The Hog admits Treks sold on eBay

[Moose McKnuckles]

LOL.

But it was AFTER Disco ended sponsorship. Really.

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/bruyneel-acknowledges-that-discovery-bikes-were-sold-on-ebay

 

[Anonymous]

Hmmmm. I wonder how Floyd knew about that?

Strange how the musings of an unreliable liar keep hitting home.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

Floyd's batting about 1.000 right now. The Hog and Lance...not so much.

 

[Anonymous]

Floyd's batting about 1.000 right now. The Hog and Lance...not so much.

Yep. Plus Floyd was not around in the Disco years... so how would he know? I'm betting Hog's teams sold bikes every year. I'm also betting Trek knew about it.

 

[sherer]

There was an article at the time the bikes went on ebay, may even have been on this site about it so that is one they have to admit to. There was an ebay account called tailwind sports or something like that, think they had about 6 bikes up for sale

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

I saw Disco bikes on RBR as well.

In fact, I emailed the seller inquiring about some of them. I believe they had Brajkovic's bike, Popo's, and a couple other riders. All with Bontrager wheels, etc.
Some nice deals.

 

[goober]

Every sponsored team I have ever ridden for sold their bikes. Sometimes you were lucky to be able to sell it yourself at the end of the season. And of course they disposed of USPS bikes (maybe sold, maybe charity, maybe bartered for dope). Saying Landis is batting 1.000 because of this is a bit overboard. If that is the case then Landis is batting 1.000 because he stated he road for USPS and did in fact ride for USPS, etc.

 

[Benotti69]

.....There was an ebay account called tailwind sports or something like that, think they had about 6 bikes up for sale

wonder how old that account is???

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Well he has just made Novitzkys job a lot easier - as every bike that was given by Trek to USPS should be accountable.

Unless the Hog is trying to say that the Discovery Treks were repainted USPS addition bikes.

 

[Polish]

That e-bay auction was done for one year's models.
It was during Lance's retirement.

Big George's "as is" bike was $15k "buy-it-know" IIRC.
His was the most expensive.
The auction ended without a sale IIRC again.
They were selling used TT helmets too for a few hundred usd each.
Some of those sold.

Floyd was not on that Disco team.
Lance was not on that team either.
And Floyd was talking about USPostal bikes.
Floyd's era bikes were probably sold too, but do not think they were e-bayed.

Lance auctioned off some art bikes....million dollars?
Cool wheelsets!

 

[goober]

Well he has just made Novitzkys job a lot easier - as every bike that was given by Trek to USPS should be accountable.

Unless the Hog is trying to say that the Discovery Treks were repainted USPS addition bikes.

Why? I think you guys need to better understand what happens with bikes on EVERY pro team. What about the helmets, gloves, shoes, socks, jerseys - are those all to be 'accounted' for? I am not saying bikes were not sold for money to buy dope - I don't know; but, I am saying selling bikes on a pro team ALWAYS happens so you can not derive anything from it.

 

[Cloxxki]

Everyone doing it, so why should WE be punished for it?

I think Landis learned that fewer bikes were available to the USPS team than Trek had given. He contacted Trek directly when the team wouldn't give him proper fresh frames, and his had broken in the TdF. He felt better than having to ride beat up carbon bikes, and Lance mocked him over it later.

Mocking with the guy who knows many of your secrets, rode himself to death for you, and later not helping him out when he hits rock botton....not smart.

 

[Polish]

Well he has just made Novitzkys job a lot easier - as every bike that was given by Trek to USPS should be accountable.

Unless the Hog is trying to say that the Discovery Treks were repainted USPS addition bikes.

I would think Novitzky, the chief investigator of the Balco scandal, should be suspicious if Tailwind DOES account for ALL the bikes.

Like goober says, all teams "dispose" of used bikes and equipment. Mostly gray/black market I would assume. Doubt any teams keep great records.

Heck, I would be suprised if even honest Greg accounted for all the INCOME from the Bro-deal bikes he sold. Novitzsky should ask Greg - this investigation is NOT only about Lance lol.

 

[Oldman]

I would think Novitzky, the chief investigator of the Balco scandal, should be suspicious if Tailwind DOES account for ALL the bikes.

Like goober says, all teams "dispose" of used bikes and equipment. Mostly gray/black market I would assume. Doubt any teams keep great records.

Heck, I would be suprised if even honest Greg accounted for all the INCOME from the Bro-deal bikes he sold. Novitzsky should ask Greg - this investigation is NOT only about Lance lol.

When you're right, you're right. But this investigation probably isn't about Greg now, is it?

 

[Anonymous]

And so the spin begins...

