Hello forum members,
I'm sure I'm not the only person in history to think he's the luckiest man on Earth, having stumbled upon an older Eddie Merckx for free or cheap, only to take a closer look at the frame, and then learn about the late-70's Eddie Merckx-branded Falcon bikes.
Here is a collection of pictures of my new find:
http://picasaweb.google.com/11064762...170/WhiteLady#
Based on this image of an old brochure for the Falcon Eddie Merckx line:
http://www.bikebrothers.co.uk/falcon...page01_800.jpg
I do think it is the top-of-the-line Super Comptetition 102, based on cursory visual observation of the geometry. Most of the components have definitely been replaced, though.
There seems to be some level of controversy over whether these Eddy Merckx-branded Falcons are even worth considering. For the few days I thought I had a real Eddy Merckx, I had all kinds of plans to re-paint the frame, replace all of the components/wheelset/etc. (basically make it my baby), but that enthusiasm evaporated quite quickly when I learned that this frame isn't too special.
At the same time, though, it does seem possibly that this is a pretty decent frame for the price (free), maybe better than any steel frame I would normally be able to afford. In this case, it would be worth putting some effort into, if not a full overhaul. Value and prestige aside, I do enjoy the geometry of this bike for my specific riding style.
What does everyone think? How much would you value this frame at? How much would a comparable frame cost me brand-new?
Thanks for taking a look at my most recent find--the White Lady, as I have named her!