A century on the road.
How a century-old brand, born in a workshop in Saint-Étienne, is returning to the road.
60 Gutenberg Street.
It was at 60 Rue Gutenberg in Saint-Étienne, the cradle of the French industrial revolution, that Établissements Mercier was founded in 1919.
Founded by Émile and his brothers Marcel and Constant, the company began by producing bottom bracket spindles and cups. By 1924, Émile Mercier, the first of his name, expanded the business to include frames, and then the assembly of complete bicycles at the turn of the 1930s.
From the workshop to the peloton.
Scroll through a century of history, from the foundation to the present day.
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1919Saint-Étienne
Birth
Émile Mercier and his brothers founded the bicycle factory.
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1924The workshop
The first executives
The business expanded to frames, and then to complete cycles at the turn of the 1930s.
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1933Competition
Mercier in the professional ranks
To make itself known to the public, the manufacturer is setting up a professional team.
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1955Violet
A jersey that stands out
Mercier riders adopt the purple jersey, recognizable at a glance in the peloton.
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1956Paris-Roubaix
Bobet in Roubaix
Louison Bobet wins the sprint in the Hell of the North and enters into legend.
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1961Milan-San Remo
Birth of a legend
Over the 298 kilometers of the classic, a young rider wins: Raymond Poulidor.
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1964Tour de France
Anquetil, Poulidor
Their rivalry divides France. The 20th stage of the 1964 Tour becomes their final arbiter.
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1975The pinnacle
150,000 bicycles
The factory is reaching record production, with bicycles largely equipped with parts from Saint-Étienne and Italy.
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1984End of an era
The latest seasons
The team left the peloton in 1984. Facing American and Asian competition, the manufacturer closed its doors at the end of the decade.
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2019The renewal
One hundred years later
Émile Mercier, the second of his name, is reviving the crown brand with a cycling collection.
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TodayThe road goes on
A full range
For men and women, in any season. Mercier is a partner of the Megève Mont-Blanc race.
The roads of France, for decades.
Leveraging modern manufacturing processes and a commitment to quality at a reasonable price, the manufacturer is enjoying significant commercial success.
Mercier bicycles traverse the roads of France, in cities, in the countryside, and within the pelotons. The company reached its peak in 1975, with 150,000 bicycles produced.
During the 1980s, faced with rising American and Asian competition, the bicycle industry declined in France, and the factory closed its doors at the end of the decade.
The sleeping beauty is waking up.
One hundred years after the brand was born, Émile Mercier, the second of his name, son and nephew of the founders, has awakened the crowned brand.
He is relaunching it with a collection dedicated to road cycling, faithful to the house's hallmarks: violet, the crown, and the tricolor stripes. The heritage becomes an anchor, turned toward the roads ahead.
