Hi Jacek

I’ve just got home having bought what might just be the most beautiful time-warp bike I’ve ever seen

I’ve worked out (from your previous brilliant threads on the subject) that it’s an early 80’s frame

I bought it from a very nice guy, here in the UK, that bought it from a shop in Arnhem in 1989. He raced it for 300 miles or so, and it’s been hung up in his living room ever since. He doesn’t know anything about its previous 120 mile journey from Meise before 1989, but he believes the shop owner had it in his shop for 5 years on display, as a talking point with customers.

I love the “real world” 600 groupset, original 20mm tyres, and tatty original bar tape.

Signature seat stays, seat post clamp flush, not low, dropouts stamped “Eddy Merckx”, later style BB shell, rather than with the Eddy Merckx branding. Beautiful fork crown. Serial number GT8 (on the left), then E1744.

I’ll post some pictures if the forum will let me (I don’t have many posts under my belt yet).

Would you have any thoughts on narrowing down the manufacture date, or any other insights?

Kind regards, and many thanks for sharing your encyclopaedic knowledge on these frames this far

And if anyone as any ideas about how to salvage that disintegrating Columbus water slide decal, PLEASE let me know.

Also - the tires still hold air just fine. I’m thinking about riding on them just to see how they feel. Am I mad?

Niel





Ahhhh! So pretty!

Merckx dropouts

Little Lion/Griffin logo on the tape at the edge of the chrome

Short lugs? Not sure.



20 mm Pariba’s. Apparently lethal in the wet.

Original Selle Italia saddle long gone, sadly

Sakae bars