Originally posted by oneradtec
Isn't Lemond part of the Trek empire now...if that i so, I wouldn't expect to see Trek put the Lemond frames in the pro peloton above the Trek OCLV carbon frames. There's a ton of competition to get your bikes under a team that rides the Tour de France...because now only the very top elite teams get in these days(aside from a few french teams)...which means that you have to pay up to get a team like T-Mobile to ride your new Giant TCR framesets....or perhaps U.S. Postal to ride the Trek 5900 or Madone. Don't think that Lance rides a Trek because he loves the bike above all others. I am a big fan of Juan Miguel Mercado....and for the last few years he rode Pinarello's for Banesto. Now he's with Quick Step-Davitamon and I think they rid Eddy Merckx bikes???? Anyway...he wasn't able to bring his beloved Pinarello with him. It's a money game these days. Lemond bikes made it into the peloton in the early 90's for only one reason..Lemond himself rode for the team...and perhaps that was part of his contract agreement. Obviously he was thinking ahead to life after cycling by developing a 'branded' bicycle company...just as Hincapie is doing today with his cycle clothing line. Lemond later sold all rights to Trek just as Rolf did with his wheel sets...now called Bontrager.
