Lance Armstrong's Caloi and Laurent Fignon's Gitane on eBay

[fiamme red]

A link to these was posted on the CR list:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lance-Armstrongs-1995-Team-Motorola-Caloi-Eddie-Merckx/293094070802

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Laurent-Fignon-1983-Team-Renault-Elf-Bike/293094057578

[54ny77]

That Gitane is gorgeous.

[peanutgallery]

One is way over valued, the other is way under

[fiamme red]

Some interesting information about these bikes:

http://theflyingwheel.blogspot.com/2019/05/fignon-1983-team-gitane.html

http://theflyingwheel.blogspot.com/2019/04/lance-armstrongs-1995-team.html

[zmalwo]

Why would someone change the wheelset, bar tapes and stem from a bike like that? It makes me question the authenticity of it.

[El Chaba]

The Fignon bike is especially fun since 1983 is the one year that Renault-Gitane had (mostly) French parts.

[texbike]

I'm kind of surprised that Lance would have a Corsa Extra (SLX tubing and Corsa fork) instead of a MX Leader. He was using Ti Calois/Litespeeds as well, but for steel, I would think that he would be on the MXL.

Texbike

[merckx]

It was reported that Lemond began his early spring training and classics racing on a steel frame. When he dropped 20 pounds of body weight he would then ride a titanium framed-bicycle. When he dropped another 20 pounds he was then allowed to use a carbon-framed machine for the stage races.

Perhaps Armstrong used several different machines during the Caloi years?

[merckx]

BTW, these machines are bloody-hell cool!

[mktng]

That Gitane is gorgeous.

+1 its just so ... perfectly .. put together.

[oldpotatoe]

It was reported that Lemond began his early spring training and classics racing on a steel frame. When he dropped 20 pounds of body weight he would then ride a titanium framed-bicycle. When he dropped another 20 pounds he was then allowed to use a carbon-framed machine for the stage races.

Perhaps Armstrong used several different machines during the Caloi years?

He did, pretty sure there was a Merckx made MXLeader labeled as a Caloi....
Not sure Motorola used them but I think they did..

[colker]

The Gitane looks small for a Fignon bike. It looks like a 55cm. Caloi looks too big for Armstrong whose bikes are 56cm.. Armstrong saddle is usually a San Marco Concor lite.

[texbike]

He did, pretty sure there was a Merckx made MXLeader labeled as a Caloi....
Not sure Motorola used them but I think they did..

Motorola definitely used MXLs that were labeled/painted as Calois. I've had 2 of them - Gord Fraser's and Bruno Thibout's.

The thing that I haven't noticed is the use of Caloi-labeled Corsa Extras by the team. Not that it's not possible, but I haven't seen any pictures of them over the years.

Texbike

[colker]

I'm kind of surprised that Lance would have a Corsa Extra (SLX tubing and Corsa fork) instead of a MX Leader. He was using Ti Calois/Litespeeds as well, but for steel, I would think that he would be on the MXL.

Texbike

Corsa extras are lighter and were used on climbing stages if i remember correctly. I don´t know if it was also a thing on Caloi teams

[fiamme red]

The Gitane looks small for a Fignon bike. It looks like a 55cm.His other bikes look to be around that size.

http://www.retrobike.co.uk/forum/download/file.php?id=208462

Caloi looks too big for Armstrong whose bikes are 56cm.. Armstrong saddle is usually a San Marco Concor lite.Here's another of Lance's Motorola bikes with a Flite.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=63461

https://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=60853&stc=1&d=1251478998

[colker]

He did, pretty sure there was a Merckx made MXLeader labeled as a Caloi....
Not sure Motorola used them but I think they did..

It´s a bike i always wanted; Caloi /Merckx mxl. I am in Caloi country and only seen one at the Caloi showroom.

[KJMUNC]

He did, pretty sure there was a Merckx made MXLeader labeled as a Caloi....
Not sure Motorola used them but I think they did..

As Texbike referenced Moto def used Caloi badged Caloi frames in '95 and '96....I have Yates's Caloi MXL from '95.

I traded emails with Yates about my/his frame and he stated that he and LA almost exclusively raced on the Caloi badged Ti Litespeed frames during most of the '95 campaign but did use the MXLs on occasion early in the year. All the pictures I've been able to dig up support that and I can't find any pics of LA or Yates on a Caloi MXL. Most of the team was on the Litespeed frames by the TdF, including Casartelli (RIP). Mellow Johnny's in Austin have both of LA's MXL and Ti Caloi bikes on display.

