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I have a vintage Eddy Merckx bike I bought about 5 years ago. The guy who originally bought it apparently rode it once, couldn’t get his foot out of the toe basket at a stop sign, fell over and was so embarrassed he rode home and hung up the bike in his garage and never rode it again.

He passed away and his daughter sold it and I was the lucky buyer.

I’ve also never ridden it; it’s just been sitting in my basement as well and now I’m curious to figure out exactly what it is. On the BB on the left is a 0 and an A. On the Right is Z and underneath is 7863.

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Anyone have any idea about the specifics of this beautiful bike?

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Thanks for the info, JoeK! Here are some more pics in case they’re helpful.

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  • That's a gorgeous 80s bike - do you intend to ride it ? Shame for it to be a garage-queen
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented Apr 28, 2022 at 23:43
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    No, it had been hanging in my biomechancis lab more for art than anything else, but as we got more equipment this had to go. So, it’s been in my basement for a few years and I’m probably going to sell it to someone who really appreciates it and has a good use for it. I hate to let it go, but hate even more for it to be collecting dust in my basement.
    – David McHenry
    Commented Apr 29, 2022 at 0:13
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    If you don't want it, do your best to pass it on. If you bin it Eddy's ghost will haunt you :) I would suggest talking to some fancy bike shops in your area and see if they will sell it on consignment. An ebay listing might work but its a gamble whether the right people see it.
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented Apr 29, 2022 at 23:45

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One problem with identification is that you have photographed the bicycle from the wrong side.

Some of the features that will make the bike more interesting and/or valuable are the tubing used for the frame construction (which I can see on a golden sticker is some type of Columbus tubing, but we can't see what grade) and what type of component group is fitted (which will also help to determine the approximate age). It looks like a full Campagnolo outfit, but again we can't see where in the series it lies.

There are websites that deal with the numbering and histories of manufacturers such as Merckx but you may not ever find the relevance of the numbering scheme given how the name has changed hands a few times. However, it's a beautiful bike and is unlikely to be underappreciated when shown in all its glory.

After seeing my answer downvoted twice and with the new pictures, I would say that your frame is an early one but further identification may be possible here: http://cadre.org/Merckx/

The information on that page is refuted here: RoadBikeReview forum

You have probably found those as the top hits in your search engine, however.

Your rear derailleur could be a 1985 Super Record but apparently these are not always date stamped. The rest of the equipment is very nice.

However you have a very high spec for the era and there is a collector's market.

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  • Perhaps the leading line is now unneeded, now there are additional photos.
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented Apr 30, 2022 at 21:52

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