I finaly got around to posting picks for the Free Road find from last summer. I could use some help identifying the Model and Year for this bike.

It's in pretty good shape, I think I need to replace the crank with a model and vintage to match the rest of the Groupo. I also need to find some pedals.

I also need some suggestions for dealing with the spot rust on the frame, how to clean up and make sure it does not get worse.



Kevin

It looks to be an 81/82/83.

I think you found a stolen bike that has been abandoned by the thief. You might want to check with the local law enforcement folks, although that would have been better to do right when you found it....

I'm confused...you posted a bike you claim to have found for free which had been abandoned by an old pro in December of 2012. That was a Rickert.

Are you claiming you found this for free as well? How and where?

backstory thread, https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...oad-Find/page2

What am I missing? I've read that thread and there's nothing about a Merckx. Either my reading comprehension skills are poorer than I'd like to believe or something is posted in invisible font.

This one was found by a friend of a friend mine, It was not stolen, it also had a sign - free, and was with a bunch of other miscellaneous junk you would find in a garage (clay pots and other "junk"). Completely different area of Milwaukee. He gave it to my friend since he knew he collected old bikes. My freind gave it to me last summer. My friend has about 30 bikes at his house right now and only keeps really rare ones and ones that fit him or his family, the rest he cleans up and passes along to others.

The other Bike I found while running with a friend in New Berlin, WI and the entore story of that bike is posted here: https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...4#post13819274

Keep your eyes open, I missed another old Bianchi last year that a friend put by the curb as he was cleaning the "junk" out of his garage in Madison.

Any info you have on the age, model and how to clean up the rust would be great.

OK - this story doesn't compute for me. I'm in a MUCH more high end cycling community than you are and I have never, not once, seen a high end bike with a sign saying free bike (let alone twice in a year). I've seen nice stuff abandoned, but not like this. I also find it difficult to believe a friend of a friend handed a bike of this value over for nothing because it didn't fit. You have better friends of friends than I have. Call me skeptical, but this story goes against human nature and logic. Something is fishy and I'm inclined to agree with 753proguy.

You have absolutely no way to make the determination of this bike not being stolen.

You missed nothing, I was just posting the back story for everyone else.

For merckx serial numbers, check https://www.cadre.org/Merckx/

Sorry for the confusion.

He's a very good freind and it is not stolen, that was verified.

I looked through that and could not decipher the numbers on the BB. It has the letter E which it says is inconsistent.

Exactly how was that verified? I've acquired all of my bikes legitimately, and I couldn't "verify" that they weren't stolen (except the Marnati). I have some pretty good friends, and I'm active in the Philly cycling community (and have been for a long while, off and on), but no one has ever given me an early 80s Merckx. I dare say no one I've ever known was given a free Merckx by a friend of a friend (now close friend).

This doesn't compute...and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that when something smells like BS, it is.

Thans for being so helpful - I'm very active in the WI community and work in the industry. He gave me this bike earlier last year, his friend or coworker got it from a neibors junk pile and thought it was just a junk bike. I'm sorry you don't believe it but that is the truth. So if I had bought it off of ebay or craiglist, then it would be fine? I've got no reason to lie, so why would I, I'm just loooking for information on the bike and how to preserve it. Not sure what else to say.

Since you're active in the WI community and work in the industry, I'm sure you know how to remove the rust...that's pretty basic stuff. I can't think of a single person I know who works in the industry that would need to ask that question. You have a friend with 30 bikes...so many that he can give away an early 80s Merckx, you know...since they aren't rare. I'm sure he's removed rust before and can help.

753proguys 753'rd comment!

Thanks for the good photos kevin, this is another valuable bike you have come across. The cables, bartape, tyres, and cranks have been changed, the cranks changed to some more recent campagnolo. Other than that its looks all originl to ~1981.

I am not yet an expert on Merckx bikes, but I am sure someone who is may help you out.

