Some Cool Jerseys

There are some impressive jersey collections out there. I don't collect jerseys but I like the few that I have. Maybe I'll get more in the future but they'd have to be originals and not repros.


This is a basic Merckx jersey from the mid-80's or so. It's nice and bright and I have worn it on colder days.


On the back bottom is a cityscape of what is assumed to be Brussels, the capital of Eddie's home country, Belgium.



Next is the infamous La Vie Claire jersey. La Vie Claire was a French health food chain. Most cycling enthusiast know of the battle between teammates Bernard Hinault("The Badger") and Greg Lemond in the 1985 and 1986 Tours de France. Read about it!
I bought this described as a "souvenir of the Tour de France". I don't care if it came from K-Mart but that story works for me. Not so easy to find now, I had to have one to match the Hinault Look KG76 I will be restoring.




This next one I bought after the inaugural Tour of Missouri in 2007. A guy won it as a part of a drawing. It's an autographed team issue Castelli jersey from Saunier Duval-Prodir.
Saunier Duval is a heating company and Prodir makes pens. Saunier Duval pulled their sponsorship after Riccardo Riccò was booted from the 2007 TdF for testing positive for EPO. Scott bicycles went on to sponsor the team.

The autographs are:
David Canada
Luciano Pagliarini
Rubens Bertogliati
Danilo Wyss
Raul Alarcon
Guido Trentin(I think).



If you have a cool old jersey, let me see it!

Look KG 76

Another project. Described as "Good for it's age" and "The paint on the frame is very good all over." Actually just another turd dug up by some hillbilly looking to make a buck. These early carbon frames are best left alone unless you see lots of pics or, like me, can fix it and love pain. I've mentioned before with other bikes, I feel I saved this frame from the idiot that sold it and certainly from the likelyhood of it ending up too beat up to ride and therefore cast to the fixed gear crowd.
All the irritation aside, I'm glad to have it. Very similar to the later KG96, upon which Lemond and Hinault battled in the 1986 Tour de France, it features the same construction of carbon tubes glued into aluminum lugs. I will replicate the team colors. Not sure what groupo to add. Campy or go difficult and add Mavic.

More pics of it in it's sad state.




Update: After it's maiden voyage of 20mi it was determined that the head tube is no longer bonded at the top lug(see middle pic above). I suspected this from the mushroomed tube - Look would never have let this go out. I suspect the prior hack thought if tight is good tighter is better and really smashed down on the headset. Fortunately, this is encapsulated by the steer tube so, while I won't ride it until repaired, disaster was unlikely. The ride, at 19+ avg with a slipping rear shifter, was "noodly" at best.
I purchased 1/2 gallon of HP epoxy to relaminate the frame and now to repair the head tube. Guess I need to sent a note to Greg Softly at Cyclomondo about some stickers!

Coppi

....... not much more to say.