# What Lemond model did Saturn ride?



## Cape Cod Dave (Jul 29, 2004)

Having just lucked into a used aluminum Lemond (trek) from the Saturn team (Viktor Rapinski's old bike, year unknown), I wondered what the model was. Will post pix after I build it up.


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## jeffreyg (Nov 23, 2005)

After the Al bike they went to the Saturn Team Issue Ti ( wich was the same as the tete de course frame). The only advantage to these frames was, that if a rider did not like LeMond geos they could get a frame from a custom builder like Spectrum or Serrota and have the frame rebadged as a LeMond. Last time I looked, Spectrum had one of these bikes posted on their site. 

Here is nice article about the orginal Saturn Ti bike (circa 2002)

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/2002/features/probikes/?id=saturn


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*One possibility.*

For about one year, I rode a '99 blue/orange 6061 aluminum Lemond Alpe d'Huez spec'd with Shimano 105, the frame of which looked a lot like some frames of the earlier Saturn team bikes - massive, flattened downtube, wishbone seatstays coming into the seat tube well below the seat post clamp. I believe the top-of-the-line Dura-Ace Maillot Jaune of that time shared that frame with the Alpe d'Huez, so it's possible that Saturn raced on that frame. There was also an Ultegra version using that frame, but I can't recall its model name.


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## Cape Cod Dave (Jul 29, 2004)

that sounds a lot like the frame I have. Massive wishbone with double welds -- the thing looks like it redefines the term "stiff"


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

*Agree.*

Absolutely - that frame was as stiff and light as they come. Wish I had mine back!  

I think around 1999, Lemond marketing couldn't quite decide which image to work up - - pure racing or long-distance comfort. The '99 Alpe d'Huez was a sales dud, so perhaps that helped push Lemond into their long-distance comfort, relaxed geometry niche. Seems to work for them.


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