As an aside, the frame shown in your pic above is from the Lotto team in '94. His specific '94 Caloi/MXL frame sold in 2016 for $2250 :eek:

[prototoast]

It was reported that Lemond began his early spring training and classics racing on a steel frame. When he dropped 20 pounds of body weight he would then ride a titanium framed-bicycle. When he dropped another 20 pounds he was then allowed to use a carbon-framed machine for the stage races.

Perhaps Armstrong used several different machines during the Caloi years?

I know rider weight fluctuates throughout the season, but are you suggesting that Lemond's weight fluctuated 40 lbs within a season? That seems high.

[merckx]

I know rider weight fluctuates throughout the season, but are you suggesting that Lemond's weight fluctuated 40 lbs within a season? That seems high.

The Lemond comment was tongue-in-cheek. The part about Armstrong using more than one machine during a season or three wasn't. My point is that the Motorola Caloi machine on Ebay could be one of Armstrong's bikes, maybe never used by him, maybe a training machine, maybe a back-up, or maybe raced minimally. Who knows?

Regarding Lemond, it was reported that he did use lighter machines as his season progressed; steel, ti, and then carbon. The point is that pro cyclists use many different machines over the interval of a season. My flip comment about his weight is in reference to his legendary propensity to gain a sh*t-load of weight over the winter months, followed by his struggle to find racing form once the spring season started. I love Lemond. He is one of us.

[saab2000]

One is way over valued, the other is way under

Both are overvalued. If they weren’t the actual bikes, authenticated to have been ridden in big race wins, they’re just bikes. Even then they’re overvalued by a lot.

Both appear to have non-original parts.

[colker]

Here's another of Lance's Motorola bikes with a Flite.

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=63461

https://forums.thepaceline.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=60853&stc=1&d=1251478998

Saddle height seems way taller than every other pic i have seen of LA riding.... and always w/ a SM Concor lite.

EDIT: bars also different. I always see him on shallow bars. Those look like deep drops.

[cfox]

If you sit on that Caloi and get pregnant, it was Lance's bike

[bicycletricycle]

I like both of these bikes.

[weisan]

One is way over valued, the other is way under

Mine is better looking and...cheaper....much, much cheaper (https://austin.craigslist.org/bik/d/leander-eddy-merckx-corsa-extra-frame/6893711562.html)!

http://alicehui.com/bike/CorsaExtra/c1.jpg

[colker]

Mine is better looking and...cheaper....much, much cheaper (https://austin.craigslist.org/bik/d/leander-eddy-merckx-corsa-extra-frame/6893711562.html)!

http://alicehui.com/bike/CorsaExtra/c1.jpg

It looked even better before you took off the perfect campagnolo build it had. Why ?:rolleyes:

[CunegoFan]

It was reported that Lemond began his early spring training and classics racing on a steel frame. When he dropped 20 pounds of body weight he would then ride a titanium framed-bicycle. When he dropped another 20 pounds he was then allowed to use a carbon-framed machine for the stage races.

Jeebus! Maybe a better plan would have been not to gain forty pounds during the off-season.

[Mike V]

Saddle height seems way taller than every other pic i have seen of LA riding.... and always w/ a SM Concor lite.

EDIT: bars also different. I always see him on shallow bars. Those look like deep drops.

Here he is on an Avocet and Belgian deep.


http://static.sportskeeda.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ArmstrongNissan92PhSpt-6268211.jpg

[merckx]

Here he is on an Avocet and Belgian deep.


http://static.sportskeeda.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/ArmstrongNissan92PhSpt-6268211.jpg

and Max.

[likebikes]

One is way over valued, the other is way under

which one is which?

[Mike V]

Flite, Caloi Max

http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Lance+Armstrong+FILE+Look+Lance+Armstrong+wLt2Uakj Jsbl.jpg

[Mike V]

Flite, Caloi Max, steel uni fork

http://www.jsmcelvery.com/photos/armstrong/96armstrong5.jpg

[texbike]

Flite, Caloi Max, steel uni fork

http://www.jsmcelvery.com/photos/armstrong/96armstrong5.jpg

I'm squinting pretty hard on this one, but I'm not seeing any lugs on this bike, the seat tube seems to stick up above the top tube a bit more than a MXL or Corsa would, and the chainstays aren't broad enough in profile to be MAX tubing. This may actually be a Ti Litespeed labeled as a Caloi which would make sense with that fork.

