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verktyg

In the Pulsus a mortuus equus (beating a dead horse) category, one of the French members of the CR List (Classic Rendezvous List) inquired about who built some bikes ridden by Hinault and LeMond in the 1985 Coors Classic.

Nicolas, here's a chance to shine once again... Wink

http://www.flickr.com/photos/encouragement/185342090/

Here's 4 more pictures of the Dynamic Duo in the same race:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/encouragement/sets/72157594210626999/

I know that we kicked this subject to death last year and several of our "in house" experts provided us with some private insights so maybe we can reopen the case of who built what! Laughing

Alex March from Bordeaux, FR inquired:

"Does anyone know who made these Hinault bikes? Did Greg Lemond ride an identical bike (I've seen pictures of the Coors Classic where Hinault was riding one of these, Lemond was on a Huffy : http://www.flickr.com/photos/encouragement/185342090/)? Were they commercialised at the time, or was the Hinault bike reserved to the team, creating an image Hinault could then use when he set up his own commercial brand? What was the arrangement with the sponsor, La Vie Claire?"

This is the Hinault bike on eBay that got the inquiry started:

http://tinyurl.com/29et5a5

Some CR "expert" already chimed in:

"The Look frames from 84 small triangles and 85 large triangles were made by the Legune bros. to Bearnard's geometry I was told this by the US importers Road Gear..."

Did he mean Lejeune?

Now the expert speculation begins over there...

There are those that believe in the sanctitude of well know European trade names... and I can offer you your choice of at least 5 different bridges in the SF Bay Area!

Greg LeMond rode this brand bike and George Washington slept here too!

lofter

i believe nicolas interviewed hinault and he said they were made by motobecane. they did make them availible to the public as i was going to buy one over in french ebayland and have it shipped back.

lofter

the look frames were actually made by look

verktyg

The bikes pictured in the first first link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/encouragement/185342090/

Lemond is on a "Huffy" and Hinault is on a Hinault?

Now the prognostications begin:

"Also, the Huffys ridden by lemond and the 7-11 guys weren't made by huffy at all. They were made by Ben Serotta."

"Were those "Huffies" built by Tom Kellogg? I know he did some for the Olympic Team, perhaps in '76."

"Greg LeMond's "Huffy" was built by Roland Della Santa, though Serotta also built several 7-11 team bikes."

As I said, "George Washington slept here" Laughing

sandranian · Site Admin

I'll bet Lemond's "Huffy" was built by Motobecane (same builder as the "Hinault"), but was badged differently.

I guess perhaps the producer of the "stickers" is the real question? Wink

lofter

yup , i think ur right sandman

Wisey

verktyg · Last edited by verktyg on Thu Aug 05, 2010 10:36 am; edited 1 time in total

sandranian · Site Admin

Lemond's Gitane's were made by Gitane, in Machecoul. No doubt about it.

verktyg

Wisey

By the time of Team Z and Gan, all the bikes had to be outsourced as those teams rod Greg LeMond frames before that company began any manufacture of its own. As I remember it, the early carbon frames were by TVT. The story goes that Greg wanted only the best that was available (my guess is that he wanted the weight of the carbon, but needed something with a little more rigidity) and he contracted a small Brit company that was building custom carbon bikes. These were the all black lugged carbon frames with the flared webbing on the inside surfaces of the lugs. The company went on to be Calfee Design.