Mercier Course Vintage French Steel Frameset – Reynolds 531

Details:

• Brand / Model: Mercier Course

• Serial / Production Number: 005949 (Head Tube)

• Tubing: Reynolds 531 Butted Steel Tubing

• Fork: Mercier Matching Steel Fork (French Threaded)

• Seat Tube Size (C-T): 54.5 cm

• Top Tube Length (C-C): 55.5 cm

• Head Tube Length: 12.1 cm

• Headset Thread / Size: French Threaded (25 x 1 mm)

• Bottom Bracket Standard: French Threaded (M35 x 1 / 68 mm Shell Width)

• Seatpost Diameter: 26.4 mm (French Metric Standard)

• Front Derailleur Mount: Clamp-On

• Hub Spacing: 100 mm / 120 mm

• Dropouts: Vitus Forged Dropouts

• Color: Vibrant Metallic Green with Period Mercier Graphics

• Condition: Used, Cleaned, Checked and Fully Functional

• Origin: Made in Saint-Étienne, France

Description:

An authentic 1970s French competition road frameset manufactured in Saint-Étienne by the storied cycling atelier Mercier, immortalized in peloton history by riders like Raymond Poulidor. Featuring the distinctive factory production number 005949 cleanly stamped onto the head tube lug, the frame is constructed from double-butted Reynolds 531 manganese-molybdenum tubing adorned with the iconic straight green lettering decal for the French domestic market. Designed around metric tubing dimensions with a 26.4 mm seatpost standard, it delivers the springy responsiveness, vibration absorption, and low weight that define classic French race engineering. Hand-finished lugs, elegant fork crown architecture, and lightweight forged Vitus dropouts highlight its period pedigree, while the original metallic green finish provides a radiant contrast against classic white Mercier decals. Adhering to traditional French workshop specifications with a 68 mm French-threaded bottom bracket shell, 25 x 1 mm headset dimensions, and 100 mm / 120 mm hub spacing tailored for 5-speed freewheels, this frameset stands as a verified, collector-grade base for a faithful period-correct build.