Gaspipe Merckx?
 

I try to make a point to look at generic bike listings on ebay/CL ("vintage bicycle"), because you just never know what you might turn up.

With that in mind, I came across this Merckx on ebay. Judging by the looks, this appears to be a late 70s bike, with low-end components. Did Merckx make low-end bikes back then? Is this one of those Falcon-made Merckx bikes? No tubing sticker, it seems.

Currently at $152.50, reserve not met. :rolleyes:

Seller mentions "falcon". Looking at the seat lug, it is probably British made which is interesting.

You could probably make > $250 parting it out. Quite a few Campy bits, mostly low end.

Watch the $20 shipping. Technically sellers are supposed to honor their shipping quote, but it will cost at least $50 to ship it unless the seller gets some bulk rate discounts.

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Yes indeed, Falcon.

More commonly seen in Molteni team orange.

Date closer to 1972.

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Back in the early days, Merckx did put out some contract bikes, this one is indeed a Falcon. I see no campy bits on it, except maybe the hubs, they look like they could be Tippo's. Not sure about the crank, might be a Grand Sport but that doesn't look right to me. At the current bid of 150is plus shipping, it's already overpriced in my opinion, and the reserve is not met. Reading the description, selling for a friend as is, used for racing ( not) the seller is trolling for a starry-eyed neophyte who is thinking that this is equal to the later era's high-end Merckx. It's not.

Ok, who made a 3 arm crank spider? Stronglight?

But, I suppose you're right, nothing quite matches Campy. Close on the shift levers, but something isn't quite right.

Close-ups would be nice.

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Gear ensemble is Shimano Titlist.

Chainset is Sakae Ringyo Custom.

VeloBase.com - Component: Sakae/Ringyo (SR) CUSTOM-3

Pedals are Lyotard 15.

Stem is GB Nova.

Headset is Thomas D. Cross (TDC).

Rims are Weinmann AG Alesa 210.

Propstand is Rampinelli (REG).

"Possible" frame may be three tube 531 plain gauge.

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BS. It only costs that much if you don't know how to properly box a bike so that your final box is smaller than an 'oversize' dimension.

The cheapest I have ever shipped a bike, which I disassembled almost completely to fit in a non-oversize box, was $46. This was a few years back and I understand bikeflights can get this down to more like $40 these days. There is no way the $9.95 shipping is accurate, and remember that's not just the shipping price, it can be for "handling" too.

Regarding the Falcon Merckx bikes, and the tubing, this from classiclightweights.net:

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Well, our raptor has finished up at the one fifty-two bid.

Wonder how knowledgeable is the writer of the classiclightweights article as they make no mention of the Allegro built cannibals...

Puzzled by the kitting on this example as have never seen another similarly fitted. No mention of this kitting the article cited.

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Interesting bike. It seems that Falcon built a lot of lower level bikes that are somehow not well documented. I have seen one like this before in my previous searches for information on frames that look like they were built by Falcon. It has the same crank set, brakes and bar-stem combo by the looks of it:

https://myalbum.com/photo/ahOBcEIsZ6Ne/1k0.jpg

BTW, it's not my picture, If it's yours, and you want it removed, let me know.

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Thanks very much non-fixie; you're a fellow with an image for ever'thin'! :thumb:

Have not before seen one like this either. :rolleyes:

Falcon/Merckx catalogue page of 1973 -

According to the 1974 brochure the black bike is most likely a mid-seventies 'Special' (model 110).

Thanks so much non-fixie. ;)

Catalogue sheet says model 110 has half chrome blades.

From the photo I think your black example employs the frame of a Black Diamond.

The brown example displays a better quality blade than the black example and it is half chrome. Not asserting 531.

Blades on black example are like something one would see on an Akisu fork.

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