Jef Van Aerde Owns the Third Oldest Eddy Merckx Ever Made: “This Bike Has Seen the World”
When Eddy Merckx Bikes came to life 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 cheerful 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."
Jef’s home in Sint-Antonius (Zoersel) breathes cycling. Woolen cycling jerseys barely fit in the wardrobe, the car is maneuvered between the washing machine and three bikes, and an archival photo of his grandson Brent – a highly promising young rider – proudly hangs on the wall. However, the Ali Baba cave is in the garden shed, where Jef proudly opens the door. The winter sun shines on three old Eddy Merckx bikes, including the famous 1980 ‘Corsa.’
"The cycling club of furniture tycoon Karel Mintjens consisted of what we then called 'professional tourists.' Whenever we could, we went out riding. Eddy had not long retired from racing and often joined us. After years of Frans working hard for the Cannibal, they had become close friends. Those were golden times when we cycled a lot and pulled even more pranks. We got to know Eddy as someone who also loved a good joke every now and then."
Jef’s home in Sint-Antonius (Zoersel) breathes cycling. Woolen cycling jerseys barely fit in the wardrobe, the car is maneuvered between the washing machine and three bikes, and an archival photo of his grandson Brent – a highly promising young rider – proudly hangs on the wall. However, the Ali Baba cave is in the garden shed, where Jef proudly opens the door. The winter sun shines on three old Eddy Merckx bikes, including the famous 1980 ‘Corsa.’
"The cycling club of furniture tycoon Karel Mintjens consisted of what we then called 'professional tourists.' Whenever we could, we went out riding. Eddy had not long retired from racing and often joined us. After years of Frans working hard for the Cannibal, they had become close friends. Those were golden times when we cycled a lot and pulled even more pranks. We got to know Eddy as someone who also loved a good joke every now and then."
250,000 Kilometers
During this period, Jef also received the racing bike of his life. ‘It was really the first line of bikes Eddy had produced himself. All were in the featured blue of the cycling team, but later I gave the frame a different colour. On a piece of paper, each bike had a number on it and my bike was given the number 3. So I own the third Eddy Merckx ever made. The first two were for Karel, but as a millionaire he would never take care of his bikes with as much precision work as I do. So those specimens didn't survive, which means I own the oldest living Eddy Merckx.’
Jef's Corsa has a lot of features that would make the brand great. ‘The tubes are from Columbus, just like the steel bikes made today. Back then, Eddy still worked from the factory at his home in Sint-Brixius-Rode. Later, he would find a new home. Eddy also signed every bike; you can see that signature at the top of the rear fork. He came to officially hand over the bikes, still an honour for our cycling club.’
Jef's steel steed has undergone many modifications to remain rideable. ‘The cables used to run over the top tube, these were later integrated. I also installed a bicycle computer and the pedals are still from the first generation of Look, introduced at the time by Bernard Hinault himself at the Tour de France. I rode this bike for 10 to 15 years. And every year I did at least 25,000 kilometres. I was a self-employed sales representative and needed a long ride every day to stay ‘fresh in the head’.’
Jef's Corsa has a lot of features that would make the brand great. ‘The tubes are from Columbus, just like the steel bikes made today. Back then, Eddy still worked from the factory at his home in Sint-Brixius-Rode. Later, he would find a new home. Eddy also signed every bike; you can see that signature at the top of the rear fork. He came to officially hand over the bikes, still an honour for our cycling club.’
Jef's steel steed has undergone many modifications to remain rideable. ‘The cables used to run over the top tube, these were later integrated. I also installed a bicycle computer and the pedals are still from the first generation of Look, introduced at the time by Bernard Hinault himself at the Tour de France. I rode this bike for 10 to 15 years. And every year I did at least 25,000 kilometres. I was a self-employed sales representative and needed a long ride every day to stay ‘fresh in the head’.’
Lost pro career
In his own words, Jef missed out on a pro career. ‘I was stronger uphill than Lucien Van Impe and often had to hold back on training so as not to unload everyone. But I had seen too much. Had I gone along with the uses of my time then, I wouldn't be sitting here now. Later in life, I would still join the Tour of America. We also cycled to Rome and Lourdes, so you can safely say that my Eddy Merckx has seen the world.’
The Cannibal regularly went on trips with him. ‘I especially remember his enormous involvement with his bike brand. He really saw those bikes as his children. Once, when we saw bikes falling off the tyre at the airport in Hamburg, he immediately intervened. The person in charge was even dragged off the plane and had to guarantee us that every bike would reach its destination in perfect condition.’
