Eddy Merckx: Return of a Belgian classic
For a long time, there had been little news from the Belgian manufacturer Eddy Merckx Bikes. Earlier this year, the brand announced a major relaunch. CIN was on the scene to report…
There are few names in cycling as renowned as Eddy Merckx. Between 1968 and 1974, the Belgian won the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia five times each. To this day, he’s
considered by most cycling experts as the greatest cyclist in the history of the sport. His legacy extends to the bicycle brand he founded in 1980: Eddy Merckx Bikes.
“The brand’s legacy is substantial. Therefore, it was crucial for us to revive it. That’s why we’re here today,” shared Brand Manager Stefan Aerts during our visit to the Belgian town of Beringen. Here is the headquarters of the Eddy Merckx parent company, Belgian Cycling Factory, mostly known for its brand Ridley Bikes. Eddy Merckx Bikes has officially been part of BCF since 2017. From that moment, the bikes have been developed and manufactured in Beringen, just a short drive of about an hour east of Brussels.
Eddy Merckx Bikes: A long-awaited comeback
In recent years, though, there had been a noticeable silence around the brand. This was particularly surprising given the ambitious plans the team at Belgian Cycling Factory had when they took over in 2017. These plans seemed even more promising when Eddy Merckx Bikes became the official supplier of the AG2R La Mondiale pro team, making their way into the WorldTour.
“Then the Covid-19 pandemic hit, and suddenly the world came to a halt,” recalls Aerts. “The situation significantly impacted supply chains, and the market was full of uncertainties. That’s why we decided to play it safe and focused on our Ridley brand during those years. However, this pause was a great opportunity to gear up for the relaunch of Eddy Merckx that we see today.”
A new range of Eddy Merckx road bikes and gravel bikes
Around 100 employees work at the Belgian Cycling Factory, simultaneously managing both Ridley Bikes and Eddy Merckx Bikes. The presentation of the relaunch is taking place in a large exhibition room on the ground floor within the Belgian Cycling Factory’s main building.
There are two road bikes: the 525 and the Mendrisio. The 525 is the thoroughbred racehorse, while the Mendrisio is the all-rounder for long rides. The gravel bike is the Strasbourg. It is available in carbon, aluminium and steel. As is the Pévèle: “A bike that we call the Swiss pocket knife since it can be used both on the road and in the field,” Bert Kenens, product manager at Belgian Cycling Factory, explains. A feature that appeals to us across all models is the consistent design language visible across all models, especially the brand’s signature S-bends in the seat stay for increased comfort.
In honour of the relaunch, Eddy Merckx Bikes also presents a limited edition of its carbon bikes called Retrosonic. The collection is a tribute to the legendary Panasonic cycling team that rode Eddy Merckx bikes in the 1980s. Through a contemporary interpretation of the distinctive paintwork on carbon Merckx bikes, past and present come together. The bikes will be available from February 24, at the start of the cobblestone classics.
Interesting fact: Eddy Merckx puts a strong focus on customisation, offering customers various options to individualise their bikes. Therefore, they offer an online configurator where customers can choose not just the colour, but also the groupset, wheels, type of handlebar, etc. The bike is then delivered to a bike shop of their choice.
Eddy Merckx Relaunch: A bold move or sheer genius?
While Aerts and Kenens give us a tour through the new Eddy Merckx portfolio, we can’t avoid addressing the elephant in the room: a complete brand relaunch during the currently economically difficult times in the bicycle industry – is it a bold move or sheer genius?
Aerts replies: “Yes, it’s a challenging time for the industry. But a relaunch is always tough. For us, the time was right; we’ve been working on this for over three years,” he says, adding that the current situation mainly affects the entry-level and mid-range segments. “Less expensive flatbar bikes, mountain bikes, bicycles under 1,000 euros. High-end and performance sectors are also seeing a slight downturn, but they are holding up – as evidenced by our good figures from last fall.”
Big plans for the future
At the end of our interview at the Belgian Cycling Factory headquarters in Beringen, Aerts and Kenens emphasise that the new Eddy Merckx brand is “here to stay and to grow steadily under the wings of BCF”. They also reveal that there will be more product news in the coming months. Among these, three new bike models are planned, including drop-bar electric bikes.
Kenens: “I believe that if the market once again acknowledges Eddy Merckx Bikes as offering high-quality, value-for-money options across road, gravel, and all-road biking segments, then we can confidently say that we have done a good job.”
About Eddy Merckx Bikes
The brains behind the firm describe Eddy Merckx Bikes as a company that makes “bikes for adventurers hungry for more. Just like the Cannibal.” The company was originally founded in 1980 by Eddy Merckx and quickly gained attention in the cycling world. In 2014, the Belgian company Diepensteyn NV acquired the manufacturer until the brand was taken over in 2017 by the Belgian Cycling Factory, the parent company of Ridley Bikes. More information can be found on the Eddy Merckx website.
Words & pictures: Werner Müller-Schell
