cycle Spectrum here did setting it up so I just do my own work.

Every bike sold at a reputable store has the "country of origin" sticker, as required by Federal law. If you want to know where your car was built, open the driver's door and look at the sticker. When I show that sticker to Ford owner's, many are shocked to find out their Ford was assembled in Mexico or Canada. Then they blubber..."but..but..but...I only bought a Ford cuz Ford's are American..."

Soon, the only thing left in America made by Americans will be the french fries at McDonalds.

The intersection of labor, globalization, and economics gets really complicated on this point. On one hand, first world manufacturing jobs probably are an endangered species, and that's probably not a great thing on balance. On the other hand, technological and societal progress frees us to do other things with our time. We're not hunting and gathering to fill our days any more, for example.

In any case, this seems to be a consistent debate on forums dedicated to stuff. Wherever stuff is made, mass-market is mass market and artisanal is artisanal, and people will always want to pay mass-market prices for artisanal products. Second and third world citizens in low wage manufacturing jobs probably can't even afford to have that discussion - maybe there's something to that.

In fact, aren't we all posting from foreign made computers?

First of all, China nowadays has a huge and growing private sector. Any definition of Communism has as its mainstay, that the government owns all means of production. China may not be a model of Democracy, but it sure isn't Communism..So much for flaming a country trying to climb out of the middle ages...slowly..but climbing nevertheless.
NOW, my question
Does Mercier use French Threading?
Can anyone answer that one?
Thanks
Yode

I guess you read this

If this Brand New Serpens LTD looks familiar to you, it's because the bike is made in the same factory that makes bikes for Fuji, Specialized, Motobecane and many other big names.


So that should tell you where it was made.

^^^
That was good for a laugh... "made in the same factory that makes bikes for ..Motobecane and many other big names."

this line is even better:
"The decal dept at Mercier goofed and put a 7005 AL sticker (easily removable) on the Seat tube of a few of their brand new 2005 Altair2 Aluminum frames with Advanced Carbon Fiber seatstays. We bought them all up at an unbelievable price and we are passing the savings on to you."

amusing