Author Topic: March of bike technologies...  (Read 9577 times)

Rhys W

  • I'm single, bilingual
    • Cardiff Ajax
Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #25 on: 15 February, 2013, 05:12:21 pm »
Motorola Caloi = Merckx. But you prolly knew that.

Who do you think (or know!) made Inurain's Pinarello?  Just AAMOI of course.

Strongly rumoured to be Pegoretti.

I find this a little hard to believe. Of course he (or his father-in-law) built frames for many riders whose team bikes were not up to scratch, but Pinarello? I can't imagine they wouldn't be able to keep Big Mig happy by building him anything he wanted at that time.

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #26 on: 15 February, 2013, 05:18:18 pm »
Nevertheless it is true  ;)

Pegoretti also made Chiappucci, Cippolini, Pantani, Moser, and Romminger's bikes during that era.

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #27 on: 15 February, 2013, 05:46:56 pm »
Re rebadged frames, they're still whatever the transfers say they are. As long as it's the right geometry and tubing, does it really matter who actually built it? It's just tubing brazed or welded together. Loads of riders used to ride the TVT carbon frame and that was mass produced in a factory by I presume many nameless people.

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #28 on: 15 February, 2013, 06:02:51 pm »
Pegoretti was sub-contracted to build team frames for Pinarello, presumably because of the desire for custom sizes. I have a titanium Pinarello (badged Opera) I would be amazed if that was built by a Pinarello employee in the Treviso factory. I doubt they would have the expertise.

These days, I don't know what comes out of the Treviso factory. All their carbon frames are made in Taiwan by an OEM manufacturer.

The fact that Pinarello have just penned a deal to have Halfords sell them tells you something about how they want the brand name to work for them (not a coincidence that the only British pro tour team use them)

I think in the days of metal frames all sorts of stuff went on. There are rumours of many riders riding Litespeed frames made up to look like other things, including OCLV frames.

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #29 on: 15 February, 2013, 06:35:33 pm »
Other framebuilders to top pros who wouldn't ride team-supplied frames are/were Merida and Cyfac.
Working my way up to inferior.

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #30 on: 15 February, 2013, 07:04:09 pm »
Merida?  Not sure about that one.  It's a taiwanese OEM manufacturer that makes frame for a host of brands including Specialized (they own 33%)as well as their own brand. It started in 1972 making Raleigh bikes for the North American market, and it's factory was a clone of the Raleigh factory in Nottingham.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #31 on: 15 February, 2013, 07:09:25 pm »
Carbonframes (USA) did custom frames for pros back in the day.
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #32 on: 15 February, 2013, 07:14:16 pm »
...including the bike Greg lemond rode in '91 tour which was a 'Greg Lemond'.  I think they morphed into calfee.

LittleWheelsandBig

  • Whimsy Rider
Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #33 on: 15 February, 2013, 07:20:22 pm »
Yup. I recall that Lemond paid for the teams' frames (at a reduced rate).
Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #34 on: 15 February, 2013, 08:05:40 pm »
Merida?  Not sure about that one.  It's a taiwanese OEM manufacturer that makes frame for a host of brands including Specialized (they own 49%)as well as their own brand. It started in 1972 making Raleigh bikes for the North American market, and it's factory was a clone of the Raleigh factory in Nottingham.

Just as Raleigh had its SBDU at Ilkeston, Merida has/had its specialist 'pro' facilities.
Working my way up to inferior.

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #35 on: 15 February, 2013, 08:13:06 pm »
In these days of carbon bikes pretty much everything bar Time, Look and Giant are OEM.  Giant make their own bikes as well as for others, Trek being their biggest OEM customer.

Merida make for a range of brands, but I'm interested in what you know about their past.  Who did they make for?  Pre-21st century that would have been quite unusual.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #36 on: 15 February, 2013, 08:16:52 pm »
Although Merida produce in Taiwan, they are part-owned by some Germans and have some design facility there.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #37 on: 15 February, 2013, 08:17:26 pm »
Motorola Caloi = Merckx. But you prolly knew that.

Worth pointing out. That's supposed to be Steve Bauer's 1991 season bike, the tubes seem quite large diameter for that period, the seat tube angle is pretty relaxed. Shimano had the lead on technology at that point, but didn't win a Tour until 1999. I suppose they've lost the Lance victories now. So their first victory is when?
Have they been tested for unauthorised horses?
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #38 on: 15 February, 2013, 08:34:46 pm »
Although Merida produce in Taiwan, they are part-owned by some Germans .

Are they?  They own 33% of Specialized. 

Rhys W

  • I'm single, bilingual
    • Cardiff Ajax
Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #39 on: 15 February, 2013, 10:11:42 pm »
I'll take your word for it - Pinarello have always been more of a brand (despite their image of a family firm) than a company centred around a singular framebuilder like Colnago or De Rosa.

My favourite story along those lines is Andrea Tafi having last season's Colnago C50 painted to look like his new team's Cervelo.  ;D

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #40 on: 15 February, 2013, 10:17:05 pm »
Although Merida produce in Taiwan, they are part-owned by some Germans .

Are they?  They own 33% of Specialized.
So I've been told more than once. Certainly they're a big firm and that they own 33% of Specialized is not surprising. It wouldn't be strange if Specialized part-own Merida too!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #41 on: 28 July, 2013, 08:38:19 am »
Is this a Brooks saddle here on Greg Lem's bike?  I note he was riding a carbon frame with DT shifters - 1991.

  wiki

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/Greg_Lemond_Alpe_D%27Huez.jpg
Cycle and recycle.   SS Wilson

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #42 on: 28 July, 2013, 09:31:58 am »
I think it's more likely to be a San Marco Regal.

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #43 on: 29 July, 2013, 06:58:32 pm »
I think it's more likely to be a San Marco Regal.
Highly likely. I recall reading in one of Sam Abt's books that GL had a personal contract with them for a time, same as he did with Scott (bars) and Carnac (shoes - he suffered very badly with sore feet and had a custom-made last)
Working my way up to inferior.

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #44 on: 29 July, 2013, 09:29:15 pm »
It is indeed a Selle San Marco Regal I'm sure.

I've just been and checked one in the garage to make sure (I've never used it, just acquired it at some point). Mine has a cast frame rather than wires - Gironi version it says on it.

PS - if anyone wants one...........

Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #45 on: 02 August, 2013, 06:01:28 pm »
Merida make Boardmans apparently
'Something....something.... Something about racing bicycles, but really a profound metaphor about life itself.'  Tim KrabbĂ©. Possibly

Woofage

  • Tofu-eating Wokerati
  • Ain't no hooves on my bike.
Re: March of bike technologies...
« Reply #46 on: 02 August, 2013, 06:15:34 pm »
Merida make Boardmans apparently

According to its Wikipedia entry no UK bike brand is produced by Merida. That might not be true, of course.
Pen Pusher