Is the 7 Eleven Book Worth Getting?

[86TDFWinner]

I was a huge fan of the team back in the 80s, and was wondering if this book is any good, or should I stay away from it?

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I'd like to know too. Big fan as well. Used to own a Merckx 7-11 road bike even. Sold it at an auction and donated 20% of the sale to the Davis Phinney Foundation (I used to have a lot more money than I do now, LOL!)

Great CBS video profile from the team from days of yonder.

 

[elapid]

I have the book, but have not read it yet. For what it's worth, there are 31 reviews on Amazon and most of these are quite positive.

 

[hiero2]

I enjoyed the heck out of the book for what it was. I thought it was a very good read, and filled me on some of what went on in that early era that I didn't know.

There was a crit in Las Vegas one year - I got shots of the whole team (as individuals) on one particular corner - sold all the negs to Southland for PR - they were very much like the George credited cornering portraits - exactly like, actually. But George was better known and experienced as a cycling photog than I was, and he probably got those shots on another course. And, once I'd sold the negs to Southland, of course, they weren't mine any more.

The book doesn't touch on the topic we can't address here (the Clinic), but for the rest of it, I thought it was very good. I enjoyed it, and I learned quite a bit of detail.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

While we're telling 7-11 stories, I think it was in the late 80's and there was the Mayor's Cup criiterium in Portland. I was just getting into racing and marveled at how stupidly fast the 7-11 "B team" lapped the field. I can't remember who won the race, but afterwards I shook Roy Knickman's hand and remember thinking how cool that was (I kinda still do, to be honest!).

 

[ScienceIsCool]

Living in Vancouver, I remember going to dinner with my girlfriend one evening and looking over to see Alex Stieda at the next table. Or going to Brian Walton's house in the off season to buy used team gear. There were a number of small incidents like that. Being a young, impressionable university student of little cycling talent, it made me feel a thousand feet tall.

John Swanson