Lemond's 1989 Time Trial Bike

[chinphu]

Hello everyone.

I would like to know if any of you have any information on Lemond's 1989 TdF time trial bike. I know that it was a Bottecchia (red) bike with a Mavic Comete rear disc, Scott aerobar. Any other info on parts would be appreciated. I also know that the pedals were Time pedals.

Also, do you know how many of these bikes were actually produced? One person told me only 2 were made, another stated 20 were made for the team and another 50 for people close to the team.

THanks.

[martin]

Hello everyone.

I would like to know if any of you have any information on Lemond's 1989 TdF time trial bike. I know that it was a Bottecchia (red) bike with a Mavic Comete rear disc, Scott aerobar. Any other info on parts would be appreciated. I also know that the pedals were Time pedals.

It was not a Bottecchia, but a Billato:
Check www.billato.com then choose "Geometry", "go to Pages", then on "Krono"/"Time Trial". Billato is a big OEM who made and still makes many of the top models of reknown marques like Carrera or Vicini.

Also, do you know how many of these bikes were actually produced? One person told me only 2 were made, another stated 20 were made for the team and another 50 for people close to the team.
THanks.

I heard that Billato (as opposed to other big names...) is likely to return E-Mails with such questions. They have responded to a member of the "Classic Rendezvous" Mailing list in the past:

"I can't really go into who we build for a great deal as we have to
respect client confidentiality, but over the years Billato has built a
great number of frames for a whole host of well known names. You mentioned
Lemond, when he won the 1989 Tour, his time trial bike was built by
Billato, so that should lead to another brand! The guy who won the year
before, rode a Billato-built frame, as did the guy the year before. In
1990, Lemond won again, riding steel frames built from Excell tubes that
Billato helped develop. Some of these were TIG-welded, which hadn't been
seen on a road frame before. Others took the credit for introducing this a
year later.

There was the big Dutch team in the 80's, they rode Billato built frames.
More recently, in 1999, five of the teams riding the Tour rode
Billato-built frames. Last year 'only' three. Perhaps the best one — for
me anyway, is that shortly after Silvio Billato started the company, he
was supplying great rivals Coppi AND Bartali - at the same time!
Some of the early US Masi's were Billato. Also Cinelli Super Corsa.
They're no longer built so it's OK for the public domain as it were!

BTW, I spotted a Vicini on Classic Rendezvous a couple of weeks back. That
one too

For source try "http://search.bikelist.org/?SearchString=billato")

[Mr_Potatohead]

If you want to see the actual bike that Greg spanked Laurent Fignon on, go to BikeSmiths in Carpinteria, California. The owner of the shop bought the bike somehow (at least thats what he says).