i love my Trek. that i bought 16 years ago. so when i decided last year to buy a road bike, did i buy a Trek? nope, i purchased a Bianchi. Taiwan-welded steel, baby! dare to be different!

i love riding the Trek, though - toodling on bike paths and around town, i get "isn't that what Lance rides?" questions from the uninitiated walkers and folks on cruisers. sure, it's exactly what Lance rides.

and that, i think, is what makes Trek such a target. it's the only brand recogniseable to the uneducated proles that clog our riding space, which pisses off those of us who are so much better than them because we're real cyclists.

it would be nice if, instead of bashing the brand, more cyclists used the brand as a touchstone to spread awareness of the sport. sure, they aren't perfect bikes and are often overpriced - but what industry doesn't have one or more companies that fill that niche?