Eddie Merckx Em525 and EMX525 frames info

fat bloke · 19-05-2021 01:16PM #1

There's a lad on adverts who seems to have an "in" to a pipeline of pro- or continental- team bikes and frames and he nearly always seems to have them for sale.
I don't know a whole lot about them. From what I have read, and understandably as they're proper pro race items, they're quite aggressive in geometry. Long and low, such that if I stack and reach them up against frames I've ridden and been comfortable on in the past it's not entirely clear to me what the right size would be. If I go for sufficient stack then I might need a very short stem to counteract, and vice versa.

I'd love to head from anyone here who has one or knows anything about them. From what I can gather the emx525 dates back to 2013

(https://road.cc/content/news/62663-merckx-2013-emx-525-and-ett-revealed
https://pelotonmagazine.com/gear/eddy-merckx-525-the-cannibals-ride/)

and the EM-525 was launched in 2015 and was available in a performance and an endurance geometry.
(https://road.cc/content/tech-news/266216-eddy-merckx-bikes-launches-new-525-race-bike-eurobike
https://endurance.biz/2015/industry-news/eddy-merckx-cycles-launches-new-top-end-model-the-em525/)

AG2R are riding the latest version
https://bikerumor.com/2018/10/24/2019-eddy-merckx-525-teases-all-new-road-bike-for-a-return-to-world-tour-racing/

-Right, so that's all my googling. It might inform others on here. But like I said, if anyone has direct experience of one it'd be great to hear.

magicbastarder · 19-05-2021 01:33PM

some of those don't seem to show or explicitly mention seatposts - could be an issue if they're proprietary.
i've a merckx frame (not one of those) and it's not a generic seatpost.

fat bloke · 19-05-2021 01:52PM

magicbastarder wrote: »

some of those don't seem to show or explicitly mention seatposts - could be an issue if they're proprietary.
i've a merckx frame (not one of those) and it's not a generic seatpost.

Something to look out for alright because I'd say it's guaranteed non generic - the whole seat post fixing thing gets a lot of mentions, it's a fiddly enough twin allen key bolt affair on the seat tube.

What's your frame? The San Remo 76 looks nice too. They're heavy but...

magicbastarder · 19-05-2021 02:05PM

i have a mourenx 69. 2016 model i think?

fat bloke · 19-05-2021 02:19PM

That's the guy yeah. I've seen examples in Laragh. They're unremarkable enough in the "flesh", or maybe I just haven't looked closely enough.

magicbastarder · 19-05-2021 02:25PM

there's a lovely belgian national jersey there that may be my size. tempted.

Mr. Cats · 19-05-2021 06:13PM

fat bloke wrote: »

That's the guy yeah. I've seen examples in Laragh. They're unremarkable enough in the "flesh", or maybe I just haven't looked closely enough.

There was 2 there together on Sunday morning last. Agree the paint scheme is a bit meh but I like the frame shape.

Big Mig · 19-05-2021 08:19PM

Give him a shout and go have a look. He has a few new ones there not up on Adverts.
I know him and he's sound and very easy to deal with. Brought a friend there last week to pick up a Merckx. They're Topsport Vlaanderen team bikes and frames.

zindicato · 20-05-2021 12:07AM

Cossiels in adverts that's Kevin known him for a long time now and bought stuff off him recommended him to my mates who bought bikes & gears off him throughout the years, and I'm still buying small kits off him for my two kids who races.
Get in touch with him, He is a real gentleman to deal with.

fat bloke · 20-05-2021 08:46AM

Yeah, I was back on forth with him in the frames, he just doesn't seem to have anything in my size at the minute.

PringleDemon · 20-05-2021 09:00AM

The latest 525 that the pro's are riding are Ridley bikes painted with Merckx logo's . Not a lot of heritage to them anymore , the Eddy Merckx brand is owned by Ridley

The original 525 from about 8 yrs ago was an exceptional machine!

fat bloke · 20-05-2021 09:07AM

PringleDemon wrote: »

The latest 525 that the pro's are riding are Ridley bikes painted with Merckx logo's . Not a lot of heritage to them anymore , the Eddy Merckx brand is owned by Ridley

The original 525 from about 8 yrs ago was an exceptional machine!

That's interesting! I did hear that about Ridley. Does it only apply to the new ones? Because the older ones are very distinctive construction, with the "stepped" rear stays and stuff, which I've never seen on a Ridley.

Did you have one of the old 525's yourself? They get glowing reviews, but they look a bit dated.

This Sanremo76 frame looks like a great deal at first looking at the rrp
https://www.probikeshop.com/en/ie/eddy-merckx-sanremo76-road-frame-black-silver-2020-exclusive-edition/197683.html

But then when you go onto the Merckx site, you can buy fully built up bikes on those frames with ultegra for about 3 grand, so the rrp of those frames was never anything like that. Nice looking frames, but... again... on the heavy side.

Did you have a 525?

magicbastarder · 20-05-2021 09:34AM

i mailed merckx soon after i got my bike (S/H) with a query and got a fairly terse 'we just bought the company, we have no documentation we can help you with because that was the old company' reply.
would make you wonder about the lifetime warranties they'd offered.

joey100 · 20-05-2021 09:56AM

I had a Merckx bike when the company was owned by Merckx, think around 2012. Wasn't the 525, think was more mid level one. It was grand, nothing special to be honest. Looked well but nothing stood out about the bike really. Remember getting it serviced and it had some awkward parts on it for changing and the shop cursing it a bit but other than that nothing stands out about it.

PringleDemon · 20-05-2021 12:00PM

fat bloke wrote: »

That's interesting! I did hear that about Ridley. Does it only apply to the new ones? Because the older ones are very distinctive construction, with the "stepped" rear stays and stuff, which I've never seen on a Ridley.

Did you have one of the old 525's yourself? They get glowing reviews, but they look a bit dated.

This Sanremo76 frame looks like a great deal at first looking at the rrp
https://www.probikeshop.com/en/ie/eddy-merckx-sanremo76-road-frame-black-silver-2020-exclusive-edition/197683.html

But then when you go onto the Merckx site, you can buy fully built up bikes on those frames with ultegra for about 3 grand, so the rrp of those frames was never anything like that. Nice looking frames, but... again... on the heavy side.

Did you have a 525?

Had the original 525 bike , back then they where Di2 only. Great bikes at the time and as stated very unique frame styling.
That San Remo 76 looks to be excellent value

Eddie Merckx Em525 and EMX525 frames info

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