Anybody see this?? Apparently Lance Armstrong has done wonders for Trek
Bikes.
http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050720/APS/507201045
Mountain Bikes · Public discussion
Re: Lance Armstrong interview in Playboy from before the Tour
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- Lee Michaels
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"Lee Michaels" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Anybody see this?? Apparently Lance Armstrong has done wonders for
Trek Bikes.http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050720/APS/507201045
Not surprising. FWIW, I think they've always been a solid American bike
company. I don't own more one Trek out of a stable of a dozen or so
bikes here, and it's not a go-fast Lance-like bike, but I've had it
since before Lance was famous, bought it because it served my purpose,
and I still ride it. So far as I can tell, this is a happy story, good
things coming to good folks who work hard and also got lucky. -
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Lee Michaels" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Anybody see this?? Apparently Lance Armstrong has done wonders for Trek
Bikes.http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050720/APS/507201045
Not surprising. FWIW, I think they've always been a solid American bike
company. I don't own more one Trek out of a stable of a dozen or so bikes
here, and it's not a go-fast Lance-like bike, but I've had it since before
Lance was famous, bought it because it served my purpose, and I still ride
it. So far as I can tell, this is a happy story, good things coming to
good folks who work hard and also got lucky.I wish they were truer to their roots and offered a lugged steel bike
somewhere in their lineup, but they're a good company. I respect that the
OCLV bikes are made in the US, too.Quoted message said:
-
"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Lee Michaels" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Anybody see this?? Apparently Lance Armstrong has done wonders for
Trek Bikes.http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050720/APS/507201045
Not surprising. FWIW, I think they've always been a solid American
bike company. I don't own more one Trek out of a stable of a dozen
or so bikes here, and it's not a go-fast Lance-like bike, but I've
had it since before Lance was famous, bought it because it served my
purpose, and I still ride it. So far as I can tell, this is a happy
story, good things coming to good folks who work hard and also got
lucky.I wish they were truer to their roots and offered a lugged steel bike
somewhere in their lineup, but they're a good company. I respect that
the OCLV bikes are made in the US, too.There are plenty of folks who'll make you a lugged steel bike - Trek's
roots are as a successful, mainstream bike company, and lugged steel is
far from the mainstream these days.(There are still plenty of ways to get yourself a brand new, lugged
steel bike these days, of course. http://www.richardsachs.com comes to
mind. I own a couple of custom-built bicycles from
http://www.bilenky.com - mine are both fillet-brazed, a Bilenky
specialty, but they do beautiful lugged steel bicycles are well and cost
a good deal less than Richard Sachs. Glenn Erickson in Seattle, WA is
another fine choice, and there are many others as well, especially in
the UK, e.g., Mercian, etc.) -
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Lee Michaels" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> Anybody see this?? Apparently Lance Armstrong has done wonders for
> Trek Bikes.
>
> http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050720/APS/507201045Not surprising. FWIW, I think they've always been a solid American bike
company. I don't own more one Trek out of a stable of a dozen or so
bikes here, and it's not a go-fast Lance-like bike, but I've had it
since before Lance was famous, bought it because it served my purpose,
and I still ride it. So far as I can tell, this is a happy story, good
things coming to good folks who work hard and also got lucky.I wish they were truer to their roots and offered a lugged steel bike
somewhere in their lineup, but they're a good company. I respect that the
OCLV bikes are made in the US, too.There are plenty of folks who'll make you a lugged steel bike - Trek's
roots are as a successful, mainstream bike company, and lugged steel is
far from the mainstream these days.
Yes, but Trek started out making European-style silver brazed lugged steel
bikes. Those are their roots---two guys in a barn. -
"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> "Lee Michaels" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
> news:[email hidden]...
>> Anybody see this?? Apparently Lance Armstrong has done wonders
>> for Trek Bikes.
>>
>> http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050720/APS/507201045
>
> Not surprising. FWIW, I think they've always been a solid American
> bike company. I don't own more one Trek out of a stable of a dozen
> or so bikes here, and it's not a go-fast Lance-like bike, but I've
> had it since before Lance was famous, bought it because it served
> my purpose, and I still ride it. So far as I can tell, this is a
> happy story, good things coming to good folks who work hard and
> also got lucky.
>
> -S-
> http://www.kbnj.comI wish they were truer to their roots and offered a lugged steel
bike somewhere in their lineup, but they're a good company. I
respect that the OCLV bikes are made in the US, too.There are plenty of folks who'll make you a lugged steel bike -
Trek's roots are as a successful, mainstream bike company, and lugged
steel is far from the mainstream these days.
