value to 1975 mercier?

Quoted message said:

I have a Mercier bike that I bought in Chicago in 1975 new -- it was
about $200 then. It has all the original aprts except tires, and other
than white paint fading in some spots, is in very good condtion. Any
idea what this bike would sell for today if I wanted to sell it?

Check eBay. The fact that it's "all original" and that you have owned
it since new (at least, that's what your message implies) potentially
make it worth more. Good pictures and good copy are also helpful in
building value.

Quoted message said:

I have a Mercier bike that I bought in Chicago in 1975 new -- it was
about $200 then. It has all the original aprts except tires, and other
than white paint fading in some spots, is in very good condtion. Any
idea what this bike would sell for today if I wanted to sell it?

Mercier made some good bikes, but at $200 new in 1975, this wouldn't
have been a high-end unit. I have no idea what its value as a
"classic" may be, so I'll approach this from the "bike to ride" side
of the equation.

The "up" side: The lack of decent entry-level roadies at any price
under $400 (the Schwinn Varsity at Wal-Mart not being considered for a
variety of reasons) means that a decent road bike as a starter or
backup unit does have some value if there are buyers available. The
"down" side: Some cities and locales have little cycling activity of
that sort, so the bike might be unwelcome in the local market. As a
result, you might get as little as $10 to $20 if nobody's seriously
interested, or as much as $150 if it's cleaned up, in good shape and
ready to ride in an area where road bikes are in demand. (Of course,
to a collector, it might be worth more, but that's a different
matter.)

Unless you're in an area where there's a reasonably large population
or there are a lot of roadie riders, the demand is likely to be low.
If there's a Craigslist for your area, you might try listing it there.
If you're in or near a college town, I'd bet that you can sell it
readily.

--
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Quoted message said:

I have a Mercier bike that I bought in Chicago in 1975 new -- it was
about $200 then. It has all the original aprts except tires, and other
than white paint fading in some spots, is in very good condtion. Any
idea what this bike would sell for today if I wanted to sell it?

Probably a little bit less than $200 - perhaps $100 ??

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

Werehatrack said:

Mercier made some good bikes, but at $200 new in 1975, this wouldn't
have been a high-end unit.

How much would a high-end bike at that time cost -- say all top-line
Campagnolo, Cinelli bars stems, leather saddle, 531 frame?

JT

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John Forrest Tomlinson said:

Werehatrack said:

Mercier made some good bikes, but at $200 new in 1975, this wouldn't
have been a high-end unit.

How much would a high-end bike at that time cost -- say all top-line
Campagnolo, Cinelli bars stems, leather saddle, 531 frame?

JT

As I recall, $200 was mid line. Would have been all alloy components.
Campy/full 531 bikes would have been starting at $350.

Quoted message said:

I have a Mercier bike that I bought in Chicago in 1975 new -- it was
about $200 then. It has all the original aprts except tires, and other
than white paint fading in some spots, is in very good condtion. Any
idea what this bike would sell for today if I wanted to sell it?

thanks,

If you can post or email me some photos, I will give you an opinion.

If you post it on Ebay, even with a low starting price, it will tend
to seek its own level - most weeks. I can give you a few hints on
selling if you like. Email me.

Quoted message said:

I have a Mercier bike that I bought in Chicago in 1975 new -- it was
about $200 then. It has all the original aprts except tires, and other
than white paint fading in some spots, is in very good condtion. Any
idea what t his bike would sell for today if I wanted to sell it?

Mercier had two bicycle models, the "Special Tour de France", which was
identical to the Peugeut U0-8, save for a slightly fancier paint job,
and their actual Tour de France model as used by Pou-Pou over many
years (Poulidor, that is). This was in the Mercier team colour, pink,
and was much like a Peugeot PX-10. If you have the high-Mercier, which
I believe was only available in pink, then you have something really
valuable.

Are you sure you paid $200 new? In the US, a Peugeot U0-8, and so I
would have thought the Mercier Special Tour de France, would have been
aboutUS$100 at that time. On the other hand the top line model should
have been more like $350+. Apart from the colour, you can tell the
difference as follows:

Special Tour de France (low end): steel cottered cranks, possibly wing
nuts on the wheels instead of QRs, high carbon steel frame, plastic or
Adga leather saddle, steel rims, stamped metal dropouts without
threaded ear for derailleur (Simplex Prestige). Come to think of it,
there were two grades to this model, one with the wing nuts on the
hubs, one with QRs. It *definitely* should not have cost $200 in 1975.
Basic colour typically white or blue.

Real TdeF model: Stronglight or Campagnolo cranks (depends on vintage),
Reynolds 531db frame, forged dropouts, alloy rims, high quality alloy
fittings throughout. Typically (always?) pink.

1975 would have been pretty close to the end of the line for Mercier.
The Merciers available now have in common only the name.

Bob said:

John Forrest Tomlinson said:

Werehatrack said:

Mercier made some good bikes, but at $200 new in 1975, this wouldn't
have been a high-end unit.