Texbike

[KJMUNC]

I'm squinting pretty hard on this one, but I'm not seeing any lugs on this bike, the seat tube seems to stick up above the top tube a bit more than a MXL or Corsa would, and the chainstays aren't broad enough in profile to be MAX tubing. This may actually be a Ti Litespeed labeled as a Caloi which would make sense with that fork.

Texbike

Exactly my thought too.....loads of pictures of him on a sloping crown fork that always turns out to be a Ti Litespeed.

[merckx]

Flite, Caloi Max

http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Lance+Armstrong+FILE+Look+Lance+Armstrong+wLt2Uakj Jsbl.jpg

That's a Litespeed.

[oldpotatoe]

It looked even better before you took off the perfect campagnolo build it had. Why ?:rolleyes:

Institutional bias...:)

[colker]

Flite, Caloi Max, steel uni fork

http://www.jsmcelvery.com/photos/armstrong/96armstrong5.jpg

I wonder what size is the caloi mxl. LA rode 56cm frames.

[colker]

Flite, Caloi Max, steel uni fork

http://www.jsmcelvery.com/photos/armstrong/96armstrong5.jpg

shallow or medium drop bars. Not deep.

[CDM]

aside from this thread.."it is not about the bike"

[teleguy57]

Institutional bias...:)

Is it still bias when a person is correct? :beer:

[weisan]

Took these at Lance 's bike shop mellow Johnny's a few minutes ago...


http://alicehui.com/bike/rides/IMG_5288.jpg

http://alicehui.com/bike/rides/IMG_5289.jpg

http://alicehui.com/bike/rides/IMG_5290.jpg

[fiamme red]

http://alicehui.com/bike/rides/IMG_5290.jpgI think that frame was built by Litespeed, not Merckx.

[bambam]

He did, pretty sure there was a Merckx made MXLeader labeled as a Caloi....
Not sure Motorola used them but I think they did..

I got one of those.

[MilanoTom]

shallow or medium drop bars. Not deep.

I think it's the first edition of the MaxFlite.

[Elefantino]

This quote should hang from that bike, too. From -7's upcoming interview with NBC's Mike Tirico, part of the never-ending redemption tour:

"I wouldn’t change a thing. I wouldn’t change the way I acted. I mean I would, but this is a longer answer. Primarily, I wouldn’t change the lessons that I’ve learned."

Uh, OK.

[texbike]

Took these at Lance 's bike shop mellow Johnny's a few minutes ago...


http://alicehui.com/bike/rides/IMG_5288.jpg



This one is definitely a MXL and the other is a Caloi built by Merckx built by Litespeed. ;) That sign is kind of funny when it states that Merckx only built a few race bikes for Caloi. Being from the U.S., the only Caloi team bikes that I've seen were ALL built by Merckx (or Litespeed labeled as a Merckx).

So, I guess my point is that I'm doubting the legitimacy of the Armstrong Corsa Extra that's in the ebay ad.

Oh, and I had forgotten how heavy-looking Lance was pre-cancer. He definitely slimmed down after that. Was it the cancer or perhaps a new regimen of different "vitamins"? ;)

Texbike

[buddybikes]

>>aside from this thread.."it is not about the bike"


It's about the "cocktails" put into the body to get over the edge of greatness

[fiamme red]

This quote should hang from that bike, too. From -7's upcoming interview with NBC's Mike Tirico, part of the never-ending redemption tour:

"I wouldn’t change a thing. I wouldn’t change the way I acted. I mean I would, but this is a longer answer. Primarily, I wouldn’t change the lessons that I’ve learned."

Uh, OK.http://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=cycling&id=26806437

NBCSN will broadcast an interview with Lance Armstrong following Game 2 of the Stanley Cup finals... He tells Tirico "we did what we had to do to win. It wasn't legal, but I wouldn't change a thing -- whether it's losing a bunch of money, going from hero to zero."I bet he regrets his last comeback.

[Shoeman]

Oh, and I had forgotten how heavy-looking Lance was pre-cancer. He definitely slimmed down after that. Was it the cancer or perhaps a new regimen of different "vitamins"? ;)

Texbike

Cancer will do that to you, I've dropped 45-50lbs. in the last 4 years! I went from 205 to 165 presently, been as low as 155 & I'm 6'1"

[don'TreadOnMe]

Lance, whatever. He is who is he is, and I’m not going to lay claim to being holier than thou.
If Eddy Merckx and his builder say, “Yep, it’s the real deal”, then eff them if they can’t take a joke.

