“Ah, I know this bike!” And so he should’ve. It had carried him to one of his victories in Paris-Roubaix, plus a host of other wins and podiums in major races. Of course I had to let him ride it, but somehow and for reasons unknown I failed to get photographic evidence. I mean, what a fool, it’s not every day that Johan Museeuw takes your bike for a spin.

The Team SC doesn’t garner too many ‘greatest bikes ever’ accolades, yet in the early 2000s it was a prolific race winner in the colours of Domo-Farm Frites and Lotto-Davitamon. It was a bike made for the Classics, yet also won atop Mont Ventoux in the Tour as well as commanding the cobbles (three Roubaixs and a Ronde among others). I’d always liked the look of the bike but had never thought about owning one at all. It was like the bike found me, even though I searched for it and turned up a frame in Queensland.

I had made a vow to give up soul-less carbon bikes and had been riding my classic Kiwi steel Bosomworth frame kitted out in Campagnolo 11 speed. But I wanted something lighter for the climbs, and was now firmly keeping my feet in the ferrous camp, leaving few modern-day choices that I could actually afford. I’d seen some beautiful neo-retro builds online, with a stunning Klein Quantum getting me revved up for a similar project. Then someone suggested the Merckx, just like the one Museeuw used to ride. That was all I needed and the search was on.

Straight away the search was pretty much over, as I spotted this frame online and started a back-and-forth with the owner in Brisbane. He’d had the frame for about seven years, and it had spent most of the time hanging on a wall. 800 bucks and a bit of faffing around with Customs and it was in my sweaty palms, ready for the organ donation from the Bozzy. One small problem, the bike wasn’t the 56cm frame I was told I was getting, but in fact sported a 55 top tube. Nothing a 130mm stem wouldn’t fix.

With the Chorus swapped over, the finishing kit sorted, all I needed was to shod the Ambrosio clinchers I had Oli build up with some Roubaix-esque Vittoria Pavé CG tyres, the ones with the green stripe. Unfortunately they are no longer in existence and mine wore out a long time ago, so all-black Pavés in 27mm width do the job. I swap wheels between the Ambrosios and these Mavic Open Pros, which are a bit gruntier for the rougher roads and gravel that this bike gets mainly used for now that it resides in my parents’ shed, a result of too many bikes and not enough storage.

In 2012 I returned the bike to its motherland of Belgium, where it was made and where it made its name on the biggest stage. And I can confirm its pavé pedigree; it just seemed to know it was home, back on the terrain from which it was borne. Barreling along the Arenberg trench on a Roubaix-winning bike behind a Roubaix-winning rider may be the closest I’ll ever get to Pro.

This bike holds a special charm, even if it’s now my number two. It still rides like a dream, stiff, fairly light, and with geometry that just feels comfortable, like your favourite pants every time you slip them on. And I’ll be slipping onto the Team SC for a long, long time yet.