2024: a visual recap

After years of radio silence, we introduced a new and improved bike line-up at Velofollies, Europe’s major cycling fair in Kortrijk (BE). We will be present at Velofollies again in 2025. Find us at booth 600.

The Retrosonic range is a tribute to the legendary Panasonic cycling team that rode Eddy Merckx bikes in the 1980s.

Team Panasonic is one of those iconic cycling teams in history. With mythical figures like Eric Vanderaerden and Eddy Planckaert, but also with the mysterious Robert Millar (now Philippa York) and Phil 'Skippy' Anderson on board, the team captured the hearts of cycling fans. With premium bikes and the best materials, victories piled up.

We applied the paintwork of this illustrious team to four Eddy Merckx Models: The 525, the Mendrisio, the Pévèle and the Strasbourg. You can still order a Retrosonic bike until the end of this year, after which they will disappear from the catalogue.

The collaboration between Eddy Merckx and Team Flanders is the longest lasting partnership in the professional peloton. Since the start of the team in 1994, Team Flanders - Baloise has been riding Eddy Merckx bikes. The goal of the team is to give young, promising riders the chance to break through at the highest level. They succeeded in that mission this year too, with Lars Craps going to Lotto and Kamiel Bonneu going to Intermaché Wanty.

The team runs a busy spring programme every year, including the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. We came to watch along the street at Nokere Koerse to cheer on our boys.

Watch the whole photo report here.

We launched the Eddy Merckx Strava club to connect the Eddy community on Strava. We regularly share updates on our products, social rides and giveavays. You can join by clicking on this link.

The Corsa bikes acquired a rock-solid reputation over the years. In the 1980s, the Eddy Merckx steel bikes were considered the best available on the market. In May 2024, we brought them back to life on three models. The Corsa Mendrisio, a road bike. The Corsa Pévèle, an all-road bike. And the Corsa Strasbourg, a gravel bike.

The Corsa bikes are performance-oriented bikes made from high-quality materials. Find all about Corsa here.

On June 13th, we organized a social ride around streets of the Baloise Belgium Tour. Starting from our factory in Beringen, we explored the stage to Scherpenheuvel and stopped at the large mural of Eddy Merckx. Around 60 cycling enthusiasts rode along.

We passed through Kiezegem, the birthplace of our founder Eddy Merckx. Eddy's presence is very palpable and visible, thanks to the statue and mural dedicated to him.

Following the Retrosonic bike range, we launched a Retrosonic off bike shirt. The shirt is produced in collaboration with The Vandal, a premium Belgian clothing brand. Finished with a subtle chest pocket, the shirt is entirely made in Europe under fair and ecological conditions. It’s available in The Vandal’s webshop.

We teamed up with Tim Ceelen to develop a suitable bike for him to compete at the summer Olympics in Paris. This collaboration resulted in a one-of-a-kind, three wheeled 525.

Later in 2024, Tim did an amazing job in Paris winning a bronze medal on the Paralympian Time Trail.

Read Tim's story here.

In September we organised a social ride together with Le Coffee Ride. Le Coffee Ride is a Belgian cycling hub and clothing brand, based in the Belgian Ardennes. We work closely with the brand to develop new products and propagate Belgian cycling culture.

The occasion of the group ride was the inauguration of Eddy's Loop, a 94 km route with 1600 altimeters in the heart of the Ardennes. The route passes some tough Ardennes hills. Such as Bierleux-Bas (1.5 km at 7.9%), the Chemin des Moutons (1.1 km at 9.9%), La Vecquée (6.4 km at 5%) and the Stockeu (2.3 km at 9.9%). Halfway up the Stockeu is a monument to Eddy Merckx. It was unveiled in 1993, the day before Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Read the ride report with link to the GPX here.

On 6 October 2024, Leuven transformed into World Gravel Capital. The best pro riders and amateurs from all over of the globe gathered to ride the World Gravel Championships. Among the 292 elite riders who came to the start, there were four riders from Team Flanders - Baloise. Alex Colman, Lars Craps, Dylan Vandenstorme and Gilles De Wilde rode the World Championship on an Eddy Merckx Pévèle.

It was a brutal race in an amazing atmosphere. Read the impressions of our riders here.

When Eddy Merckx Bikes was born in 1980, it was written in the stars who would receive the first bikes. Super-domestique Frans Mintjens had spent years giving his all for the Cannibal, and his brother Karel was the driving force behind a cycling team. The first twelve Eddy Merckx bikes went to this joyful group of cyclists. Jef Van Aerde (77) was one of those cycling friends. He was the third to receive his bike. He still has it, and over time, it has accumulated countless stories. We visited Jef to see with our own eyes "the oldest surviving Eddy Merckx bike.

Discover the compelling life story of Jef and his bike here.

The factory of Eddy Merckx bikes is located in Limburg, a province known for its great cycling infrastructure.

Recently, Limburg has gained a new cycling hot spot with ‘Cycling Between Terrils’. It is a path across the water between the former mining terrils, right in the breathtaking Limburg countryside. We took a Mendrisio and a drone to this prime location , and it led to an atmospheric end to a memorable year.

Thank you to everyone involved in Eddy Merckx community, near and far.

2025 will be even better: it will be a true year of celebration, with Eddy Merckx himself turning 80 and the bicycle brand celebrating its 45th anniversary. There are plenty of great things coming up, so stay tuned.