 

[lean mean &green]

Every sponsored team I have ever ridden for sold their bikes. Sometimes you were lucky to be able to sell it yourself at the end of the season. And of course they disposed of USPS bikes (maybe sold, maybe charity, maybe bartered for dope). Saying Landis is batting 1.000 because of this is a bit overboard. If that is the case then Landis is batting 1.000 because he stated he road for USPS and did in fact ride for USPS, etc.

this is why it's a good way to create cash fast, it's a common enough practice that it masks what you're actually doing. when, or if, people start popping up having purchased brand new bikes at this time (02-04), JB will have sum splainin' to do. alot of time has passed since the postal days so who knows, the trail may just be too cold. it doesn't strongly support or refute what landis has said..................yet.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

Why? I think you guys need to better understand what happens with bikes on EVERY pro team. What about the helmets, gloves, shoes, socks, jerseys - are those all to be 'accounted' for? I am not saying bikes were not sold for money to buy dope - I don't know; but, I am saying selling bikes on a pro team ALWAYS happens so you can not derive anything from it.

While I agree that bikes are usually sold at the end of year.

But Johann has now said that only bikes after the Discovery team folded (in 2007) were sold:
Some quotes from what Bruyneel said to AP:

"At the end of the Discovery Channel's sponsorship, I think there were bikes sold on eBay."
Bruyneel said the bikes were team property and that Trek Bicycle Corp. knew some were given away "for the purpose of maintaining relationships" with the other team sponsors.
"What Floyd is saying is that 60 bikes were missing," Bruyneel said. "I have absolutely no idea where he got that from."

So, if there were only bikes sold in 2007 when Disco went the rest should have been accounted for and returned, simple.

 

[Black-Balled]

I would think Novitzky, the chief investigator of the Balco scandal, should be suspicious if Tailwind DOES account for ALL the bikes.

Like goober says, all teams "dispose" of used bikes and equipment. Mostly gray/black market I would assume. Doubt any teams keep great records.

Heck, I would be suprised if even honest Greg accounted for all the INCOME from the Bro-deal bikes he sold. Novitzsky should ask Greg - this investigation is NOT only about Lance lol.

Haha! Greg better watch it! I have this one and I will squeal like a pig to the feds!

 

[Benotti69]

wah wah wah wah Mr Novitsky please don't put my hero in jail, please he only did what others did except lots more and worse please wah wah wah

your arguments are becoming ever more pathetic

 

[Oldman]

Haha! Greg better watch it! I have this one and I will squeal like a pig to the feds!

That looks about Bart's size...he'd be the one to explain. Except those guys didn't escape with much swag, did they? Management probably had it all.

 

[goober]

So, if there were only bikes sold in 2007 when Disco went the rest should have been accounted for and returned, simple.

But that is not how it works, nothing gets returned. They are given to the team and instantly become team property. The team could fold the day after they get the bikes and nothing has to be returned. Of course Trek is not going to give out the bikes (of that magnitude) to a team that is not properly funded etc. Either way, we'll see where this whole bike thing goes ones the investigation does its job...

 

[Dr. Maserati]

But that is not how it works, nothing gets returned. They are given to the team and instantly become team property. The team could fold the day after they get the bikes and nothing has to be returned. Of course Trek is not going to give out the bikes (of that magnitude) to a team that is not properly funded etc. Either way, we'll see where this whole bike thing goes ones the investigation does its job...

But this is my point - Bruyneel is now saying that only the 2007 team issue bikes were sold - so what has happened the rest? Its about $1 million every year of bikes - are they just going to give it away?

He would have been better off saying that bikes were often offered to team members/staff without payment - as now they have to account for all bikes given by Trek.

 

[MacRoadie]

Why? I think you guys need to better understand what happens with bikes on EVERY pro team. What about the helmets, gloves, shoes, socks, jerseys - are those all to be 'accounted' for? I am not saying bikes were not sold for money to buy dope - I don't know; but, I am saying selling bikes on a pro team ALWAYS happens so you can not derive anything from it.

Yes, it does, but it happens at the end of the year, not mid-season. Floyd said he needed a replacement bike during the year, and was told none were available.

I don't think anyone is suggesting that teams don't sell bikes, equipment and clothing, but so far we have heard a denial that bikes were sold, a report that no one can tell how many or when they were sold, and now a "confirmation" by Bruyneel that "some" bikes were sold, but he doesn't know where the money went.

 

[shawnrohrbach]

...and the walls come tumbling down.

 

[Dr. Maserati]

But that is not how it works, nothing gets returned. They are given to the team and instantly become team property. The team could fold the day after they get the bikes and nothing has to be returned. Of course Trek is not going to give out the bikes (of that magnitude) to a team that is not properly funded etc. Either way, we'll see where this whole bike thing goes ones the investigation does its job...

But this is my point - Bruyneel is now saying that only the 2007 team issue bikes were sold - so what has happened the rest? Its about $1 million every year of bikes - are they just going to give it away?

Of course not - but he would have been better off saying that, that at the end of the year the bikes were often offered to team members/staff without payment - as now they have to account for all bikes given by Trek.