7-11, Motorola, La Vie Claire
12-08-09, 08:12 AM
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7-11, Motorola, La Vie Claire
I am looking for some opinions and insight.
Why is it that 7-11 & Motorola team replica bikes/ frames have such a huge following yet the La Vie Claire Hinault Look bikes/frames seem to generate almost no interest at all?
Why is it that 7-11 & Motorola team replica bikes/ frames have such a huge following yet the La Vie Claire Hinault Look bikes/frames seem to generate almost no interest at all?
12-08-09, 08:39 AM
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I'll go out on a limb here and venture to say that the 7-11/Motorola team bikes are more popular in the States than the La Vie Clair due to
the simple fact that 7-11 was the first US team to ride the grand tours. Yes there were US riders in the pro circuit before 7-11 but they were
riding for European teams.
One of the big factors in collecting is buying bikes we lusted after when we were younger. I would imagine that lots of US kids and young adults
wanted 7-11 bikes due to the write ups in magazines such as Bicycling and Bicycle Guide and Grand Tour coverage.
Marty
the simple fact that 7-11 was the first US team to ride the grand tours. Yes there were US riders in the pro circuit before 7-11 but they were
riding for European teams.
One of the big factors in collecting is buying bikes we lusted after when we were younger. I would imagine that lots of US kids and young adults
wanted 7-11 bikes due to the write ups in magazines such as Bicycling and Bicycle Guide and Grand Tour coverage.
Marty
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12-08-09, 08:47 AM
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Lotek perfectly summarized it for me. I loved the American riders and was so engrossed when we had a team of cyclists in the Americas that were actually competitive. 7-11 and Motorola were the team of Lance! For me it's pure nationalism...I'm going to root for American riders over French ones every time. I'm going to root for a team with a 7-11 logo over one with a French name every time.
Don't get me wrong...if I ever get a shot at getting a team issued Look frame, I'll jump on it! There's something extremely cool about team issued bikes.
Don't get me wrong...if I ever get a shot at getting a team issued Look frame, I'll jump on it! There's something extremely cool about team issued bikes.
12-08-09, 08:55 AM
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Slight correction. Lance rode for Motorola but not for 7-11.
https://www.cyclingwebsite.net/coureu...?coureurid=300
https://www.cyclingwebsite.net/coureu...?coureurid=300
12-08-09, 09:06 AM
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What about that guy named Greg Lemond who won the TDF riding for LVC? Hampsten & Bauer also started their european careers on the LVC team.
12-08-09, 09:08 AM
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Those riders captured the American public eye, but not their team or their team bikes.
12-08-09, 09:09 AM
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For me, they were Americans on a French team. It was so much cooler seeing Americans on an American team with bikes that had American sponsors. It's pure nationalism. Lemond also always struck me as being so whiney.
12-08-09, 09:12 AM
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I would agree mostly with the relative popularity argument, however LVC doesn't seem to have a huge following outside of the states either. The fact is there are very few team issue bikes that have transcended beyond the small pockets of enthusiasts to achieve icon status. Molteni, 7-Eleven and Motorola are more exceptions than norm. I personally think the Look 753 in the Mondrian scheme is one of the coolest bikes ever, but the reality of the market is that I am but a sliver. It'll be interesting to see whether a USPS-issued Trek 5900 OCLV or Discovery Madone will ever gain that sort of status (if the recent auction of Lance's custom painted bikes from last year's tour are any indication, the answer is a resounding yes).
