Thanks Curt, you said it better than I was able to. The point? Do not underestimate the power or the marketplace. Richard Rose (Toledo, Ohio)
> Chuck,
> I'm not quite sure it's that simple. Sure Lance or any other four time
Tour
> winner rides whatever he wants but for the most part, the pros ride what
> they are given. You are correct in that they probably want the latest
> greatest but most ride what the sponsor hands them. Sponsors hand them
> bikes that they want to sell in the marketplace. I think they call that
> advertising. Andy Hampsten's last year as a pro, Banesto handed him a 22#
> steel road bike. He rode it because they paid him to. I completely agree
> that the days of lugged steel frames are essentially gone from the pro
> peleton but I don't believe the agent of change was the riders. It was
the
> manufacturers of the bicycles that created the change. There's nothing
> sinister about it, just capitalism.
>
> Curt Goodrich Bicycles
> 607 NE 22nd Ave.
> Minneapolis, MN 55418
> 612.788.6812
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Chuck Schmidt" <chuckschmidt@earthlink.net>
> To: <Classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
> Sent: Saturday, November 30, 2002 11:41 AM
> Subject: Re: [CR]NOW: this horse is different:was:This horse is dead
>
>
> > Richard Rose wrote:
> > >
> > > Chuck,
> > > What I meant, and what I thought e-richie meant was that this has
> nothing to
> > > do with what the pro's "want" to ride. What I mean is that Lance may
> care
> > > about grams, but he would still have won the last 4 tours on a
slightly
> > > heavier bike. I understand they do not want to ride lugged steel
bikes,
> but
> > > that does not mean they could not still use them & win.
> > > Richard Rose (Toledo, Ohio)
> > > P.S. I think this horse is slightly different
> >
> > In a game of what-if I guess maybe Lance could have won on my 1955
> > Gillott road with the Fleur de Lys lugs. The possibilities are endless.
> >
> > The point is that the lugged steel frame is extinct in the pro peloton.
> > And it has nothing to do with "marketing."
> >
> > "Here Lance, ride this, it is slightly heavier... but it looks beautiful
> > in the sunlight doesn't it?"
> >
> > Chuck "different horses for different courses" Schmidt
> > SoPas, SoCal
> >
> >
> > .
> > _______________________________________________
> >
>
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