How much would a high-end bike at that time cost -- say all top-line
Campagnolo, Cinelli bars stems, leather saddle, 531 frame?

JT

As I recall, $200 was mid line. Would have been all alloy components.
Campy/full 531 bikes would have been starting at $350.

Around 1970 a PX10 was $195 @ the good bike shop in Menlo Park, Ca.
Calif. may have raised the price little. I would consider that a mid
range bike. Perhaps a little above mid, but not top line Campy.

Regards, John

john said:

Bob said:

John Forrest Tomlinson said:

On Wed, 07 Jun 2006 16:18:54 GMT, Werehatrack
<[email hidden]> wrote:

>Mercier made some go od bikes, but at $200 new in 1975, this wouldn't
>have been a high-end unit.

How much would a high-end bike at that time cost -- say all top-line
Campagnolo, Cinelli bars stems, leather saddle, 531 frame?

JT

As I recall, $200 was mid line. Would have been all alloy components.
Campy/full 531 bikes would have been starting at $350.

Around 1970 a PX10 was $195 @ the good bike shop in Menlo Park, Ca.
Calif. may have raised the price little. I would consider that a mid
range bike. Perhaps a little above mid, but not top line Campy.

That is correct, but we should recall that there was quite a bit of
inflation and a bike boom between 1970 and 1975.



John Forrest Tomlinson said:

How much would a high-end bike at that time cost -- say all top-line
Campagnolo, Cinelli bars stems, leather saddle, 531 frame?

Prices, 1972 :

Raleigh Professional, $465 full campy / 531 / brooks pro
Raleigh International, $350 full campy w/o brakes / 531 / brooks pro
Raleigh Gran Sport, $250 stronglight / simplex / normandy / 531 db main / brooks b-17
Raleigh Super Course, $170 steel parts / 531 main tubes plain gauge / brooks b-17

The Mercier is likely to be in the same quality level as the Raleigh
Super Course, which often sell on ebay for $50 - $150 these days.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

john said:

Around 1970 a PX10 was $195 @ the good bike shop in Menlo Park, Ca.
Calif. may have raised the price little. I would consider that a mid
range bike. Perhaps a little above mid, but not top line Campy.

PX-10 was the best that money could buy from france. It was by no
means a mid-range bicycle. And, it was lighter than a full campy bike
by 2 lbs - no lie.

- Don Gillies
San Diego, CA

Donald Gillies said:

John Forrest Tomlinson said:

How much would a high-end bike at that time cost -- say all top-line
Campagnolo, Cinelli bars stems, leather saddle, 531 frame?

Prices, 1972 :

Raleigh Pr ofessional, $465 full campy / 531 / brooks pro
Raleigh International, $350 full campy w/o brakes / 531 / brooks pro
Raleigh Gran Sport, $250 stronglight / simplex / normandy / 531 db main / brooks b-17
Raleigh Super Course, $170 steel parts / 531 main tubes plain gauge / brooks b-17

The Mercier is likely to be in the same quality level as the Raleigh
Super Course, which often sell on ebay for $50 - $150 these days.

The Super Course would have been better. It had steel cotterless cranks
versus the Mercier and U0-8's steel cottered cranks. Also a Brooks
leather saddle vs. Adga or plastic, and Reynolds 531 plain gauge main
triangle vs high carbon steel throughout. The comparable model would
have the Gran Prix. However, the paint job on the Mercier was much
fancier, with pin striping etc. In 1976 the Gran Prix was substantially
upgraded with Japanese components, including Sun Tour derailleurs and
SR 5-pin cotterless cranks, and so was a much better bicycle.
@

Donald Gillies said:

john said:

Around 1970 a PX10 was $195 @ the good bike shop in Menlo Park, Ca.
Calif. may have raised the price little. I would consider that a mid
range bike. Perhaps a little above mid, but no t top line Campy.

PX-10 was the best that money could buy from france. It was by no
means a mid-range bicycle.

It was by no means a mid-range bicycle, but it certainly was not the
best that money could buy from France. You would have done clearly
better with a Motobecane Gran Record, Le Champion, or Team Champion
(ridden to victory in the 1973 TdeF by Louis Ocana); and arguably
better with a Motebecane Gran Jubilee, a Mercier, or a Gitane Tour de
France. Then there were lesser known makes such as Follis, still around
today. And that was just the production bicycles: Alex Singer and Rene
Herse were making the best that money could buy anywhere, and today
they remain the most sought after bikes you'll see on eBay.

41 said:

The Super Course would have been better. It had steel cotterless cranks
versus the Mercier and U0-8's steel cottered cranks.

I beg to differ - my '72 SC was cottered, common Nervar steel 3 arm
crankset.

Bob said:

John Forrest Tomlinson said:

Werehatrack said:

Mercier made some good bikes, but at $200 new in 1975, this wouldn't
have been a high-end unit.

How much would a high-end bike at that time cost -- say all top-line
Campagnolo, Cinelli bars stems, leather saddle, 531 frame?

