Manu431

I finished yesterday my Mercier bike. (I just need to put some ne tubulars on it)
Just some updated pictures

bfuser191509248

Came across an interesting ad while searching "All of Craigslist" today: https://vancouver.craigslist.org/pml...121425288.html

This one is in Vancouver, BC. The seller indicates that it was a "North America only" import, new in 1971. It was apparently never assembled or ridden ("wrapped in French newspaper"!). A few things puzzle me slightly... the model # is given as "101"; the tires and seat do not appear to be old (original); and there are no chrome "socks" on either the rear stays or the front fork, as I would have expected on an exported bike. The down tube decal is the relatively short-lived version with striping behind the Mercier name. It also features the TDF labeling on the top tube.

I'll post a few photos, since they will go away when the bike sells.

mainaa471

I figured I would add my Mercier here. This one was given to me last fall and originally came from the late Poulin cycle shop in Augusta Maine. I was wondering what year and model this might be.

bikingshearer 

Like this one?






Blasphemer! Bianchis should be celeste, Legnanos should be sorta-avocado green, Ferraris and De Rosas should be red, Gios Torinos should be cobalt blue . . . and Merciers should be pink. Of course, I also think shoes and shorts should be black, socks should be white, and you should get off my lawn.

The sun will still come up in the east tomorrow if any or all of these are not adhered to, but angels would weep and a puppy somewhere would be sad.

bikemig 

Neat old Mercier. This is a 100 or a 200. I can't really tell them apart. If you look through this thread, you'll find the catalog with the models and the parts. That should tell you which one you have as the parts look all original. It will take some elbow grease to get this bike in riding condition but it is worth it. Good bike.

dschad

[QUOTE=mainaa471;22018598]I figured I would add my Mercier here. This one was given to me last fall and originally came from the late Poulin cycle shop in Augusta Maine. I was wondering what year and model this might be.

​​​​​[QUOTE]

I would say this is a 200 based on me researching my new find. I think the tell-tale sign is the chrome fork crown, and it looks like there is possibly a braze-on for the shifters on the down-tube? If so, based on the catalogue above that would indicate a 200.
I'd be interested to know the s/n on your badge and how many teeth on the large cog on the freewheel.

dschad

I can't post pics yet, because I'm too new/dangerous, but I had a case of love-at-second-sight yesterday at the town metal dump. Hiding in the pile was a pair of handle bars with classic 70's Schwinn Suburban rubber grips and rusty steel rims. I glanced because I liked the color scheme, but didn't really pay it much attention. On my way out I caught myself and jumped out to give it another look. As I started looked closer I realized that this was something more interesting...

It turns out it is what I think is a late 69s/early 70s (?) Mercier 200, based on the info from above. That said, it doesn't fit neatly into what is listed in the catalogue pages above. Hard to know because of the long history, but what I have currently seems to be more 200 than 100, with some substitutions:

Paint: Looks very simple to the yellow one above. Has the horizontal lines on the top tube. Could these be hand painted? They are different thicknesses and lengths on each side of the tube
Decals: "Special Allegres Tubes" (not the LuxTub), with Mercier on the down tube and the stripes/Mercier M on the seat tube. No waving guy, no name on the seat tube.
Braze-ons: pump front/back, triangle for down-tube shifters (Simplex w/ plastic), rear brake cable stops
Badge: foil badge on the head tube with number: 250556
Lugs: head lugs are stamped 73 and 60 (degrees I assume)
Rear drop-outs: "Joy Simplex" on one, "Simplex" on the other.
Chrome: front, read and a cap on the fork crown.
The stickers just before the chrome section of the frame are silver, blue, red, black, yellow and green stripes.
Atom Bte SGDG freewheel w/ 26T rear
Also, a totally killer kickstand, which I've never seen before.

I will post pictures one my karma gets up, but I was hoping that the foil badge/sn could help date this. Based others posts/speculation I'm thinking it is a 69-71 model, but I it isn't clear where things changed throughout the years.
Also, I could not find a SN on the BB, only on the head tube.

I am going to build this up to be a 650b, just for fun. It looks like it has lots of room for large tires in the back.

Let me know if you have any info.