2000 LeMond Zurich

Y2K fizzled into a nothing burger but bicycle frames were poised for a massive shift to carbon fiber dominance. Built just prior, this LeMond epitomizes the demise of steel perfection.

2000 LeMond Zurich

Greg LeMond. Arguably considered to be the greatest American cyclist of all time, winning the Tour de France three times and the Road Race World Championship twice. His ticket to the 1984 Tour was achieved through the Tour of Switzerland where he won the Professional World Road Championship in Zurich, one of the toughest single-day races in Switzerland. This bicycle is an homage to that day and a race where one literally climbs a mountain.

There is no getting around it. This bike is a exquisitely preserved time capsule. After pulling every component off and giving the frame and parts a deep cleaning, it was clear this was something special. Found as a one-owner bike (even coming with the owners manual, receipt and a LeMond branded bag), this stunner was ridden, but certainly not to the level which it is built for. Only a handful to telltale signs remain that give proof I didn’t just pull this straight off of the showroom floor, circa 2000.

To me, the most noticeable signs are at the shifters. This 9-speed setup has Shimano’s Total Integration (STI) for a brake and shift combo. During this era, there were some kinks still being worked out. One of which was aesthetic durability. The milky, anodized metal was perfected by Shimano long ago but the plastic made to look like metal was not. The painted plastic would scuff and show the true material beneath with nothing short of a stiff breeze. Maybe this isn’t as pleasing to the eye like something pristine but there is nothing like the honesty of wear, giving flavor and character that is achieved only by the passing of time and usage. So, the shifters, and their very minor aesthetic imperfections stayed with the build.

Many LeMond frames had the thoughtful addition of Greg’s signature on the top tube. Some like the purity of less being more. I don’t typically disagree with that. But in this case, I don’t mind the signature decal. To me, it adds balance to an energetic paint color and lively decal scheme. During this era of paint, however, the decals used were especially thick. So thick, you can feel them when you run your hand over the top and back to the tubing. During its previous ownership, I was told, a “bike lock mishap” occurred that knocked the long swoops of the “G” and “Y” decal off. As I’ve done for past projects, I once again called upon H Lloyd Cycles for their top notch decal services. Trimming out only what I needed on the new waterslides, I feel that the fit and finish worked out well. If I could fill the clear coating, I believe it might be almost undetectable. Still, even this is difficult to discover unless scrutinizing up close. And that’s good enough for me.

Steel is clearly the bedrock of what most vintage bicycles are crafted from and the type one is made from matters. Reynolds 853 is the top of the hierarchy within the Reynolds lineup and has been since its launch in 1995. A beautifully performing material that gives superb ride quality and excellent strength to weight ratio, especially within the road riding community. Shockingly, the strength to weight ratio equals that of Titanium frames. Plus, the 853 “shield” decal is one I’ve always had a thing for. To my eye, it is simply the chef’s kiss for style and an immediate look of superiority. Wouldn’t you agree?

American bikies had nursed a decades-long inferiority complex. We know we couldn’t compete with Europeans in the sport we loved. We’d had a bright moment or two. Fine performances from Jacques Boyer, Mike Neel and George Mount. We were delighted when they finished big races—amazed when they placed top-ten.

After all, they were competing with supermen from countries where cycling was a serious sport. In those countries, a tough man could pedal his way out of the mine, or factory, or off the farm. We knew we couldn’t cut it against those guys. We were just too soft. Or we were spoiled by our automatic transmission cars and remote control lifestyle. We were a third-rate cycling nation for sure. Always would be, we figured.

Until Greg LeMond.

Until Zurich.

Greg LeMond 1999 Product Catalog

2000 LeMond Product Catalog

Color: Primary blue and white
Frame Size: 53cm (C-T) seat post & 54cm (C-C) top tube
Frame/Drop-outs: Reynolds 853; LeMond custom drop-outs
Fork: Icon Air Rail carbon fiber
Bars: 3TTT Forma 2
Bar Tape: Fizik Tempo Microtex Bondcush, 3mm
Stem: 3TTT Record 84
Saddle: Selle Italia Flite Titanium Gel; Stitched
Seat Post: Alloy micro adjust
Crankset: Shimano Ultegra 6500 ; 52/42/30; 170mm
Front Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra 6500
Rear Derailleur: Shimano Ultegra 6500
Shifting/Brake Levers: Shimano Flight Deck Ultegra 6500 STI
Brake Calipers: Shimano Ultegra 6500; Shimano pads
Cable Housing: Jagwire Road Pro; Ice gray
Cassette: Shimano Ultegra 6500 9-Speed Hyper Glide (12/13/14/15/17/18/21/23/25)
Hubs: Rolf
Wheels: Rolf Vector Comp; 18 hole (front); 20 hole (rear); Rolf skewers
Tires: Vittoria Corsa Control G2.0; Black; 700×25
Special Features: Under-tube mounted brake cable guides; Two bottle cage mounts; Rear eyelets

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