Mario Cipollini didn't contribute much to cycling technology, but he did a lot for cycling style. It was also the first ever tour victory for Shimano, despite the fact it made its debut in 1973 with the Belgian Flandria team. The process was carried out in house in Waterloo, Wisconisn and matched the aircraft industry standards for carbon fibre.Īrmstrong won the 1999 Tour on a Trek OCLV 5200 and it quickly became one of the fastest selling bikes in the USA. OCLV stands for Optimum Compaction Low Void, which is to do with the way the carbon fibre layers are laminated in their frames.

When Armstrong returned to racing with the US Postal team in 1998, Trek was using the team to push its OCLV carbon bikes. It always made good, well thought-out bikes, the work of enthusiasts who understand how bikes work, but when Armstrong 'won' his first Tour de France in 1999, this relatively new American company received world wide publicity. Instagram Instagram images were found.Trek owes Lance Armstrong a lot (even now), at least in terms of the brand exposure.

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But it’s not about that, this bike truly is a joy to ride and brings a smile to my face every time I look at it or swing a leg over the top tube.Īnd that my friends, is what cycling is all about.Įnter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. I was blown away by the finished bike, she’s a dream! Sure, it’s never going to be an all-out race weapon or cpmpete with with new-era aero bikes, but with a little extra “want to” I can just about keep up with modern machines. Weight: 7.6 kg / 17.8 lbs (including pedals, cages, mounts, etc) Saddle: San Marco Carbonio (US Postal Team Edition)ĭrivetrain: Shimano Ultegra (52/36T front & 11-30T rear)

Around two decades old and riding better than new! So here it is, finally finished. The Trek has turned out FAR better than I expected.

Some would say this is sacrilege and I should have kept it 100% standard, but I wanted a bike that would ride hard, not hold me back or annoy me with outdated tech. I treated it to a complete strip down, then lovingly built the bike up using high quality modern parts. When the opportunity to snap one up in Tasmania came along, I didn’t need to be asked twice!Īpart from the frame, the rest of the bike had seen better days. I used to see an older gent cruising around on one in full US POSTAL kit years ago (now that guy is me) and I’ve always loved the classic lines of this frame. Teammate Vjatceslav Ekimov during the Tour de France (2002). Photo credit: Peter Dejong / Shutterstock.

Trek 5200 carbon road bike