Yes, but Trek started out making European-style silver brazed lugged
steel bikes. Those are their roots---two guys in a barn.IMHO, you're missing the point. Some people set out to build a certain
kind of bicycle and that's what they always do, e.g., Richard Sachs.
Others "roots" are a desire to build bikes for a lot of people using the
latest techniques and materials. One is no less "roots" than the other.
What you're talking about is just a reflection of what was available in
1976, when lugged steel was the state of the art - what they're building
now is still the state of the art, and I'd call their roots something
like "making the state of the art in bicycles available to a mass
market." Richard Sachs, Stephen Bilenky, Glenn Erickson, etc., have no
interest in a mass market.So much idle speculation on my part - I wasn't there with the two guys
in a barn in 1976. But that's my take on it. -
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
>
> "Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
> news:[email hidden]...
>> "Lee Michaels" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
>> news:[email hidden]...
>>> Anybody see this?? Apparently Lance Armstrong has done wonders for
>>> Trek Bikes.
>>>
>>> http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050720/APS/507201045
>>
>> Not surprising. FWIW, I think they've always been a solid American
>> bike company. I don't own more one Trek out of a stable of a dozen or
>> so bikes here, and it's not a go-fast Lance-like bike, but I've had it
>> since before Lance was famous, bought it because it served my purpose,
>> and I still ride it. So far as I can tell, this is a happy story,
>> good things coming to good folks who work hard and also got lucky.
>>
>> -S-
>> http://www.kbnj.com
>
> I wish they were truer to their roots and offered a lugged steel bike
> somewhere in their lineup, but they're a good company. I respect that
> the OCLV bikes are made in the US, too.There are plenty of folks who'll make you a lugged steel bike - Trek's
roots are as a successful, mainstream bike company, and lugged steel is
far from the mainstream these days.
Yes, but Trek started out making European-style silver brazed lugged
steel bikes. Those are their roots---two guys in a barn.IMHO, you're missing the point. Some people set out to build a certain
kind of bicycle and that's what they always do, e.g., Richard Sachs.
Others "roots" are a desire to build bikes for a lot of people using the
latest techniques and materials. One is no less "roots" than the other.
What you're talking about is just a reflection of what was available in
1976, when lugged steel was the state of the art - what they're building
now is still the state of the art, and I'd call their roots something like
"making the state of the art in bicycles available to a mass market."
Richard Sachs, Stephen Bilenky, Glenn Erickson, etc., have no interest in
a mass market.So much idle speculation on my part - I wasn't there with the two guys in
a barn in 1976. But that's my take on it.
I understood your point, but I feel Trek has given up a measure of
craftsmanship since they've gotten bigger. They have exactly ONE steel bike
in their Trek lineup---the Trek 520, which has gone from being the
prototypical touring bike to being practically inappopriate for that very
task. They could still produce a line of boutique lugged steel. Trek is very
aware of what's going on in the world of bicycles. If you want proof of
that, witness their new line of "comfort" road bikes. These bikes are
designed to get the bars up to a more comfortable level, and have rack and
fender eyelets. Hmm, that sounds suspiciously like the Rivendell/iBob
philosophy. I would not be surprised at all to see at least a TIG'd steel
line emerge from Trek. I suppose they have that covered with LeMond's line,
but still... -
"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> "Gooserider" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
> news:[email hidden]...
>>
>> "Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
>> news:[email hidden]...
>>> "Lee Michaels" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
>>> news:[email hidden]...
>>>> Anybody see this?? Apparently Lance Armstrong has done wonders
>>>> for Trek Bikes.
>>>>
>>>> http://www.gainesville.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050720/APS/507201045
>>>
>>> Not surprising. FWIW, I think they've always been a solid
>>> American bike company. I don't own more one Trek out of a stable
>>> of a dozen or so bikes here, and it's not a go-fast Lance-like
>>> bike, but I've had it since before Lance was famous, bought it
>>> because it served my purpose, and I still ride it. So far as I
>>> can tell, this is a happy story, good things coming to good folks
>>> who work hard and also got lucky.
>>>
>>> -S-
>>> http://www.kbnj.com
>>
>> I wish they were truer to their roots and offered a lugged steel
>> bike somewhere in their lineup, but they're a good company. I
>> respect that the OCLV bikes are made in the US, too.
>
> There are plenty of folks who'll make you a lugged steel bike -
> Trek's roots are as a successful, mainstream bike company, and
> lugged steel is far from the mainstream these days.
