Howdy fellers...
I went ahead and bought the purdy orange bike in the window , and would love a bit of input into the age and materials of the bike...
I took a photo of a very incomplete sticker that was at the top of the seat tube that must have been said what type of steel was used. does anyone know what the sticker might have looked like? or said?
I also would like to know what year this frame is...

I keep seeing Eddie Merckx frames that look identical to this and from what I found, his first bikes out were rebadged Falcons? is that right? Does anyone know if the Eddie Merckx frames ever had the "Designed by Ernie Clements" decal on the chainstays?


I love the original color of this bike, but I am kickin' around two options. One option is to have the frame stipped, then polish it really well (shiny lugs), and then have a clear powder coat put on it (I would probably leave the forks O-Natual). The second option is to have the whole bike powdercoated as close to the original Molteni orange and only replace a very few of the original stickers. I plan to buy decals from the guy on Ebay out of Canada.

Has anyone ever cleaned a bike up well enough to clear it? If so, what might it take (other than the initial striping of the paint)?

The final outcome for this frame is to be a single speed.

Any comments and questions are sure welcome...

I would have posted larger images, but the site said I had to downsize them. If you need larger, I can try to post larger...


Phatatude - A smile is just a pedal away...

As bike enthusists, you have to read this... it should crack you up...
https://web.mac.com/phatatude/Green_S...e..._%3B).html



Come see a european classic...
https://web.mac.com/phatatude/Green_S...enty_Blog.html

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/falcon.html

I would guess that the missing frame decal would be a Reynolds 531 decal to match the decal on the fork. I don't know much about the Falcon Merckx's but I thought they were lower level machines. Your frame looks like the 'real McCoy'.

If it is a Colnago or De Rosa Merckx I would suggest that it would be worth more in its original state. I'd clean it up (steel wool, cut and polish, perhaps a bit of touch-up paint, etc.) and keep it original.

I'd do almost anything to have a top class Merckx Molteni frame.

I know others will be able to more correctly identify the frame.....hope it's the real McCoy,

Gary.

P.S. don't strip the paint off it, I think you'll regret it in the future.

Mr. Fountain and Roundboy thanks...
I had actually read the Sheldon article prior to getting the frame along with just about anything else I could find on the net about Ernie Clements and Falcons. The last thing I was hoping to hear was to keep the frame original The paint is REALLY rough, and I was just about to head to the powder coater or the stripper TODAY :O so you may have saved it for now... The top bar on the mike looks like the prior riders had LEAD BALLS (aka. tons of scratches on it). The Decals are all on their last legs too... The only decal I planned to put back on it was teh one on the rear chainstay that says "Designed by Ernie Clements". According to Sheldon's article, the higher end Falcons had the Ernie name on the back like mine.
I read everything I could find about this bike, but I have still yet to see one with the same Decals as this one. That makes me believe its a mid to late 70's bike? I could be completely wrong though. The guy in Canada said he is just about to make the repro decals that are on this bike but he said he didnt know anything about it.
I was just planning to make a simple single speed since I have been retrofitting a late 60's Raleigh Twenty. I just wanted something I could put on autopilot and get through, and now you tell me I may have a gem? yikes... I didnt need the stress

If anyone can give me any other info, I would sure appreciate it... Id sure hate to endanger a piece of history.

Phatatude - "Bicycles, The answer to global warming..."

The Raleigh Twenty Project- https://web.mac.com/phatatude/Green_S...enty_Blog.html


The Wife's embarrasing Ride... https://web.mac.com/phatatude/Green_S...e..._%3B).html

Thanks Fellas...

seems like one of the top-tier Falcon Merckx due to the 531 decals and decal fragments, and the chrome fork crown looks very nice, too...since you are willing to invest in replacement decals, and you say the paint is really bad, I'd vote that you get it PAINTED (not PCed) in Molteni orange and fresh decals applied so it looks original but like new. And I wouldn't do any mods on the frame that can't be reversed: SS it should be fine since you won't be scalping anything, right? I would really like to see a larger pic of the complete frame: you have to put it up on a site like Flickr or Photobucket and post a link to it, here.

That is one neat Falcon.

