Listers,
Does anyone know if the numbering system of Kessels-Merckx bikes extends to the Main d'Or bikes? My Main d'Or, Ishiwata 022 tubing, is from 1976, and has a frame number in the 400's too. Any info much appreciated!
Freek (who sometimes travels to Belgium) Faro Rotterdam Netherlands
2006/7/28, NIGEL LAND <ndland@btinternet.com>:
>
> No help with dating Kessels frames, but I do know he accompanied Eddy
> Merckx
> on a trip to the Falcon factory in Barton on Humber in the early 1970s.
> This
> was when Falcon had the UK licence, paid for at £1 per set of decals. S
o I
> guess he was a close business associate or advisor to Merckx at this time
.
> I
> am talking 1972 - 1974. I have a photo of Kessels and Merckx at the
> factory
> if anyone is interested.
>
> Nigel Land
> Barton on Humber
> UK
>
>
> Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 18:00:37 +0000
> From: "Arno Volkers" <arnovolkers@hotmail.com>
> To: Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
> Subject: Re: [CR]How to dat a Merckx molteni bike
> Message-ID: <BAY121-F12794EB627838884CFF019A7590@phx.gbl>
> In-Reply-To: <20060728174249.74157.qmail@web82307.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1; format=flowed
> MIME-Version: 1.0
> Precedence: list
> Message: 3
>
> Hallo David,
>
> Yes it's a real one with trophey sticker on the upper tube,
> The frame is signed wit L de Wit, who was the framebuilder,
> the frame nr is 487.
> I have made some pictures if it i will put them on the net soon.
> They are also hard to get in the netherlands, it was the first time
> a found one on "marktplaats.nl" a dutch veiling site.
> I was very lucky, the seller putted the bike in the wrong category
> And i payt 75 euro's for it. I know for shure when it was in the
> right category, the bidding become very high.
>
> greets
>
> Arno Volkers
> 5224 VG Den Bosch
> The Netherlands
>
> >From: David Patrick <patrick-ajdb@sbcglobal.net>
> >To: Arno Volkers <arnovolkers@hotmail.com>
> >Subject: Re: [CR]How to dat a Merckx molteni bike
> >Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 10:42:49 -0700 (PDT)
> >
> >Arno,
> >
> > I have been searching for a Kessels Merckx frame for several years
> now,
> >but I have had no luck at all. Being in the U.S. puts me at a
> >disadvantage, as it seems that not many of these were imported in the U.
S
> .
> > That said, it appears Kessels made different quality levels of Merckx
> >bikes (just like Falcon in the U.K.), as I have seen a really inexpensiv
e
> >model with cheap stamped dropouts. The top-of-the-line model would have
> >Campagnolo cast dropouts and it would be a close replica of the bikes
> >Kessels built for Eddy's personal use.
> >
> > Info on Kessels seems hard to come by. It was run by a father & two
> >sons, with the company based in Belgium. Kessels main line was labeled
> >"Main d'Or" and they build high-end road bikes under this name also (I'v
e
> >seen two of these). The "Main d'Or" name lives on in Belgium, as it
> >appears the rights to the name has been sold to a company producing
> >standard commuting bikes.
> >
> > I have wanted to try to track down the Kessels family, but my locatio
n
> >in the U.S. has made it very difficult, not to mention the language
> >barriers. It would be great to document their relationship with Eddy
> >Merckx and the various bikes built with the "Merckx" label. On top of
> >this, I have never seen a Kessels catalog from the '70s or '80s.
> Perhaps
> >your location in The Netherlands makes such tasks a bit easier?
> >
> > That is all I know and I am sorry I can not be of any more help. I'd
> >love to see pictures of your Merckx/Kessels, if you have any available i
n
> >the future. Also, should you ever come across a 57cm c-c Kessels/Merckx
,
> I
> >am very, very interested!!! Take care and best of luck to you in the
> >future.
> >
> >
> > Dave Patrick
> > Chelsea, Michigan USA
> >
> >Arno Volkers <arnovolkers@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Thanx Hennie,
> >
> >Does anybody also know how many Molteni Kessel frames were build?
> >
> >greets,
> >
> >Arno Volkers
> >5224 VG Den Bosch
> >The Netherlands
> >
> >
> > >From: "Hennie van Leeuwen"
> > >Reply-To: "Hennie van Leeuwen"
> > >To: "Arno Volkers"
> > >Subject: Re: [CR]How to dat a Merckx molteni bike
> > >Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 20:55:27 +0200
> > >
> > >Hi Arno,
> > >
> > >Probably your frame is from around 1975. I have also a Kessels built
> > >Molteni, framenr. somewhere in the 200 and also with "De Wit" painted
> on
> > >the
> > >bottom bracket. Guess it is the guy who made the frame. Ferdy Keulen
> from
> > >Utrecht has a 1973 Kessels and surprise, De Wit also on the bracket. M
y
> > >frame was repainted at the factory of The Greatest ever. It is ready t
o
> > >make
> > >a 1975 replica with a 1st generation Super Record groupset, gold
> coloured
> > >mavics, 1r old logo Cinelli stem, Unicantor saddle etc..
> > >Greetings from Veenendaal,
> > >
> > >Hennie van Leeuwen
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Arno Volkers"
> > >To:
> > >Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2006 6:47 PM
> > >Subject: [CR]How to dat a Merckx molteni bike
> > >
> > >
> > > > Hello folks,
> > > >
> > > > Today the post delivered my Merckx Molteni bike build by Kessel,
> > > > My question is how can i date it? In the BottomBracket 487 engraved
.
> > > > And with white paint the name "L de Wit" beneath the numbers,
> > > > think it was the owner of the bike, but i can't find him on the
> > >internet,
> > > > so i think it was an amateur.
> > > >
> > > > The bike came with:
> > > >
> > > > one gear
> > > > mafac competition brakes
> > > > a beautifull old cinelli steer and stem
> > > > hubs from campy record, Mavic MA2 rims
> > > > a ESCOT single speed freewheel (never heard of it)
> > > > a goodlooking Ofmega crank, lyotard pedals almost full alluminium
> > > > A campy nouvo record seatpost
> > > > And a newer Tange headset
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > greets:
> > > >
> > > > Arno Volkers
> > > > 5224 VG Den Bosch
> > > > The Netherlands