My Newly Restored 1973 Mercier
09-07-21, 03:46 PM
#1
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My Newly Restored 1973 Mercier
I picked up this 1973 Mercier a couple months ago and finally finished restoring it. I wanted to keep it original for the most part, while making a few select upgrades along the way like adding the stainless steel VO fenders, front rack, Brooks B15 Swallow saddle and replacing the original AVA "death stem" with a Nitto Technomic and Noodle bar.
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09-07-21, 03:52 PM
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That is gorgeous! More pics!
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09-07-21, 07:20 PM
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Are those the 45mm stainless fenders? What bell is that?
09-07-21, 08:02 PM
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Thanks! Here are a few pics of the Mercier the day I got it. It even came with the original handbook from the local bike shop that sold it back on April 5th, 1973 (see written date in the handbook) as well as a vintage blue vinyl pannier. I'm still considering some ideas on how I want to repurpose that pannier for use with the front rack. Also trying to decide if I want to use the same dynamo light by attaching to on of the stays on the front rack.
09-07-21, 08:04 PM
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Yup, those are 45mm fenders from Velo Orange. And the bell is a Crane E-NE.
09-07-21, 08:30 PM
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Thanks! Here are a few pics of the Mercier the day I got it. It even came with the original handbook from the local bike shop that sold it back on April 5th, 1973 (see written date in the handbook) as well as a vintage blue vinyl pannier. I'm still considering some ideas on how I want to repurpose that pannier for use with the front rack. Also trying to decide if I want to use the same dynamo light by attaching to on of the stays on the front rack.
09-07-21, 08:40 PM
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Thanks! Here are a few pics of the Mercier the day I got it. It even came with the original handbook from the local bike shop that sold it back on April 5th, 1973 (see written date in the handbook) as well as a vintage blue vinyl pannier. I'm still considering some ideas on how I want to repurpose that pannier for use with the front rack. Also trying to decide if I want to use the same dynamo light by attaching to on of the stays on the front rack.
09-07-21, 08:48 PM
#9
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I picked it up only about 6 weeks ago and just got everything cleaned up and put back together last week. Hehe, and funny you should mention it, but I've been meaning to find myself a clamp-on bottle cage.
09-07-21, 08:51 PM
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09-07-21, 08:53 PM
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I swapped out the incandescent bulb with a projector LED bulb last week and that sucker is BRIGHT now! I would love to get it mounted again, but my main challenge with the dynamo light is getting it mounted in the correct position as the fenders and front rack get in the way and limit my mounting options pretty significantly.
09-07-21, 09:01 PM
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That VO cage looks great! I didn't know about those King Cage clamps. I'll definitely look into it. I was also looking into VO's bottle cage clamps, but I kind of like the idea of having actual mounting bosses on the clamp better than VO's solution.
09-07-21, 09:02 PM
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I originally bought the VO clamps but didn’t feel confident in their ability to actually hold a cage in place. I’m sure they are fine and I’m just being paranoid.
09-07-21, 09:10 PM
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beautiful job; thank you so much for sharing it!
lug pattern is BOCAMA 51/I
dropouts are Simplex Ref. 881-881 B
pump pegs are NERVEX Ref. 848
unfamiliar with models for the mapleleaf market
appears same as what was termed a model 100 in offerings for the U.S. market at this time
nearly fifty year old yet she looks just like she came out the shipping carton!
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beautiful job; thank you so much for sharing it!
lug pattern is BOCAMA 51/I
dropouts are Simplex Ref. 881-881 B
pump pegs are NERVEX Ref. 848
unfamiliar with models for the mapleleaf market
appears same as what was termed a model 100 in offerings for the U.S. market at this time
nearly fifty year old yet she looks just like she came out the shipping carton!
-----
Last edited by juvela; 09-07-21 at 09:19 PM. Reason: addition
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09-07-21, 09:20 PM
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Beautiful bike. Try the generator on the rear seat stay where there is currently no rack and carve a piece out of your fender. Putting it behind the fork blade could be a problem.
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09-08-21, 06:29 AM
#17
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Hmmm... that's great to know. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the VO clamp! I was curious how well they would work by just clamping onto the bottle cage flanges. My primary concern would be the cage potentially slipping or moving around underneath the clamp, which could scratch the frame.
09-08-21, 06:32 AM
#18
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I wish I could put it in the rear. Unfortunately, my Cibie headlight has the generator and lamp in a single unit, so it must be mounted on the front and at an angle that allows the headlight to project forward. I suppose I could consider getting a different dynamo setup where the generator is separate from the light, but there is a part of me that wants to repurpose the one I have to remain truer to the original bike as when I purchased it.
Last edited by milksteaks; 09-08-21 at 06:44 AM.
09-08-21, 06:44 AM
#19
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-----
beautiful job; thank you so much for sharing it!
lug pattern is BOCAMA 51/I
dropouts are Simplex Ref. 881-881 B
pump pegs are NERVEX Ref. 848
unfamiliar with models for the mapleleaf market
appears same as what was termed a model 100 in offerings for the U.S. market at this time
nearly fifty year old yet she looks just like she came out the shipping carton!
-----
beautiful job; thank you so much for sharing it!
lug pattern is BOCAMA 51/I
dropouts are Simplex Ref. 881-881 B
pump pegs are NERVEX Ref. 848
unfamiliar with models for the mapleleaf market
appears same as what was termed a model 100 in offerings for the U.S. market at this time
nearly fifty year old yet she looks just like she came out the shipping carton!
-----
And I suspected it was a Mercier 100. Thanks for confirming!
09-08-21, 07:18 AM
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@milksteaks - Beautiful results! takes me back to that time period in my life!
How does that bell sound? I like the clarity and longevity of the normal Crane and have quite a few. Would like something smaller.
Like the front rack too!
How does that bell sound? I like the clarity and longevity of the normal Crane and have quite a few. Would like something smaller.
Like the front rack too!
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09-08-21, 07:56 AM
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Nice job photographing your beautiful restoration. Simply wonderful.
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09-08-21, 11:01 AM
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@milksteaks - Beautiful results! takes me back to that time period in my life!
How does that bell sound? I like the clarity and longevity of the normal Crane and have quite a few. Would like something smaller.
Like the front rack too!
How does that bell sound? I like the clarity and longevity of the normal Crane and have quite a few. Would like something smaller.
Like the front rack too!
09-08-21, 12:24 PM
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That bike is hot. Thank you for posting.
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