Re: [CR]Anquetil and Merckx/Kessels

(Example: Framebuilders:Rene Herse)

Date: Fri, 26 Aug 2005 04:48:44 -0700 (PDT)
From: "David Patrick" <patrick-ajdb@sbcglobal.net>
Subject: Re: [CR]Anquetil and Merckx/Kessels
To: Martin Appel <martin@camelot.de>, classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
In-Reply-To: <web-29996559@teamware-gmbh.de>


Martin,

Kessels built the majority of Eddy's bikes during the Molteni period. Kessels seems to continually get lost in any discussion as to who built Eddy's bikes, with De Rosa, Colnago & Masi usually the focus, but Kessels was the primary supplier to Molteni/Merckx and their team bikes were very, very good. I've been after a Kessels-built Merckx frame for a while now and it turns out that there are at least three different levels of quality, and the frame you picture here appears to be an intermediate level frameset. The highest quality Merckx frames from Kessels use Campy dropouts, a flat seat stay cap w/fairly large diameter seat stays, Reynolds 531 tubing and nice long point lugs (Prugnat I believe), just like the Molteni team bikes. It is also worth noting that Kessels built their own line of bikes called Main d'Or, marketed primarily in Belgium. Kessels is no longer in business, although the Main d'Or name has been picked up by another company, used primarily on a tourist/commuter line of bikes.

Dave Patrick Chelsea, Michigan

Martin Appel <martin@camelot.de> wrote: Hi Lintees,

i asked about the Jaques Anquetil bike a few days ago. Thanks to all who answered!

I asked the owner about pictures, here they are:

http://forum.tour-magazin.de/attachment.php?attachmentid=29481 http://forum.tour-magazin.de/attachment.php?attachmentid=29482

not exactly high end, but nice color and original condition.

But here's something to drool on:

The same guy said he got an ancient bike labeled "Merckx" that had a strange thing to it: it beared a writing "„J. Kessels, Constructeur“... :-)

It seems at some time in the 70ies a belgian club called "RSV St. Vith" from Belgium held a criterium, to which several pros attended; Merckx, Thurau, Maertens.... That bike is said to have been given to that club by Eddy as a present. The current owner got it from a member of that club.

Naturally, i asked for pics, well here they are: (you must be very brave now) http://forum.tour-magazin.de/attachment.php?attachmentid=29483 http://forum.tour-magazin.de/attachment.php?attachmentid=29484

what do you say? :-)

Martin Appel
Munich, Germany