I vote for a resto if the decals are shot, patina is allways a good thing to keep though!

I'm not certain which fellow up in Canada is doing decals. You might want to check with him? to find out what material and process is being used. There are differing qualities of decals - ranging from won't last two years before they are horribly faded, to way better than original. I would rather pay a few dollars more and rest assured I won't have to deal with them again.

Looks like you got one of the good Falcons. Hope you get it fixed up to your satisfaction and enjoy it for many years to come.

I'm confused. It's orange, but labeled Falcon.

Where's the Merckx coming from?

Falcon did make bikes labeled Merckx, but this is a Falcon.

Looks like mine, but I'm missing the forks unfortunately. Nice to know what they look like at least. My 531 seat tube decal is also gone, but there's a rectangle of slightly shiny paint where it used to be. I found the vinyl decal wraps at H Lloyd cycles. They run about $46-$47 for the seat tube, and two of the Falcon scripts for the top and downtubes. How much was your frame? I got mine for $40 of course missing the forks and had all unoriginal components.,,,,BD

Were all the Falcons stamped rear drops, or did some of them have forged?

It's Moltini Orange and came from a shop that also made Merckx labeled frames. It's also made of the same tube, and of a similar, or maybe the exact model as the Merckx Falcon's.

Sometims close enough is a lot of fun.

There was a Merckx Falcon on e-bay last year, (Frameset) but it had been wrecked.

I just put together a webpage with the images on there that are larger... Yo redneck, that was one thing that was COMPLETELY confusing me. The Merckx frames I was seeing Look Identical to this one.

So I guess getting the frame Chromed is out of the question?

Yo Bikedued, do you like the ride of your bike? Is yours worth much? It has to be the same bike. Do you know anything about yours? year or any other birth info ?

I guess the next question is if or when I get the decals, is it going to be a big deal that I have replaced the ones stating the frame composition?

Here is the page I just put up for the Falcon...
https://web.mac.com/phatatude/Green_Space/Falcon.html

And here is the guy on Ebay with the Decals...
https://stores.ebay.com/Cyclomondo

He sells the 532 decals for 10 bucks, and the "Designed by Ernie Clements San Remo" for 10 bucks too... He told me that the other decal is printed on foil, and he will soon be making them...

He looks to be the guy to go to if yo uneed Decals here in the states... Has anyone used him before?

By the way, someone asked what I paid for the bike? 25 bucks... The guy had a couple other decent frames that he is gettin rid of. Motobecane, Chiorda (complete bike), Pugeot, AMF (But Im supposed to grab that one for a friend who is going ot recreate "The Cutter" bike from "Breaking Away"), and a couple others that I dont have the trained eye to know if they are diamonds in the rough...

Phatatude - Two things I like: Riding Bikes, and Girls Riding Bikes

Take a looksie at the Twenty's progress...
https://web.mac.com/phatatude/Green_S...enty_Blog.html

And Make sure you laugh at my wife...
https://web.mac.com/phatatude/Green_S...e..._%3B).html

Wait, Bikedued, are your decals chrome? (I just went back and looked again at your bike) they look to be white. Mine are Chrome and said to be printed on foil. Also, are you sure you bike frame is 531? I just want to be 100% sure mine is if I am going to put another decal on it stating that. We have BIKE SNOBS in these parts. Bike snobs... Im sure you all know of a few...

Phatatude - Bike Snobs Suck!

Nope, don't know too much about it, other than what the Sheldon site says. It has the very last remnants of the San Remo Ernie Clements decals, so I know what it is. As for riding it, it's still a rolling chassis. I am slowly picking out the stuff I am going to use on it. Right now it has Mafac Racer brakes, and 700's from a Raleigh Super Grand Prix. It will eventually get a repaint, as it's worse than yours probably. I love the loooong pointy lugs and wraparound seat stays. I imagine they're quite beautiful when restored.,,,,BD

It seems the Sheldon article, and a few Classic Rendezvous pics, there isn't too much info on them....


EDIT. Yep, white decals. Does say San Remo on the chain stays though. Maybe yours is earlier than mine, or a higher end model possibly? Dunno....San Remo is said to be 531 on that article...