Check the source and roll the dice if you’re cool with the price.

[Spdntrxi]

I want Lemonds Gitane

[Ronsonic]

The seller's blog is a pretty good vintage bike read. He's pretty heavily into all of this.

[ultraman6970]

Yeah but the dude is asking way too much IMO. Those bikes arent going to sell anyday soon.

Probably the most famous of Fignon's bikes IMO is the ITT one, and that was a raleigh but even that one doubt could get close to 6k... the question anyways is... for how much he got the bikes because if he was stabbed for 10k each well... the flip is kind'a way too hard when you go to those numbers.

Sure he is getting offers behind, all those bikes are sold for unknown numbers with offers behind, anybody asked the dude whats the minimum he is willing to take?.

Remember joked the seller months ago in that EM asking him if he meant 12k Singaporean dollars (i think) instead of american dollars... he asked me what i meant... so who knows hows the seller's mind works aswell you know.

[fignon's barber]

Probably the most famous of Fignon's bikes IMO is the ITT one, and that was a raleigh but even that one doubt could get close to 6k...

The ones labeled "Raleigh", were made by Francis Quillon, same as the Gitane. He later founded CYFAC after years of making frames for pros under different brands.

[ultraman6970]

THat did not know, but that doesnt take the fact (to me, dont know if to anybody else) that the most famous LF bike is that TT bike.

[Hawker]

http://www.espn.com/espn/wire?section=cycling&id=26806437

I bet he regrets his last comeback.

HA...you nailed it.

[El Chaba]

Just to point out a great feature....Look closely at the front derailleur attachment on Fignon's Gitane. For a period of about 5 years in the early 80's when "brazed-on" front derailleurs were becoming a fashionable thing, Campagnolo had their method-the familiar tab that remains the standard today. In the parallel universe in France, Simplex developed their own method-a simple brazed on threaded fitting. Of the two, the Simplex method was really far superior for simplicity and ease of adjusting/centering the mechanism. Of course, being made in far fewer numbers theirs didn't become the standard. Mavic made derailleurs for this system for a few years as well...

[ThorCo]

The Lemond comment was tongue-in-cheek. The part about Armstrong using more than one machine during a season or three wasn't. My point is that the Motorola Caloi machine on Ebay could be one of Armstrong's bikes, maybe never used by him, maybe a training machine, maybe a back-up, or maybe raced minimally. Who knows?

Regarding Lemond, it was reported that he did use lighter machines as his season progressed; steel, ti, and then carbon. The point is that pro cyclists use many different machines over the interval of a season. My flip comment about his weight is in reference to his legendary propensity to gain a sh*t-load of weight over the winter months, followed by his struggle to find racing form once the spring season started. I love Lemond. He is one of us.


I rode with Greg a bit in from 1990 till he retired. I remember him doing this but I always thought it was because he thought it gave the riders a psychological "boost" So when the Tour came around the guys were on some really light bikes and felt faster.

[wallymann]

xxx

[wallymann]

Armstrong saddle is usually a San Marco Concor lite.

Later, when he rode for postal.

https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/-picture-id227873?s=2048x2048
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/ygdWQ8DLkLRVGwNGK65C6J-970-80.jpg
https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/1008x567/p00zmb13.jpg

[Velocipede]

Those are actually the Flite Max model. More padding.

[Fivethumbs]

In 1993 Winning magazine did a piece on Lance's MX Leader. At the time Lance used Cinelli 66s later switching to 64s. Prior to joining Motorola, Lance used Scott Drop-ins.

This was discussed in this post:

https://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=1448779&postcount=18.

[Black Dog]

Flite, Caloi Max

http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Lance+Armstrong+FILE+Look+Lance+Armstrong+wLt2Uakj Jsbl.jpg

EPOetry in motion...;)

[nickl]

EPOetry in motion...;)

For virtually all of his post Motorola career Armstrong used a Selle San Marco Concor Lite. He did try others and on some occasions had his regular saddle rebadged due to sponsorship issues but those were minor exceptions. That said, he also rode a Concor during part of his time at Motorola, not hard to find photos and other documentation of his bikes with a that saddle.

http://autobus.cyclingnews.com/tech/2002/features/probikes/usps.shtml

https://www.bikeradar.com/features/pro-bike-lance-armstrongs-astana-trek-madone/