JT

As I recall, $200 was mid line. Would have been all alloy components.
Campy/full 531 bikes would have been starting at $350.

About right. I bought my Frejus in '70 for $225; 5 years worth of
inflation, if nothing else (back then) would account for 50% more.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | "A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored
_`\(,_ | by little statesmen and philosophers and divines." --Ralph Waldo
(_)/ (_) | Emerson

Donald Gillies said:

john said:

Around 1970 a PX10 was $195 @ the good bike shop in Menlo Park, Ca.
Calif. may have raised the price little. I would consider that a mid
range bike. Perhaps a little above mid, but not top line Campy.

PX-10 was the best that money could buy from france. It was by no
means a mid-range bicycle. And, it was lighter than a full campy bike
by 2 lbs - no lie.

Oh, boy. Actually, the best that money could buy from France would then
be mid-range. There were small-market builders who did better from
France, but production bikes from Italy, or even a Schwinn Paramount or
Raleigh Pro were much better. The Simplex derailleurs were hit-or-miss
compared to Campy. The Normandy hubs were decidedly inferior. And the
PX-10 frame was neither particularly light nor strong. The PX-10 was no 2
lbs lighter than a good Italian bike. Comparable weight, possibly, but no
less.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Let's be straight here. If we find something we can't
_`\(,_ | understand we like to call it something you can't understand, or
(_)/ (_) | indeed even pronounce. -- Douglas Adams

- Bob - said:

41 said:

The Super Course would have been better. It had steel cotterless cranks
versus the Mercier and U0-8's steel cottered cranks.

I beg to differ - my '72 SC was cottered, common Nervar steel 3 arm
crankset.

In 1972. By 1974 it had a 5-pin steel Nervar cotterless. Poster is
talking 1975 or so.

David L. Johnson said:

Donald Gillies said:

john said:

Around 1970 a PX10 was $195 @ the good bike shop in Menlo Park, Ca.
Calif. may have raised the price little. I would consider that a mid
range bike. Perhaps a little above mid, but not top line Campy.

PX-10 was the best that money could buy from france. It was by no
means a mid-range bicycle. And, it was lighter than a full campy bike
by 2 lbs - no lie.

Oh, boy. Actually, the best that money could buy from France would then
be mid-range. There were small-market builders who did better from
France,

That's what the cycling mags of the time would have had you believe,
but it was baloney. Rene Herse and Alex Singer were the best that money
could buy from France or the world- is that what you meant by "did
better"? As to the production bicycles, as I said before, the PX10 was
not the best of them- that would arguably have been the Motobecane or
Gitane. But Thevenet won the Tour in 1975 (and again in 1977) on a
Peugeot (not a PX10), and when that happened even the cycling mags
admitted that the bicycle was as fine as anything available anywhere.

Quoted message said:

but production bikes from Italy, or even a Schwinn Paramount or
Raleigh Pro were much better.

Really? Consider the Cinelli, at the time the most prestigious, along
with Masi, of the Italian production bicycles. Look at the famous lugs:
pointed spear tips on the bottom, a poor design. French lugs were
nicely rounded on the bottom. The Raleigh Professional was a well-made
bicycle, but I would have rather had a Motobecane Grand Record, which
had a more useful design, with nice long chainstays. I'd have rather
had a Raleigh International than a Professional, for that matter (even
though it was not as nicely brazed), but I'd probably still rather have
the Grand Record than the International. Then there was also Gitane,
ridden by Anquetil, Van Impe, and others, as well as other famous makes
like Mercier, ridden by Poulidor, or Helyett, ridden by Anquetil for
many years, and still others.

The Simplex derailleurs were hit-or-miss

Quoted message said:

compared to Campy. The Normandy hubs were decidedly inferior.

I think you are forgetting that the Simplex Prestige was not the best
derailleur from Simplex, that Simplex was not the only French
derailleur maker, and the same for Normandy with the hubs. I never
examined the expensive Normandy hubs, so I can't confirm or refute your
claim, but I do know that more expensive hubs were available from
Pelissier and Maxicar, and these command quite a premium today.

Quoted message said:

And the
PX-10 frame was neither particularly light nor strong. The PX-10 was no 2
lbs lighter than a good Italian bike.

The claimed weight was certainly less- listed as 20lb vs e.g. 22lb for
the Raleigh Pro. Besides, which PX-10? It came inr more than a
half-doesncc

l

41 said:

- Bob - said:

41 said:

The Super Course would have been better. It had steel cotterless cranks
versus the Mercier and U0-8's steel cottered cranks.

I beg to differ - my '72 SC was cottered, common Nervar steel 3 arm
crankset.

In 1972. By 1974 it had a 5-pin steel Nervar cotterless. Poster is
talking 1975 or so.

Dare I go down a usenet hole - your reply was to a post about 1972
prices... you are right - the SC improved a bit over the next few
years. Even in '72 it was a nice bike, especially in the TT form once
you replaced that heavy crankset.