>
Yes, but Trek started out making European-style silver brazed lugged
steel bikes. Those are their roots---two guys in a barn.IMHO, you're missing the point. Some people set out to build a
certain kind of bicycle and that's what they always do, e.g., Richard
Sachs. Others "roots" are a desire to build bikes for a lot of people
using the latest techniques and materials. One is no less "roots"
than the other. What you're talking about is just a reflection of
what was available in 1976, when lugged steel was the state of the
art - what they're building now is still the state of the art, and
I'd call their roots something like "making the state of the art in
bicycles available to a mass market." Richard Sachs, Stephen Bilenky,
Glenn Erickson, etc., have no interest in a mass market.So much idle speculation on my part - I wasn't there with the two
guys in a barn in 1976. But that's my take on it.
I understood your point, but I feel Trek has given up a measure of
craftsmanship since they've gotten bigger. They have exactly ONE steel
bike in their Trek lineup---the Trek 520, which has gone from being
the prototypical touring bike to being practically inappopriate for
that very task. They could still produce a line of boutique lugged
steel. Trek is very aware of what's going on in the world of bicycles.
If you want proof of that, witness their new line of "comfort" road
bikes. These bikes are designed to get the bars up to a more
comfortable level, and have rack and fender eyelets. Hmm, that sounds
suspiciously like the Rivendell/iBob philosophy. I would not be
surprised at all to see at least a TIG'd steel line emerge from Trek.
I suppose they have that covered with LeMond's line, but still...Perhaps I'm missing your point. This is all about marketing as I see
it, not loyalty to lugged steel. Large companies of any sort can't
afford that sort of loyalty, while small specialty outfits sometimes
can. The choice would be between Trek as it now is or a much smaller
company - look at how big Riv is and how much financial difficulty they
face. (I used to get the Riv Reader but don't any more, and also used
to be on the iBOB list.)Whether you want to call it loyalty to lugged steel or "craftsmanship",
I think we're talking about the same thing. There ain't no such thing
as a free lunch, and no one is going to run a big bike business selling
lugged steel when the alternatives sell much better (and why the
alternatives sell better isn't the point, IMHO).In all this, I'm coming from the point of view of a businessman - I own
a business, and I do what my customers are willing to pay for, what I
think they ought to want to pay for.Just my opinion.
-S-
-
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Perhaps I'm missing your point. This is all about marketing as I see it,
not loyalty to lugged steel. Large companies of any sort can't afford
that sort of loyalty, while small specialty outfits sometimes can. The
choice would be between Trek as it now is or a much smaller company - look
at how big Riv is and how much financial difficulty they face. (I used to
get the Riv Reader but don't any more, and also used to be on the iBOB
list.)Whether you want to call it loyalty to lugged steel or "craftsmanship", I
think we're talking about the same thing. There ain't no such thing as a
free lunch, and no one is going to run a big bike business selling lugged
steel when the alternatives sell much better (and why the alternatives
sell better isn't the point, IMHO).In all this, I'm coming from the point of view of a businessman - I own a
business, and I do what my customers are willing to pay for, what I think
they ought to want to pay for.Just my opinion.
I understand. It is nice to see the "comfort road bike" phenomenon starting
to take hold. Functional bikes will sell, regardless of the frame material.
Steel sells, albeit TIG welded steel. I've seen lots of my riding friends
transition from aluminum racers to steel "sport" bikes in search of comfort.
Hopefully Trek dealers will push potential "Lance bike" purchasers(40
something yuppie dentists and such) into the Pilot series, something
comfortable they'll actually ride. :-) -
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Perhaps I'm missing your point. This is all about marketing as I see it,
not loyalty to lugged steel. Large companies of any sort can't afford
that sort of loyalty, while small specialty outfits sometimes can. The
choice would be between Trek as it now is or a much smaller company - look
at how big Riv is and how much financial difficulty they face. (I used to
get the Riv Reader but don't any more, and also used to be on the iBOB
list.)Whether you want to call it loyalty to lugged steel or "craftsmanship", I
think we're talking about the same thing. There ain't no such thing as a
free lunch, and no one is going to run a big bike business selling lugged
steel when the alternatives sell much better (and why the alternatives
sell better isn't the point, IMHO).In all this, I'm coming from the point of view of a businessman - I own a
business, and I do what my customers are willing to pay for, what I think
they ought to want to pay for.Just my opinion.
I understand. It is nice to see the "comfort road bike" phenomenon starting
to take hold. Functional bikes will sell, regardless of the frame material.
Steel sells, albeit TIG welded steel. I've seen lots of my riding friends
transition from aluminum racers to steel "sport" bikes in search of comfort.
