Jacques Mercet Course, 1985, Switzerland
History & Specifications
Jacques Mercet built exclusive custom racing bicycles to order starting in the early 1960s. During his 40 years of creativity, he developed his characteristic aesthetic of fillet brazed frames with internally cable routing. A very nice example is this Mercet with frame number 385, so number 3 built in 1985. He was a well known frame builder in Vaud and his racing bikes were very expensive at the time. The numbers built per year varied, from maybe 10-30 units in the 60s and 70s, to single digits per year in the 1980s and 90s. The last of his creations were created in 2000.
This elegant Mercet is first hand.
After buying it, I decided to do a major overhaul.
The racing bike is equipped with a Campagnolo Super Record group, wheel hubs and gear shifters are from the C-Record group. Mercet typical the use of a Pista headset, the brakes modified with titanium and aluminum parts and the triple crank with engravings on the chainrings. The original mounted change from 1984 was modified. The change stop provided with a thread and adjustment screw, did not withstand the loads and was defective. The change was modified by me for the Shimano UF-20 dropout. Replaced the front rim with the same Ambrosio Excellence rim as the rear. I replaced the Shimano Dura-Ace clipless pedals with Campagnolo Super Record pedals. The handlebars were wrapped with a new Cinelli Cork handlebar tape.
The bike has been cared for and is in good visual and very good mechanical condition.
Frame size seat tube 58.5 cm center-top, top tube length 56.5 cm center-center, weight 9.7 kg.