C&V Merckx MX Leader fraud warning
 

I contacted this company and let them know they are advertising a bike as something it is not. They did not respond well or took advise. That is why I post this here.

1990 Eddy Merckx MX Leader - New Red Sparkle ? ReCycle Art Aspen

Our correspondence:Message:
Just want to let you know that you are falsely advertising this:
1990 Eddy Merckx MX Leader - New Red Sparkle ? ReCycle Art Aspen
As a Merckx MX Leader. That frame has nothing to do with the Merckx MX Leader design.

Their answer:
Ämne: Re: Form Submission - Contact Us

Sorry but you are wrong.

Then I wrote them:

No I am not. I do have 40 years of experience in vintage racing bicycles and I do currently own 6 Merckx MX Leader frames. I also wrote the published Merckx MX Leader timeline that is currently used by people to identify what MX Leader they have. You do realize that the Merckx Columbus MXL tubing is both oversized and ovalized? And has a different fork? Your frame is nothing like an MX Leader and if sold as one you are conning people . Do your research. I will post a warning about your misrepresentation on:

https://www.bikeforums.net/

Attached are a picture of a MX Leader frame. (edit - of one of my own MX Leader frames)


No answer as of yet and the bike is still advertised as an MX Leader.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...45583801_b.jpg

3 grand for that? It's a Frankenbike! Gripshifters, Campy brakes, Tektro levers... sounds like whatever was in the parts bin.

Don't worry, nobody's gonna buy it.

Wow, their prices and builds are crazy. Ruin a bunch of decent frames and list for crazy high prices. I mean they are pretty but the parts are meh as are the configurations,

Selling two Peugeot UO-8's, one for $1590 and one for $2490. :eek:

I asked them for the serial # and “before” pics.

It's now marked as "Sold Out"

What the heck? Single speed conversion on this Gitane and they didn't bother to remove the big ring? https://www.recycleartaspen.com/mens...ua-over-chrome

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/c...G?format=1500w

We should start a pool, see who can pick the date when they stick a brass bell on an old Firenze and "artfullly feature" it for a grand or two.

I don’t often say it... but these guys seem like nutjobs! Some questionable “attention” to detail on their website listings for big $$$.

Right? My first thought was that it's perfectly fine if somebody wants to put twist shifters and a kick stand on their own Eddy Merckx bike -- build it the way you want to ride it, no judgment from me -- but that a semi-pro shop should probably just remove that stuff and sell it as a frameset. Then I poked around at a few of their other builds, and I'm pretty sure they did that themselves. :twitchy: Still, I guess they have customers who like their style?

I've often wondered if I could run a "business" that would at least break even doing resto-mod type builds of vintage bikes. I think if I could do the paint myself I could make it work. If these guys are getting anywhere near their asking prices, I might be able to break even after paying someone else to paint the bikes.

Hold it, you mean I paid too much?
But I got a TV, too!

Haha, those were some amusing builds. Well there's some very rich people who roll through Aspen on the regular. I can imagine some of them buying these bikes. Money can't buy taste, as they say.

Did you know Hunter S. Thompson ran for sheriff of Aspen? He wanted to rename it Fat City and regulate the drug dealers (wink wink).

That's the next line of boutique items this company will be selling. "Vintage" console TVs from the '70s, rigged to auto-play reruns of Let's Make a Deal from a youtube feed. With a can of Lemon Pledge. No brass bell.

They should rename their business to something more Hip and Cool and Retro, , like , "Caveat Emptor ".

Oh geez. I didn't notice the kickstand. :facepalm:

Cheeky. If there wasn’t intent to deceive, it wasn’t so magnificently overpriced, and it was a rescued from the dump frame, that would be a cool bike. Is the frame even a Merckx?

Rent in Aspen ain’t cheap - playah gotta play.

Chutzpah.

How long do you think they will be in business going forward?
You can fool some of the people some of the time...

A hipster and his money are soon parted.

I thought you got the bike when you bought a washing machine.

Somebody should turn the Bike Snob onto these guys... he'd have so much fun!

--Shannon

If nobody else is gonna connect the dots, I will.

Bike shop in Aspen selling fake/misrepresented bikes and denying deception to the very end??? Hmmmmmmm

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c024bdb303.jpg

None of the bikes have tested positive.

OR, they did test positive and he made another "donation" to the UCI :roflmao2:

https://cdn.aspentimes.com/wp-conten...072013-4-1.jpg

I wonder how you could be in the game for as long as this dude and not 'get it'. Then I wonder if I'm the one who doesn't get it.

Tough crowd this week. This guy has found his niche in a market that chooses to support it. He fancies himself an artist and is not trying to preserve the authenticity of these bicycles. He certainly seems to have some notable clientele with pocketbooks that agree with him.

Now that the Merckx is no longer available, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt that he’s looking into the whether or not it is an MX Leader. If I received the original note from the OP accusing me of false advertising with no supporting claims, I’d probably dismiss it too. OP’s follow-up was informative and let’s assume Mr. Shopkeep is now investigating and will do the right thing.

As being the OP I would like to give you right - it is his business and he does as and what he wants with it. I have no problem with the pricing or the build as I do not know under what circumstances they are set and decided. My only point was calling something A when it is clearly not. Here on C&V that is from time to time up for debate - someone painting and decaling frames as something greater than it is. This is exactly that. And that was my only point. There is a premium put on MX Leader frames. This frame is not. He knows it.

My original message - to my defence was written in the small box for sending messages on his site. Not made for litterature... ;-) My second message was written thru outlook/mail and I could expand my scope a bit.
To be fair - my original message to him might be perceived as bit harsh now when I read it and to his defence - I am situated on the other side of the globe in that evil country of polarbears, naked women on the streets and where we handle corona our own way. Not to be trusted...

That does not change the fact about the frame and that he did not change it to sold out until I published here.

PS - My second message to him might also be read as written by a really pompous guy... I blame all this on me not having English as my first language... Or actually - I am pompous.