FAITES ATTENTION, EDDY MERCKX ARRIVE … on a new $17,500 EDDY70 steel road bike!

Written by Tim Krueger Jan 28, 2015 1:00 p.m. ET

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Merckx-Eddy70-1
Harking back to the days when legend Eddy Merckx rode over those words that fans would write on the pavement, creating a new meaning for his team name FAEMA, the modern Merckx is launching the Eddy70 model in FAEMA team livery. FAEMA is actually an Italian espresso machine maker that sponsored Eddy from ’68-’70, before the more famous Molteni years.

Only 70 bikes will be built, and they will be delivered on June 17th, Eddy’s 70th birthday. Pre-ordering starts tonight (Jan. 28, 2015) at 7pm, and the bike will cost an astonishing $17,500. However, this is not just charging for a name applied to a retro steel bike, the EDDY70 is made from the best Columbus steel to be a modern racing bike designed to be a solid performer in a sea of carbon fiber.

Even though they are making 70 of them, only 69 will be available to the public as serial number 1 is being handed over to Eddy himself today, who turns 70 later this year. If you pre-order, you can choose your own personal serial number between 2 and 70, and dictate where on the frame the legend will put his signature for your ride.

Check out the collection of jaw dropping photos of each individual custom piece after the jump…

The whole production process will be documented via Facebook for each customer, and they will be able to pick up the bike at their local Eddy Merckx dealer. For the high cost of the bike, buyers will also get a photo book that has been signed by the man himself.

Merckx explained why the high-end bike was being made by saying “everyone knows that I was always obsessively focused on the equipment that I rode on. That is still the case now. And as a result, I wanted only the best and most modern components and materials for this bike. The aim was absolutely to make a high performance, contemporary racing bike and not a replica of my old racing bike.”

For the steel frame of the EDDY70 the newest Columbus XCr seamless steel tubes are used. The ultralight and rigid RFS (stainless steel) lends itself perfectly to the production of racing bikes. The steel is TIG welded in the Eddy Merckx Cycles workshops and fitted with a carbon fibre Columbus front fork, after which the frame is painted.

The bike is then fitted with a Campagnolo Super Record set and Campagnolo Bora Ultra 35 wheels; both with the
unique EDDY70 signature. The same icon is also printed on the cockpit, seat post and Cinelli seat.

EddyMerckx.com

Tim Krueger

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Micah

9 years ago

Really? They fit the fork and then paint the bike?

Slow Joe Crow

9 years ago

I’d want frame number 42.

Dex

9 years ago

Don’t quote me on this but the bike looks like a Pegoretti Marcelo with a shortened head tube and a slightly compacted geometry. If you look at the chain stay dropouts they are identical to Pegoretti. If this is the case you would be better off buying a Marcelo with Super Record and saving $7000.00. It even has a Falz fork that Pegoretti uses.

9 years ago

For this money you could go custom and still save $10K.

JasonK

9 years ago

Why on earth is the headline in French? Merckx is a native Flemish (Dutch) speaker and was born in a Flemish-speaking town (Meensel-Kiezegem, to be specific).

I’m sure he speaks French very well, but this makes as much sense as a story about Armstrong with a headline in Spanish.

badbikemechanix

9 years ago

For the folks complaining about the price. This is a collector’s item so it’s expensive. If you want to save money by the cinelli xcr.

dockboy

9 years ago

@Dex: I don’t think it is. The dropouts, while both hooded, have different profiles. On the Pegoretti, they have a concave back edge and substantial cutouts. This has a more traditional, convex shape. They’re also different tubesets and cable guides. This has a cool pass-through housing guide on the head tube. I like it, and would probably opt for #42 as well.

Frippolini

9 years ago

@ badbikemechanix…
I can buy the collector argument IF the bike would have been ridden by a cycling legend, but in this case its just a hyped bike with pretentious marketing and a totally exaggerated price.
However, you by chance don’t agree with me, I’ve got lots of “collectibles” that I can offer you. 😉

As for my comment to Eddy Merckx (the company)… are you serious, 17k ? The only thing, from my perspective, that could motivate this price level would be if the proceeds would go to charity. Any comments?

