My complements to Lance Armstrong

[rnhood]

Looks like Lance is opening a bike shop. Sounds like he and, his partner have the right ideas.


By Pamela LeBlanc

AUSTIN AMERICAN STATESMAN

Thursday, February 14, 2008

"It's not about the bike sales.

That from Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, who plans in May to open a bike shop, commuting center, training facility and cafe in a 1950s-era building at the northwest corner of Fourth and Nueces streets...."


http://www.austin360.com/recreation/content/recreation/stories/2008/02/0214bikeshop.html

[e-RICHIE]

i wonder if he knows the best way to lose 5-7 pounds.
hey - i'm just kidding...

[paczki]

Very cool.

[handsomerob]

I know there are plenty of LA haters out there, but is there anyone out there that thinks Lance hasn't done far more good than bad? Sure he has some flaws, but I can't help but to respect the guy, as a cyclist and person.

[johnnymossville]

Almost sounds like Lance has a franchise opportunity here. This concept could be replicated pretty easily in many downtown areas where there's alot of office buildings around.

Give a guy a place to park his bike, and you've got store traffic at least twice a day from him.

[Fixed]

bro he done pretty well for himself beinig from a trailer park and raised by a single mother ...I wish I would have been 1/10 as good as he is imho
cheers

[e-RICHIE]

Give a guy a place to park his bike, and you've got store traffic at least twice a day from him.
gives new meaning to getting some gu on the way home from work atmo.

[aLexis]

oh, it's about the bike (and bike-related) sales.

[Lazy Bill]

oh, it's about the bike (and bike-related) sales.
including "hand-made "art bikes" that look as good hanging on a wall as they do rolling down the street."
I guess thats where the naked NAHBS prize winner will live.
I like the commuting hub concept - showers and parking will make it more "do-able" for many, I bet.

[Acotts]

gives new meaning to getting some gu on the way home from work atmo.

That is very classy.

[Erik.Lazdins]

This project takes some serious capital - however if pulled off could and should be duplicated elsewhere.

I recall my last trip to Germany - all the bicycles co-existing with cars. If more people rode - they would, in turn, understand how a car should be driven.

I think its a great idea and hope it works out better than planned.

[michael white]

I lived in Austin once, and charming and fabulous as it is, I found it pretty crazy to get around on a bike. It's cool that LA is putting his money where his mouth is; more stars should do the same.

[conorb]

Sounds likes a good idea.

Make cycling part of the community and the community part of cycling.

I hope it works out.

conorb

[Climb01742]

whatever his motives are, sounds like a cool, useful, progressive idea. i hope it works too.

[Viper]

I know there are plenty of LA haters out there, but is there anyone out there that thinks Lance hasn't done far more good than bad? Sure he has some flaws, but I can't help but to respect the guy, as a cyclist and person.

In this sense, LA and I are much alike (he's just a tad more famous and has a bigger savings account atmo). :beer:

I broke the news a few days ago about his shop:

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2008/02/not_like_portland_needed_much.html

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?p=482118#post482118

I'll wear Lance gloves and shoes, nothing more. I need some e-RICHIE socks atmo, maybe he'll send the Valentine's gift today. :confused:

[Grant McLean]

I wonder what brand of bikes they'll carry? .....................


You know how to make a small fortune in bike retail?
Start with a large one...


Anywhoo. Bad idea. He should open a bar.
Every trek store is filled with LA jerseys and such.
I would wonder what Trek thinks about him going
into the biz. Maybe they have a deal already, and
no trek concept stores in the area. I always thought
the 'mellow jonny' thing was stupid and just showed
what a no nothing redneck he is... but i've got
nothing against rednecks. Go Lance.

-g

[Viper]

Anywhoo. Bad idea. He should open a bar.

-g

He doesn't need one, he has the Olsen girl's apartment in NYC. :cool:

[GregL]

Armstrong is quite a polarizing figure. People either love him or hate him. One thing's for sure, he has continued to stay involved with cycling since his retirement. He still rides and races (http://stories.dailytimes.com/story.lasso?ewcd=5e3f332268b09a5d), his appearance at NAHBS has been well documented, and now his interest in the bike shop. I'm sure he could get faster and greater return on other investments. Good for him and good for cycling. Let's just hope that he doesn't get in front of any congressional committees...

Regards,
Greg

[stevep]

jeeez,
i went in looking for one of the new lemonds... and officer, the guy started to yell and pulled out a big knife and started to chase me...i dont understand what happened?
what did i do?

[regularguy412]

With Astana now outta the mix in the early going 'across the pond, Trek will have more money to throw at their Bike-ways Advocacy Program (I forget the actual name). Probably doesn't hurt to have a 7-time TdF champ running a bike shop and pushing for more bike tolerance from vehicular traffic.

But it does beg the question: Will he sell anything in steel?

MIke in AR

[Steelhead]

There was some buzz around here (Austin) that Lance was opening a Trek concept store in downtown Austin, and now this. He already owns part interest in a bar downtown and rumor has it some other downtown property as well.

It's funny that this latest thing is next door to La Zona Rosa where he nearly got his *** kicked for popping off to a bouncer after trying to walk with a beer. :)

[blharrell]

After seeing Portland, OR in action, if he's able to move Austin in that bike friendly (understatement) direction, then it's not worth worrying about the rest. And maybe it will get others to try the same in their town.

[Fixed]

bro i heard he was going to hire a well know frame builder to work there
cheers imho

[Steelhead]

bro i heard he was going to hire a well know frame builder to work there
cheers imho


Seriously? It might be Whitney Moyer, he is local and doing well with his work.

[Bill Bove]

Almost sounds like Lance has a franchise opportunity here. This concept could be replicated pretty easily in many downtown areas where there's alot of office buildings around.

Give a guy a place to park his bike, and you've got store traffic at least twice a day from him.

I tried to do the very same thing in West Palm Beach about ten years ago and couldn't getit off the ground. Even had some ICE-T money but it just didn't come together.

Think I can sue LA for intellectual property :confused:

[Fivethumbs]

Is all this because Ashley Olsen still doesn't have her license yet?

[shanerpvt]

bro i heard he was going to hire a well know frame builder to work there
cheers imho

come on Fixed.........we need more info. there are 4 guys building in town that i know of.

[Kevan]

where do you keep your waterbottles?"

[Vancouverdave]

Trying to promote bike commuting in Texas--doesn't sound like he's afraid of a tough job.

[weisan]

Most popular car in downtown Austin TX....

http://stadium.weblogsinc.com/autoblog/hirezpics/hummer_de06.jpg

[Ray]

Armstrong is quite a polarizing figure. People either love him or hate him. ....... Good for him and good for cycling. Let's just hope that he doesn't get in front of any congressional committees...

Its just occurring to me that the guy Lance reminds me of in a lot of ways is Bill Clinton. Just an obviously sleazy schmuck on a personal level - too many confirmed stories of schmuckery to deny it. But willing and able to do some really good things professionally, that have an impact beyond themselves.

Nobody really questions what a seriously flawed person Bill Clinton is and was, but he did a lot of good things as president and as ex-president. I liked him a lot in the public sense, which is really the only place I personally ever dealt with him. But he's still capable of being a total jerk, as his efforts in his wife's campaign have demonstrated again. As with Clinton, I wouldn't want either of my daughters or anyone I cared about anywhere NEAR Lance, but his work for cancer and now, possibly, for bike advocacy, are clearly good things that he's poured a LOT of time, energy, money, etc. into.

So, good on him. I wish him a lot of luck. And I'll still probably despise his personal antics every time I see something about them.

-Ray