70's Mercier
09-26-08 | 01:18 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
70's Mercier
Hi Folks,
Just picked up a pretty clean 58 cm 70's Mercier frame for under a $100. It's blue, painted decals, decent lug work, chrome fork tips and chrome simplex drop outs and seems pretty ideal for a fixie project. Unfortunately it doesn't have Reynolds tubing, but "tubes special allegres" (any info on the quality of that? I understand that Peugot was using that too for mid/low-range in the 70's?). The headset looks like it's in good condition, but it needs a new bottom bracket and cups, which might be a pain. Any advice on a good place for french parts?
Anyway, I've been poking around Sheldon Brown's website and a few others and there's not much information on pre-Asian Merciers, other than the fact they were Peugot clones essentially. Anyone have an idea on what year it might be, what level (i.e. 100, 200), or if there's somewhere I can find a Mercier catalogue from that era? I'll likely put more money in this damned thing than it's worth, but I kind of don't care because I like the look of it.
The pick I've posted isn't the greatest, but all I've got at this point.
Hope someone can help!
Just picked up a pretty clean 58 cm 70's Mercier frame for under a $100. It's blue, painted decals, decent lug work, chrome fork tips and chrome simplex drop outs and seems pretty ideal for a fixie project. Unfortunately it doesn't have Reynolds tubing, but "tubes special allegres" (any info on the quality of that? I understand that Peugot was using that too for mid/low-range in the 70's?). The headset looks like it's in good condition, but it needs a new bottom bracket and cups, which might be a pain. Any advice on a good place for french parts?
Anyway, I've been poking around Sheldon Brown's website and a few others and there's not much information on pre-Asian Merciers, other than the fact they were Peugot clones essentially. Anyone have an idea on what year it might be, what level (i.e. 100, 200), or if there's somewhere I can find a Mercier catalogue from that era? I'll likely put more money in this damned thing than it's worth, but I kind of don't care because I like the look of it.
The pick I've posted isn't the greatest, but all I've got at this point.
Hope someone can help!
09-26-08 | 01:59 PM
#3
about the best I could do is show you these pics from Wool Jersey site of a Mercier from "the 60s"
https://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/...Mercier_1960s/
It also seems to have painted (rather than decal) graphics but no chrome ends. If your Simplex DOs are forged, I'd say it indicates a mid-level frame, but can't tell more with that little pic. Probably will have a nice French ride, so go ahead and dump $$. I bet you can source some of those pesky FR parts here in the ISO/WTB thread.
https://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/...Mercier_1960s/
It also seems to have painted (rather than decal) graphics but no chrome ends. If your Simplex DOs are forged, I'd say it indicates a mid-level frame, but can't tell more with that little pic. Probably will have a nice French ride, so go ahead and dump $$. I bet you can source some of those pesky FR parts here in the ISO/WTB thread.
09-26-08 | 02:31 PM
#5
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Thanks everyone for the replies! I'm excited to start this project, and from the very little bit of info I could dig up in forum archives, figured it might be an early-mid 70's 200 model. Thanks for the heads up about the WTB section too.
Likely not news to you guys, but it might be of interest to frustrated googlers with stickers on their bikes...I was able to get a little info about "Tubes Allege" on a Peugot site:
"The A- and U-series bicycles of the early to mid-1970s can generally be identified by the "Tube Special Allege Peugeot" decal on their seat tube, steel cottered cranks (i.e., cotter pins are present on the pedal arms), and chrome-plated steel rims..."Tube Special Allege" translates to "Specially Lightened Tubing" (Sheldon Brown, personal communication)."
Likely not news to you guys, but it might be of interest to frustrated googlers with stickers on their bikes...I was able to get a little info about "Tubes Allege" on a Peugot site:
"The A- and U-series bicycles of the early to mid-1970s can generally be identified by the "Tube Special Allege Peugeot" decal on their seat tube, steel cottered cranks (i.e., cotter pins are present on the pedal arms), and chrome-plated steel rims..."Tube Special Allege" translates to "Specially Lightened Tubing" (Sheldon Brown, personal communication)."
09-26-08 | 03:16 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 7
Likes: 0
Ahh a fellow Torontonian!
Indeed, it's the bike from TO Craigslist. I'm glad I picked it up - not too many people rocking 70's Merciers in town, and it's in good condition - looks like it spent most of its life in a garage.
The guy's also got an '82 Peugot PX10E super competition and also a couple of mint PX10's he's not selling - totally look like they could be in any garage in the 70's or 80's.
Indeed, it's the bike from TO Craigslist. I'm glad I picked it up - not too many people rocking 70's Merciers in town, and it's in good condition - looks like it spent most of its life in a garage.
The guy's also got an '82 Peugot PX10E super competition and also a couple of mint PX10's he's not selling - totally look like they could be in any garage in the 70's or 80's.