MikeC

9 years ago

The price is only unreasonable if they don’t sell 69 of them…

9 years ago

I love that you can spend $17k on a magnetic road bike that requires no batteries. But I also question a $17k non-custom welded steel frame…

doug

9 years ago

A manufacturer saying something is special does not make it special.

If it was a NOS team bike then maybe… but just saying its worth 17 grand because eddy has one too is f***ing ridiculous.

They will sell all of them, no doubt. There will always be more money in the world then sense.

mudrock

9 years ago

Jason, you get that the French words spell out FAEMA? And this is what fans would spell on the road?

satisFACTORYrider

9 years ago

for sale my authentic 1989 maillot jaune race jersey signed by eddy for $1750 (indurain & lemond on there too)will throw in a clapped out 1990 56cm molteni sl frame.

Rico

9 years ago

I don’t give a crap about the price or the theme. I just like to ogle any xcr bikes with the new campy. Looks like it would be fun to get on that bike and ride it hard.

Dave

9 years ago

For all those who complain about the price, or if the bike is worth it or not, do not have to worry as they would never spend that kind of money on anything and that’s OK.

To the people that think this bike is worth the money then good for you. If you have it and want to spend it, it’s yours to do with whatever you like.

I just hate people that like to complain for no reason other than to complain.

RED

9 years ago

http://www.eddy70.com

Who wants to buy a kidney? Err, make it two!

Dex

9 years ago

(deleted)

Psi Squared

9 years ago

Breaking News: comment section afire with people put out by bike price.

MikeC gets it. Sense has nothing to do with the cost or purchase of this bike, but personal values do. People value things differently than other people, something that’s been known for hundreds or even thousands of years. I guess it’s about time that we get over it.

Tomi

9 years ago

If I had the money I would buy it and commute with it in all kind of weather, washing it and lubing it once every 6 months then post myriads of pictures of the rat result then look at the resulting comments on blogs/social medias/webforums while eating pop corn.

Veganpotter

9 years ago

I too question the idea of a $17,000 bike but not much more than buying a $100,000(pretty inexpensive) home where you are gone for 10 hours and sleeping in for 8 hours and when you’re home…have space that you don’t even use. Or a $3000 wedding ring(pretty standard) that doesn’t actually do anything that a $30 ring can’t do.

I’d rather have a really fun bike. Not that anyone rides their bike for the majority of their lives(even the most avid of us do not) it “can” outlast most things if you choose to not keep buying tons of bikes and invest a lot of money in a small number of them.

topcheese

9 years ago

Pretentious at best.

JasonK

9 years ago

Mudrock: Doh! I completely missed that. Thanks for correcting me. I retract my earlier post!

dennis nel

9 years ago

a Seven cycles bike with record perfection at its best

Frank

9 years ago

Well I ordered a Eddy 70, I put a deposit down the first 3 hours the site went live. Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, it’s more than I wanted to spend. Me being a Merckx fan for nearly 40 years and already owning several of his bikes ( 1973 Kessels, early 1980’s Merckx, 2010 EMX-3 ) When I was racing in the early 1980’s, Merckx bike were rare and I could never afford one then. Since then I managed to pickup a couple of the bikes I dreamed of owning. This now will be the newest addition to them.

I’ve never purchased a NEW bike before, EVER! I have always scrimped by with mainly used gear my whole cycling career. Buying used frame sets, and piecing campy parts on them as I had the money. I’ve always dreamed of ordering a new bike direct from the factory and I wanted to buy something I’d keep my whole life. This bike fits that bill as it’s built in HIS factory, and is not a Taiwanese made CF frame. It’s fitted with top of the line Campy, as I would do it. The best thing is Eddy will sign each and every bike himself. That and the fact it’s a commemorative model, limited to 70. Sealed the deal. It’s also painted with his Faema team colors, a classic touch. They did it right for a new bike.

Will I use it? Sure probably some on nice days, maybe a couple century rides now and then, but I will try to keep nice. I don’t want to keep it NOS, don’t care about it’s resale value as I’m smart enough to know it might be 30 years before it’s worth what I paid for it ever again. I didn’t buy it to make money but to have a new bike from Eddy the greatest cyclist ever, Perfect!