Real deal or fake?

[Slicksmik]

Hi,

A good friend of mine recently gave me this bike. It had been in his basement for quite some time and knew I was looking for a road bike.

Now, since it has Bernard Hinault decals, I’ve been looking up bikes connected to his name. Whilst searching I stumbled upon a lot of bikes but they don’t really match this one.

I hope you guys can help me identify this bike and if it’s worth restoring it.

Thanks!

 

[TreaderSteve]

Show us the other side and pics of the components and any other smaller stickers such as frame material stickers - there'll be more of a clue what it's about. Anything's worth restoring - if it fits, does the task you want it to, want to fettle bearings, maybe fit new cables, maybe new tyres and handlebar tape it could be a nice bike. It's quite a biggun - are you?!

There are Merckx bikes that are pretty low-rent and play on the name of Eddy Merckx - this one looks a little better than some such that I've seen. Not high-end but not bad at all.

 

[pigman]

Big clearances, mudguard eyes and a cheap fork crown suggest this is more of a mid range trainer than a premium race bike

 

[vcballbat]

The real deal.... Bernard's 753 Aero bike

 

[bikeworkshop]

Looks like a cheap 80s raleigh or falcon or similar product from the death throes of the British bike industry.

thin stamped dropouts.
Very basic crimped seatstay tops.
Sadly barely worth pumping the tyres up

 

[non-fixie]

Everything stated above is true, but I like it. While there isn't a business case for a true restoration, with a clean & lube and a set of decent tyres it might make for a nice bike. The French were pretty good at building cheap bikes that ride very well.

 

[bikeworkshop]

It's true that any working bike is brilliant - an example of humanity's finest creation.

And on this one, it's basically complete, original and the finish is in not bad shape -

we've had customers ride Lands end John o groats on bikes like this -
and had a fantastic time

 

[non-fixie]

we've had customers ride Lands end John o groats on bikes like this -
and had a fantastic time

Exactly.

I purchased a similar quality gaspipe frame on eBay France a couple of years ago. Paid good money for it, too.

Built it up with nice parts and the result turned out to be a very nice randonneur.

 

[Slicksmik]

Hi guys, thanks for all the messages and sorry for the radio silence from my side. Still haven’t figured out who manufactured the frame but everything else on the bike is French. I tore the whole thing apart, cleaned it and put it back together. Looks pretty decent I think.

 

[Slicksmik]

Show us the other side and pics of the components and any other smaller stickers such as frame material stickers - there'll be more of a clue what it's about. Anything's worth restoring - if it fits, does the task you want it to, want to fettle bearings, maybe fit new cables, maybe new tyres and handlebar tape it could be a nice bike. It's quite a biggun - are you?!

There are Merckx bikes that are pretty low-rent and play on the name of Eddy Merckx - this one looks a little better than some such that I've seen. Not high-end but not bad at all.

It is indeed a biggun, 62 cm to be precise. I’m 1,90 so it’s a little on the bigger side but it works.