Dale and I were just discussing that offlist. Perhaps he is trying to appeal to aging Baby Boomers who associate some mystique with the names, but really don't know much about the bikes themselves. That does seem a limited market though. In the case of Motobecane, I suppose he could advertise it as "Winner of the Tour de France" since the marque did win at least one TdF (with Luis Ocana, although one of the bikes he actually used was a Motobecane-badged titanium Speedwell). Not sure if Mercier ever won a TdF. Poulidor finished second and third numerous times on Mercier, but that doesn't make good advertising copy, at least not in the US.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Houston, TX
Could someone explain the logic of purchasing the rights to a venerable cycling brand like Motobecane and then having cheesy TIGged frames labeled with a French brand? Is anyone who might even possibly remember and be impressed by the name going to be fooled by a Moto decal on the downtube? Don't "get it."
Kurt (my gas ain't inert) Sperry
B'ham WA
>From: "Jerry & Liz Moos" <jerrymoos@sbcglobal.net>
>To: "Paul C. Brodek" <pcb@skyweb.net>,
> <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>, <OROBOYZ@aol.com>
>Subject: Re: [CR]Mercier vs Mercian
>Date: Sun, 20 Oct 2002 11:29:47 -0500
>
>I saw a few of these at a shop here in Houston. They are indeed TIG-welded
>in Taiwan, very similar to the current Motobecanes. Is Mike Spratt the same
>guy who owns the Motobecane name? Was it he who headed up the infamous
>World Cycles in the early 90's?
>
>Regards,
>
>Jerry Moos
>Houston, TX
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