they need to bring back these paint jobs

Custom builders are a super-small portion of the market. He's got to differentiate himself with something other than paint. At least maybe he can get a chunk of a small pie, instead of crumbs of a big pie.

_________________
http://djconnel.blogspot.com/
Fuji SL/1
Send your data to Weight Weenie listings!

Yeah you did http://www.condorcycles.com/latest-blog ... rs-on.html

_________________
"Step forward the climber and all those who worship at the altar of lightness" - R. Millar

Brilliant Euan, made me chuckle then

yep, there hasn't been. just like not that long ago (a year? few months?) no one would even doubt the integrity of 'past champs' (like Merckx, Indurain, Fignon etc). and now people talk and media write openly about the whole generations of athletes (not just cyclists..) using doping. how long will it take to establish a public image of proffesional sport as a huge pharmacy with guinea pigs riding bikes, playing ball etc.? i just fail to see how's that atmosphere 'marketable', especially with a guy whose all colleagues he rode with are mentioned here and there as..hmm likealy to have doped. i just wouldn't bet my money on Greg being clean during his days of glory. would you?

technical aspects of his venture aside, i say he may have a huge marketing problem one day

I'm confused by your argument. It's disgusting he's trying to exploit his renewed popularity because there's a chance he may become the subject of a doping scandal? Presumably LeMond has a good estimate of that likelihood. Nobody's shutting down the Merckx brand, and he's a documented doper. I think it's clear Armstrong took things to a special level: not just doping, which he did, but lying, bribing, and bullying. That's what gets people mad.

Maybe LeMond took a shot of happy juice when he was down at some point. But it's not black&white.

_________________
http://djconnel.blogspot.com/
Fuji SL/1
Send your data to Weight Weenie listings!

You've to be drinking something to think the TDF could be ever won in the manner that it has always been won without doping. LA could have gotten away with it, except he screwed over and destroyed lives, he did it without regard to his peers. Others doped silently and probably among themselves acknowledged complicity.

But I think this thread is about whether a Lemond bike brand could be successful, isn't it!

As of now, Lemond is the only American TdF winner, and that includes all of the Americas. At one time, there were as many as 3 American TdF champions, but no longer. That puts Lemond in special and exalted territory in the United States - at least among old geezers who remember when he was racing. Come on back with those laid back STAs.

DJ, i'm disguisted because he clearly aims to profit from his anti-doping actions while, as the body count increases, it's getting clear he must've been on something as well

IMO you can't compare Lemond with Merckx, Museuuw or Ullrich regarding bike biz. the latter were never as involved as Greg is, so if one day he is to officially share the 'doper' label with them (which i believe is a question of time) things will get a little more rough for him and his company

so, can his businness be successfull? in the long term he will either be forgoten/ignored or found guilty. besides, as i said, his name is already associated with doping rather than success, or whatever 'champ' qualities - an image far from positive. Ullrich doped but who didn't fall for the guy who tried so hard to beat the machine. Museuuw did too, but his riding earned him probably some sort of national hero status in Belgium. every pro who switched to bike biz is remembered for his time on not off the bike. does Lemond have 'fans' like Cipo* does? only market segment that seems to fit is TT bikes, built in some fancy way to... cheat... the rules.. like Lemond did... uhmmm... so no, i don't believe it can.

*his current status is 'clean' of course

@tymon_tm All pro riders who do the big tours are climbers and are dopers in one way or another Wiggins and Cadel et al. Pro riders are in it to make money and gain fame. No need to put anyone on a pedestal, they're all the same!

yeah, but some you like, some you don't. some just retire and switch career, some need the world to hear what they think about how corrupted the sport is, but not me, no sir.

BTW, i recall getting a second-hand alu Lemond winter bike like 10 years ago. didn't like it, it was ugly and awful and i exchanged it happily for some camera.. maybe because the frame was too big and had like million kms on it, but i still blame the brand

wow, you just hit the Businness Strategy Jackpot. seriously, i always wondered why isn't there a brand for.... un-sporty people. fat, lazy, or just old. all the bikes are so sporty and sharp, light and aero. most people don't need that. why can't someone built a bike designed to enjoy fresh air, and help cherish the fact you fit in the spandex outfit without getting a heart attack. Lemond could try this.. might even work out for him

The last couple years of Lemond bikes were quite nice in the R3 vein. The Trek engineers seemed to be happy wiht them at the time, and the bikes appear to have inspired the most recent Treks.
Now if you put a Z-era paint job on that bike, it'd be bad ass.


See review at Pez:
http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/?pg=fullstory&id=4096

List of bike brands destroyed by Trek:

- Klein.
- Gary Fisher.
- Lemond.

I wonder which one is next. Having said this, every time I see a Trek owner I identify him/her with a person who has absolutely no knowledge of cycling industry, otherwise they wouldn't buy them.

I wonder whether Lemond lost any bike sales its last several years because of its ownership by Trek. I'm not talking about Trek's lack of support for the Lemond brand, rather some riders/potential bike buyers who had a warm spot in their hearts for Lemond, but knew his bikes were built/sold by Trek, and associated Trek with Armstrong, and disliked Armstrong. And if Lemond has another go, he won't have to put all that Bontrager cr@p on them this time.