Eddy Merckx Kessels Classic Road Bike 1970s

The first bikes which were to bear the Eddy Merckx logo, were the Eddy Merckx Kessels bikes in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Nobody less than the Champion himself rode them.
Unfortunatly Kessels made some cheaper, mass produced Eddy Merckx bikes some years later. Thus many people forgot about the professional bikes they once assembled.

Our Kessels is one of the better bikes which were built to a standard that was up there with most professional level bikes of its time.
The frame is built with Reynolds 531 tubing. Though Kessels frames often used those butted tubes just on some of the main tubes and stronger stuff for the stays. But the weight of the complete bike with just 9.3kg makes it very likely that it is indeed 531 tubing throughout.
The bike is fully equipped with a nice Campagnolo Record Groupset.

The bike has very likely been custom made. The geometry and the rare dropouts with eyelets point into this direction. Also, the colour is rather rare though not unseen on Kessels bikes.
A racer like this would be perfect for any historic cycling event. But of course it is also an eye-turner when you ride it on a weekend jaunt.