Wow, keep us posted on what you decide to do. I'd say you did great for $25

If you want to do a quick and dirty touch up, Krylon makes an amazingly close match for Moltini Orange.



One of these has just been added to my "hope I find one someday" list, I allready had a Falcon on it...now I want an Orange Falcon

Well Redneck.. Share the love! What's the name of the Krylon? Maybe that will be "Falcon, Phase One"...

As a single speed, it will probably do more sittin' in my house lookin purdy than anything... I found out yesterday that the frame is a lil too big for me, but it is still totally ride-able for me. Did you log onto that page I posted with teh frame and see the wheel set I just ordered? Really Nice and DIRT CHEAP! I truely just wanna make the bike snobs Drool... Just once. well actually my Raleigh twenty should make em drool a bit too I'll just ride around with napkins...


Phatatude - "A bike with Carbon fiber will go fast, but a bike with history will go fast and be really cool doing it " So Re-Cycle

2411 Pumpkin Orange Gloss
Don't think of the Krylon as a long term solution. I needed something close so the Bott diddn't sit around half primered.

Nice job on the web-page.

Just call me Wes, People only call me Redneck on group rides

While not a Falcon, my Bottecchia is pretty close to Moltini Orange. The frame had some rust and some pretty serious paint loss. so I did a sympathetic refurbishment.

I could have mixed the paint and touched it up with my airbrush, but the Krylon was right there and....

Hold it! You can't put those wheels on that bike! Blasphemy to start with but you'll have to spread it from 120mm to 130mm a crime we can't let you commit. based on the decals (haven't read most of thread) I would say this is a very early 70s bike. Like very close to 1970 maybe 1969.

It seems strange you have french fork decals:


and an english frame decal presumably the lower left:

I'm gonna second cyclotine on the wheels. It needs something a bit more classic.

Good point! I commented when I could only see the small photo and assumed the decals said
"Merckx"...this may be one of the Falcons that ran concurrent to the Falcon Merckx model. I also don't understand why the fork blade decals are French....anyhow, it's a good frame, maybe not quite as collectible as I had suspected.

I'll second Unworthy's comments.

I'm a little confused here, on the Falcon page you posted you keep saying singlespeed rims and then you've got a picture of wheels that are most certainly not designed for singlespeed.

Merckx Schmerckx, I'd rather have a Falcon.,,,,BD

Marengo, its a 2 minute conversion process to get the hub on those rims to work. If you need me to, I will show you how (pretty simple)(it gives you an incredibly straight chainline too). The same company I am getting those wheels sells some decent wheelsets with tires and single speed hud included for 120 total incl tax and shipping. When I set up the wheels, I will probably do a "How To" on one of my blogs or sites.

So there isnt any serial number data base that might be available for Falcons?

From 120mm to 130mm is 5mm per side which would almost be undetectable with the naked eye Also I could get away with not permenantly spreading the stays...

Unworthy, Im hoping it isnt a priceless gem because them I can get crazy with it.

Yo Wes, your bike is really stinkin nice! That was done with Krylon? Kudos! My pops, and my brother is named Wes. nice making your aquaintance...

Did you guys take a look at the guys Decals on Ebay? Do they look to be a decent product?

I had been planning on taking most if not all of the brase-ons off, but it sounds like I should realy think about keepin' em on there eh?

Are there some slick "Longer reach" brakes I can put on the bike since it may be on the 700 rims?

If I had the frame plated, I could alwas have it removed at a later time if the frame was a gem eh?

Oh. I guess the photos dont show it, but someone took the headbadge so thats going to be next to impossible to replace. With that I wish it was a Merykx because those jusy have a sticker up front.

Phatatude - "Rain,Sleet,Snow or numb nuts... thats' right, cyclers are more dedicated thab the postman"

Thanks a ton fellas...

yo tude
I've eyeballed the decals from Cyclmondo or whatever ebay handle Greg in Oz is using.
Very nice stuff.
I haven't seen them with my own eyes but I hear tell that JRestore (JRrestore ?)
also does an excellent job on repop decals. He (JR...) frequents this forum, send him
a PM.

Marty