Hopefully Trek dealers will push potential "Lance bike" purchasers(40
something yuppie dentists and such) into the Pilot series, something
comfortable they'll actually ride. :-) -
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Perhaps I'm missing your point. This is all about marketing as I see it,
not loyalty to lugged steel. Large companies of any sort can't afford
that sort of loyalty, while small specialty outfits sometimes can. The
choice would be between Trek as it now is or a much smaller company - look
at how big Riv is and how much financial difficulty they face. (I used to
get the Riv Reader but don't any more, and also used to be on the iBOB
list.)Whether you want to call it loyalty to lugged steel or "craftsmanship", I
think we're talking about the same thing. There ain't no such thing as a
free lunch, and no one is going to run a big bike business selling lugged
steel when the alternatives sell much better (and why the alternatives
sell better isn't the point, IMHO).In all this, I'm coming from the point of view of a businessman - I own a
business, and I do what my customers are willing to pay for, what I think
they ought to want to pay for.Just my opinion.
I understand. It is nice to see the "comfort road bike" phenomenon starting
to take hold. Functional bikes will sell, regardless of the frame material.
Steel sells, albeit TIG welded steel. I've seen lots of my riding friends
transition from aluminum racers to steel "sport" bikes in search of comfort.
Hopefully Trek dealers will push potential "Lance bike" purchasers(40
something yuppie dentists and such) into the Pilot series, something
comfortable they'll actually ride. :-) -
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Perhaps I'm missing your point. This is all about marketing as I see it,
not loyalty to lugged steel. Large companies of any sort can't afford
that sort of loyalty, while small specialty outfits sometimes can. The
choice would be between Trek as it now is or a much smaller company - look
at how big Riv is and how much financial difficulty they face. (I used to
get the Riv Reader but don't any more, and also used to be on the iBOB
list.)Whether you want to call it loyalty to lugged steel or "craftsmanship", I
think we're talking about the same thing. There ain't no such thing as a
free lunch, and no one is going to run a big bike business selling lugged
steel when the alternatives sell much better (and why the alternatives
sell better isn't the point, IMHO).In all this, I'm coming from the point of view of a businessman - I own a
business, and I do what my customers are willing to pay for, what I think
they ought to want to pay for.Just my opinion.
I understand. It is nice to see the "comfort road bike" phenomenon starting
to take hold. Functional bikes will sell, regardless of the frame material.
Steel sells, albeit TIG welded steel. I've seen lots of my riding friends
transition from aluminum racers to steel "sport" bikes in search of comfort.
Hopefully Trek dealers will push potential "Lance bike" purchasers(40
something yuppie dentists and such) into the Pilot series, something
comfortable they'll actually ride. :-) -
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Perhaps I'm missing your point. This is all about marketing as I see it,
not loyalty to lugged steel. Large companies of any sort can't afford
that sort of loyalty, while small specialty outfits sometimes can. The
choice would be between Trek as it now is or a much smaller company - look
at how big Riv is and how much financial difficulty they face. (I used to
get the Riv Reader but don't any more, and also used to be on the iBOB
list.)Whether you want to call it loyalty to lugged steel or "craftsmanship", I
think we're talking about the same thing. There ain't no such thing as a
free lunch, and no one is going to run a big bike business selling lugged
steel when the alternatives sell much better (and why the alternatives
sell better isn't the point, IMHO).In all this, I'm coming from the point of view of a businessman - I own a
business, and I do what my customers are willing to pay for, what I think
they ought to want to pay for.Just my opinion.
I understand. It is nice to see the "comfort road bike" phenomenon starting
to take hold. Functional bikes will sell, regardless of the frame material.
Steel sells, albeit TIG welded steel. I've seen lots of my riding friends
transition from aluminum racers to steel "sport" bikes in search of comfort.
Hopefully Trek dealers will push potential "Lance bike" purchasers(40
something yuppie dentists and such) into the Pilot series, something
comfortable they'll actually ride. :-) -
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Perhaps I'm missing your point. This is all about marketing as I see it,
not loyalty to lugged steel. Large companies of any sort can't afford
that sort of loyalty, while small specialty outfits sometimes can. The
choice would be between Trek as it now is or a much smaller company - look
at how big Riv is and how much financial difficulty they face. (I used to
get the Riv Reader but don't any more, and also used to be on the iBOB
list.)Whether you want to call it loyalty to lugged steel or "craftsmanship", I
think we're talking about the same thing. There ain't no such thing as a
free lunch, and no one is going to run a big bike business selling lugged
steel when the alternatives sell much better (and why the alternatives
sell better isn't the point, IMHO).In all this, I'm coming from the point of view of a businessman - I own a
business, and I do what my customers are willing to pay for, what I think
they ought to want to pay for.Just my opinion.
