Old Merckx, whats it worth?

[dddd]

Originally Posted by Aaron O

At the risk of being rude, but in the interests of honest advice - it's not especially cool to me, nor is it something to display. It's not at all unusual. I don't think I'd put in much effort or money.

It's a lower end falcon with some stickers on it.

Honest advice, or negative opinions?

Can you not see the potential of this bike, in it's original paint, all cleaned up [just those wheels look like they will be a good (and good-looking) pair of rollers]?

The Shimano gear shifting is first rate for it's era, the frame details look good, the paint seems to be in great shape, and in such a classic color.

Not unusual? Yeah, sure, I see folks bringing this identical bike to the club rides around here all the time, LOL.

I would use a different saddle and post if it were mine, but so much about this bike is just right. It's an Eddy Merckx bike from an era closer to his career than just about all of the other ones you will ever see in real life!
Eddy was a racer's racer, known to be detail-oriented, but not any sort of traditional bike builder. He always had others build the bikes that bore his name, and even the factory bearing his name in Belgium is said to have been influenced by a more knowledgeable Ugo DeRosa who built some of his race bikes. This Falcon-built bike is perhaps designed as more of a casual-riding and budget-friendly bike than a professional's racer, but since when can't such a bike ride well or be ridden fast? And it's a simple machine, no cottered cranks to fuss with as when so many of us find and refurbish an old Raleigh Super Course, and with no French-dimensioned parts to be fussed with.

I am picturing this bike well along into a hobbyist's conservation effort, with the bike still 90% original and being up to serious use in the modern context.

Even the crankset, mid-level for it's time, cold-forged and of Japanese origin, has the potential to gleam proudly, and has a useful range of gearing that this near-identical one (pictured below) didn't have until a different small ring was sourced. In fact, the parts on this early Merckx bike are all pretty good, and for me finding this bike in this exact size for even $150 would be a thrill (and probably a keeper).

[Aaron O]

Originally Posted by dddd

Honest advice, or negative opinions?

Can you not see the potential of this bike, in it's original paint, all cleaned up [just those wheels look like they will be a good (and good-looking) pair of rollers]?

The Shimano gear shifting is first rate for it's era, the frame details look good, the paint seems to be in great shape, and in such a classic color.

Not unusual? Yeah, sure, I see folks bringing this identical bike to the club rides around here all the time, LOL.

I would use a different saddle and post if it were mine, but so much about this bike is just right. It's an Eddy Merckx bike from an era closer to his career than just about all of the other ones you will ever see in real life!
Eddy was a racer's racer, known to be detail-oriented, but not any sort of traditional bike builder. He always had others build the bikes that bore his name, and even the factory bearing his name in Belgium is said to have been influenced by a more knowledgeable Ugo DeRosa who built some of his race bikes. This Falcon-built bike is perhaps designed as more of a casual-riding and budget-friendly bike than a professional's racer, but since when can't such a bike ride well or be ridden fast? And it's a simple machine, no cottered cranks to fuss with as when so many of us find and refurbish an old Raleigh Super Course, and with no French-dimensioned parts to be fussed with.

I am picturing this bike well along into a hobbyist's conservation effort, with the bike still 90% original and being up to serious use in the modern context.

Even the crankset, mid-level for it's time, cold-forged and of Japanese origin, has the potential to gleam proudly, and has a useful range of gearing that this near-identical one (pictured below) didn't have until a different small ring was sourced. In fact, the parts on this early Merckx bike are all pretty good, and for me finding this bike in this exact size for even $150 would be a thrill (and probably a keeper).

I don't especially want to argue, so I'll keep my comments restricted to:

I stand by the prior post both in terms of monetary value and utilitarian value. I get that others may see it differently, but there's a reason that the re-sale value isn't there. I am not trying to be negative...I am trying to give the OP an honest appraisal of what this bike is. A relatively low end bike with some Merckx stickers on it.

Bikes with useful mid-range japanese parts are a dime a dozen...easy to find...and inexpensive. I don't think it makes much sense to put much effort, or money, into one.