This does not look even remotely like a Mercier to me, in fact, I don't even think it is French. Mercier pink was much brighter, and not metallic like this one. And the lugs and half chromed seatlug in particular look more Italin than French. In fact, if the lug cutouts were circular, I would strongly suspect this is a Windsor Pro, the Mexican-made Cinelli clone. The manufacturers of Windsor also made bikes under other labels, like Carrabela or some such. Raysports were similar as well. Anyone know if these or maybe later Windsors had lug cutout like those shown?
Do you own this bike? Have you checked the BB thread? I would guess it is Italian-threaded.
As to the TdF, I don't remember Mercier ever winning it, but Raymond Poulidor famously finsihed second or third countless times on a pink Mercier without ever winning.
Regards,
Jerry Moos
Big Spring, Texas, USA
> From: Amir Avitzur <avitzur@013.net>
\r?\n> Subject: [CR] Mercier ???
\r?\n> To: "Classicrendezvous" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
\r?\n> Cc: "Nick March" <nicbordeaux@yahoo.fr>
\r?\n> Date: Saturday, August 15, 2009, 4:14 PM
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Is the bike at http://www.flickr.com/
\r?\n> Mercier?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Its got
\r?\n> a 26.0 seat post
\r?\n> Pretty pink paint
\r?\n> a 53cm C-to-C seat tube and has
\r?\n> "5 3" stamped on the bottom
\r?\n> bracket
\r?\n> was purchased in the U.K. at an antique
\r?\n> dealer
\r?\n>
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Didn't someone win the TdF on a pink Mercier?
\r?\n>
\r?\n> Amir Avitzur
\r?\n> Ramat-Gan, Israel