I understand. It is nice to see the "comfort road bike" phenomenon starting
to take hold. Functional bikes will sell, regardless of the frame material.
Steel sells, albeit TIG welded steel. I've seen lots of my riding friends
transition from aluminum racers to steel "sport" bikes in search of comfort.
Hopefully Trek dealers will push potential "Lance bike" purchasers(40
something yuppie dentists and such) into the Pilot series, something
comfortable they'll actually ride. :-) -
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Perhaps I'm missing your point. This is all about marketing as I see it,
not loyalty to lugged steel. Large companies of any sort can't afford
that sort of loyalty, while small specialty outfits sometimes can. The
choice would be between Trek as it now is or a much smaller company - look
at how big Riv is and how much financial difficulty they face. (I used to
get the Riv Reader but don't any more, and also used to be on the iBOB
list.)Whether you want to call it loyalty to lugged steel or "craftsmanship", I
think we're talking about the same thing. There ain't no such thing as a
free lunch, and no one is going to run a big bike business selling lugged
steel when the alternatives sell much better (and why the alternatives
sell better isn't the point, IMHO).In all this, I'm coming from the point of view of a businessman - I own a
business, and I do what my customers are willing to pay for, what I think
they ought to want to pay for.Just my opinion.
I understand. It is nice to see the "comfort road bike" phenomenon starting
to take hold. Functional bikes will sell, regardless of the frame material.
Steel sells, albeit TIG welded steel. I've seen lots of my riding friends
transition from aluminum racers to steel "sport" bikes in search of comfort.
Hopefully Trek dealers will push potential "Lance bike" purchasers(40
something yuppie dentists and such) into the Pilot series, something
comfortable they'll actually ride. :-) -
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Perhaps I'm missing your point. This is all about marketing as I see it,
not loyalty to lugged steel. Large companies of any sort can't afford
that sort of loyalty, while small specialty outfits sometimes can. The
choice would be between Trek as it now is or a much smaller company - look
at how big Riv is and how much financial difficulty they face. (I used to
get the Riv Reader but don't any more, and also used to be on the iBOB
list.)Whether you want to call it loyalty to lugged steel or "craftsmanship", I
think we're talking about the same thing. There ain't no such thing as a
free lunch, and no one is going to run a big bike business selling lugged
steel when the alternatives sell much better (and why the alternatives
sell better isn't the point, IMHO).In all this, I'm coming from the point of view of a businessman - I own a
business, and I do what my customers are willing to pay for, what I think
they ought to want to pay for.Just my opinion.
I understand. It is nice to see the "comfort road bike" phenomenon starting
to take hold. Functional bikes will sell, regardless of the frame material.
Steel sells, albeit TIG welded steel. I've seen lots of my riding friends
transition from aluminum racers to steel "sport" bikes in search of comfort.
Hopefully Trek dealers will push potential "Lance bike" purchasers(40
something yuppie dentists and such) into the Pilot series, something
comfortable they'll actually ride. :-) -
"Steve Freides" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...Quoted message said:
Perhaps I'm missing your point. This is all about marketing as I see it,
not loyalty to lugged steel. Large companies of any sort can't afford
that sort of loyalty, while small specialty outfits sometimes can. The
choice would be between Trek as it now is or a much smaller company - look
at how big Riv is and how much financial difficulty they face. (I used to
get the Riv Reader but don't any more, and also used to be on the iBOB
list.)Whether you want to call it loyalty to lugged steel or "craftsmanship", I
think we're talking about the same thing. There ain't no such thing as a
free lunch, and no one is going to run a big bike business selling lugged
steel when the alternatives sell much better (and why the alternatives
sell better isn't the point, IMHO).In all this, I'm coming from the point of view of a businessman - I own a
business, and I do what my customers are willing to pay for, what I think
they ought to want to pay for.Just my opinion.
I understand. It is nice to see the "comfort road bike" phenomenon starting
to take hold. Functional bikes will sell, regardless of the frame material.
Steel sells, albeit TIG welded steel. I've seen lots of my riding friends
transition from aluminum racers to steel "sport" bikes in search of comfort.
Hopefully Trek dealers will push potential "Lance bike" purchasers(40
something yuppie dentists and such) into the Pilot series, something
comfortable they'll actually ride. :-)
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