Originally Posted by
Parix-Roubaix
history of bicycles:
I bought two bikes in May 2013 in the same person .
His name is Willy and he lives in the town of Voroux- Goreux (it's not far from Lièges, Belgium )
I still have the phone number and address of this guy.
How I found these bikes?
By putting ads on Belgian classifieds sites , this person, Willy , contacted me saying she had biking Joseph Bruyère .
At first I did not believe! I asked for pictures including the bottom bracket to see if the bike was a good bike De Rosa . Surprise there , it was a bike of the Molteni team.
I wanted to understand the origin of the bike because it is not easy to find. I called Willy and he told me he had bought the bike in 1976 at the end of the Molteni team through his friend. He also said that at the time two other bikes were also bought the team with a Merckx and the third another rider .
I thought dream! there, he told me he will get in touch with one of his friends (who holds that Merckx ) but this may be complicated because this friend is in a " house for person who had health problem " and it will go through his children. Ok ! I would never see the bike I say!
When I 'll get the bike, I go around the bike Bruyère , I pay , I put it in my car and I asked Willy if he had news from Merckx's bike. To my surprise and dropped with a smile , he asked me to follow him behind the house. Here, a second bike Molteni , The Eddy Merckx ! I look , I measure the frame, no doubt that's it!
Not having the money for the bike heather , I ask him where to find a bank to pay the bike Merckx after finding an agreement on the price.
I managed to find the bank and take the money to pay for the second bike.
This does not explain the origin of bikes!
So after paying the second bike Willy makes me come home for a beer and there begins the explanation of the origin. The first thing was to show me a photo album and I understood everything at once !
Joseph is a personal friend of the family! In this album we see when he was young , invited to the wedding ....
Besides Joseph Bruyère worked in the masonry business of the father of his friend ( who has since died , Willy was submitted with the wife of his friend ) when he stopped his career because he had no money . This album was exciting because it shows a part of the life of Bruyère .
Bruyère was the link between the kids and their families that they were in 1976 and the purchase of these three bikes the Molteni team. Willy bought the Bruyère , his friend that Merckx and the third (with a chrome fork ) I have not seen and therefore not purchased.
I got a team picture with an autograph of Joseph Bruyère.
Of course , the bikes were not in the condition we see today. They have been completely dismantled and reassembled with parts that were on bicycles. With the exception of wear parts such as cables, pads .... Willy also gave me a few extra pieces that are part of the history of bicycles.
Hi Sebastien,
To a prospective buyer are you willing to give Willy's email address so that he can confirmed that this bike was ridden by Eddy Merckx?
Because to be honest, the Ebay listing and parts of your story suggest that you may have come to this conclusion simply because the frame size matches your idea of a frame size that Eddy Merckx would of ridden.
Normally this type of story is ok amongst friends but for a 25000 euros price tag this story offers no proof whatsoever.