For 34 years, Jef worked as a sales representative. ‘I took care of packaging and would also work that way with Eddy Merckx Bikes, which was later taken over by Jochim Aerts of Ridley. At the factory, everyone calls me ‘Jef Karton’. I am still a familiar face there, and if one day my collector's item is looking for another place, the factory in Paal is the only right location. In my working life, I wore out 17 cars. But my real passion was always the bicycle.’
‘Often I was called in as a companion for bike tours. Including with Martini Racing, but also with numerous high-profile people. Rally driver Jacky Ickx, Dutch prime minister Dries van Agt, prime minister Guy Verhofstadt, all joined us. We are now years later, so I can reveal that I regularly pushed them along over the tricky passages.’
The Cannibal regularly went on trips with him. ‘I especially remember his enormous involvement with his bike brand. He really saw those bikes as his children. Once, when we saw bikes falling off the tyre at the airport in Hamburg, he immediately intervened. The person in charge was even dragged off the plane and had to guarantee us that every bike would reach its destination in perfect condition.’
For 34 years, Jef worked as a sales representative. ‘I took care of packaging and would also work that way with Eddy Merckx Bikes, which was later taken over by Jochim Aerts of Ridley. At the factory, everyone calls me ‘Jef Karton’. I am still a familiar face there, and if one day my collector's item is looking for another place, the factory in Paal is the only right location. In my working life, I wore out 17 cars. But my real passion was always the bicycle.’
‘Often I was called in as a companion for bike tours. Including with Martini Racing, but also with numerous high-profile people. Rally driver Jacky Ickx, Dutch prime minister Dries van Agt, prime minister Guy Verhofstadt, all joined us. We are now years later, so I can reveal that I regularly pushed them along over the tricky passages.’
At the gates of heaven
The once-proud mile-eater will be on the rollers for an hour at most today. Not to train, mainly to keep moving. ‘Too bad, because I would love nothing more than to spend hours dreaming away on my bike. Everything unfortunately changed on 4 May 2000. Then I had a heart attack in the car. I swerved between trucks and crawled through the eye of the needle. Suddenly I saw myself floating above my hospital bed, landed in a kind of tunnel full of beautiful music and at the end shone blissful light. Yet I was stranded at the gates of heaven, apparently my work here was not yet finished.’
Thanks to cardiologist Johan Van Lierde in Genk, Jef recovered miraculously. ‘I also owe that to Eddy, because he still knew the doctor from his racing days. Every now and then I run into the grandmaster again. The last time at the cycle race in Herentals. Suddenly he poked me in the back: ‘Hey, little one!’ Then I had to lend him some change to pay for the sanitary facilities. Eddy has always remained leader.’
Today, Jef does not miss a minute of the race on television. ‘Every channel I skim to see as much of the races as possible anyway. My cousin Jan De Bie provides me with all the info about the course and I cut the results from the newspaper to add them to my race folder. Of course, I now also have more time for my wife, daughter and three grandchildren. My grandson Brent might have had my talent, they always say hereditary traits skip a generation. He is now working within the notarial profession and is doing a great job.’
Over a speculaas and a cup of coffee, Jef put down his life story. ‘Men, you cannot imagine all the things I have experienced with these cycling friends,’ he grins. ‘And those are just the stories I get to tell here. And that bike has been through it all huh.’ There is no rust on Jef's stories yet, nor on the oldest Eddy Merckx alive. Cycling poetry chiselled into the steel of the greatest of all.
Thanks to cardiologist Johan Van Lierde in Genk, Jef recovered miraculously. ‘I also owe that to Eddy, because he still knew the doctor from his racing days. Every now and then I run into the grandmaster again. The last time at the cycle race in Herentals. Suddenly he poked me in the back: ‘Hey, little one!’ Then I had to lend him some change to pay for the sanitary facilities. Eddy has always remained leader.’
Today, Jef does not miss a minute of the race on television. ‘Every channel I skim to see as much of the races as possible anyway. My cousin Jan De Bie provides me with all the info about the course and I cut the results from the newspaper to add them to my race folder. Of course, I now also have more time for my wife, daughter and three grandchildren. My grandson Brent might have had my talent, they always say hereditary traits skip a generation. He is now working within the notarial profession and is doing a great job.’
Over a speculaas and a cup of coffee, Jef put down his life story. ‘Men, you cannot imagine all the things I have experienced with these cycling friends,’ he grins. ‘And those are just the stories I get to tell here. And that bike has been through it all huh.’ There is no rust on Jef's stories yet, nor on the oldest Eddy Merckx alive. Cycling poetry chiselled into the steel of the greatest of all.