As for the bike being stolen, If anyones looking for a white merckx 6525 E then here it is. I think its just another 30 year old piece of 'junk' like the one I brought today, that said this one does look in very well kept condition.

Not sure what I did to iritate you KonAaron, yes I'm an active cyclist but I don't restore bikes. I can clean them but I don;t want to do something to remove the rust that will ruin the bike.

True...with the serial number. That definitely was an up and up move. I'm sorry if I'm overly cynical, but this doesn't make sense to me and I'm a skeptical guy. I can buy finding a Merckx abandoned...but it's tough to believe that it was effectively given away three times in one chain.

I can understand skepticism as well and no one has ever given me a vintage Merckx either but let's be careful about unsaid implications here. While anything is possible coming to a large nationwide (world wide really) website to brag about a stolen bike isn't very logical.

Over 30 years bikes get handed to other family members who don't know what they are or heard them described as "obsolete" by an owner who wants carbon fiber or similar and then they end up as "junk."

It happens.

Looks to be a Professional.

Brake routing over bottom bracket and guides over the top tube.

Columbus SL.

A white one to boot. I don't see many of these.

The abandoned part I believe...it happens. My Merckx had been abandoned, although it's clear why and it makes sense. It's the given away three times thing that bothers me...as well as some holes here. He changed the sequence of events in post 7...it could be that he was clarifying, but it's a different chain than indicated previously. He said he was an industry guy, but has to ask what a Merckx is? And how to clean rust? I mean come on now, Merckx has been one of THE bikes for 30 years at this point. I find it hard to believe there is anyone even loosely associated with cycling that doesn't know what a Merckx is. He has a friend into old bikes, with 30 bikes and who gives them away...but doesn't hold onto a Merckx? Or even tell him what it is? Does that make sense to you? Do you know anyone into old bikes who gets this frame and gives it away to a friend without a description of what it is? If he has a close friend with 30 bikes, why would he be asking how to clean it here? He'd ask the guy who gave it to him. He claims it was "verified" as not stolen? Nothing can be verified as not stolen unless you bought it new. Sure, I'm 99% confident in every bike I've bought...but verified? It doesn't compute for me.

The fact that he posted detailed photos and the serial number is the one thing stating this is up and up.

I know what a Merckx is, I just don't know the model and year. Not sure what else you want me to say, I didn't steal it, it was given to me by a friend who got it from a co worker/ friend from his neighbors "junk" pile (which is why I called it verified). Sorry if it's so hard for you to believe my friend gave it to me and he got it from a non biking friend. I gave away my old 80's Trek several years ago thinking it was worthless and I had no real use for it at the time (wish I had it back now but it went to a guy who really enjoys it and took good care of it).
Let me know if any other photos or information would help. Sorry it was a lucky year for me and old bikes... Could have had one more too as I said but the guy told me about it after the garbage men picked it up.

Apologies for being skeptical...it's my nature. You've been very friendly, you posted the serial number, so I'm going to drop it and chalk it up to one of those crazy things that happens and of which I'm jealous.

As far as the year...it's definitely early for a Merckx. That rear derailleur should have a date code on it and that would likely give you a pretty good answer (though not definitive, since it could be changed). If it's not on their website, and cadre doesn't answer, send an emial to Brune @ the Merckx factory...bruno@eddymerckx.com.

The rust removal question sort of depends on the rust severity. What I'm seeing in those photos looks minor and like cosmetic surface rust. I'd spray the inside of the frame out with frame saver, take a nail file to the rust spots (and I wouldn't go too crazy) and I'd use nail polish to cover up the exposed areas. I would NOT touch it up, but others have different approaches. To me, that is a rare enough, and minty enough, frame where I'd avoid much touch up. IMO that frame looks clean as heck and I really wouldn't worry about it. It's an absolute gem and you lucked out.

As far as the crank, I'd probably go all out in this case and buy a Campagnolo SR crankset in good+ condition. Watch the spiders on them as they're prone to cracking.

If you're truly concerned, google oxalic acid bath.