So he is continuing to try and emulate everything Jan has/does

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Matt

I really enjoyed the article.
Thank you!!

i don't think so, but, if he is, then bravo. here's somebody who understands that it makes sense to at least listen, watch, read, see, absorb what the best-in-class does, and then see what the takeaway is.

but i think you're missing the larger point. it's not just about what lionel decides. it's about a strategic decision. there are bike companies who have overpaid, and who continue to do so. canyon does not overpay. i don't think lionel is following jan. i think lionel and jan are following the same thing, which is a pathway (not just a bike, or a check), and canyon is providing that pathway.

one thing i tried mightily to do for this article was talk to the person who fit lionel for this bike, to see how that original pathway transpired. i called, left a bunch of messages, and i'm kind of bitter about that, because canyon is a consumer direct brand, and this pathway to purchase is an integral part of that brand's mission. here was a chance to display this. frustrating.

pardon the digression! but, lionel didn't follow jan, in my opinion. lionel followed what jan followed. i think specialized is good at this - providing not just a bike to its athletes, but a pathway to improvement. some bike brands do this better than others.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAnd cue slowtwitch meltdown in 5,4,3,2...

When is the group ride out in Palm Springs gonna happen?

Maybe you are right. I’m always hesitant to judge professional athletes who I don’t really know, but this is the same guy who had a picture of Jan taped to his wall right in front of his treadmill. Since there are faster bikes out the Canyon, you may be right that he choose this for bigger reasons, and that would make sense. But, superficially, I can’t help but think that this reeks of even more unguided, animalistic desperation than where he was last year after Kona. I hope I’m wrong.

how much bike sponsorship movement since mid-october have i been privy to? and still am spectating? or more than spectating? i don't know if they're good questions, but they're questions ;-)

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

It was actually a picture of Patrick Lange that was on the wall. But then again, he also rides a Canyon.

Not a bad strategy

It's disappointing that Garneau couldn't develop a bike to put under him. I know it would be insanely difficult for a small brand like that to completely redesign a new tri bike but seeing lionel's influence on the industry having him on a Canadian brand would be great for their sales. Or maybe it wasn't that great on their sales so they're deciding to just stay on as a kit/clothing sponsor and let Canyon get in on the bike game.

It's also disappointing since, as a Canadian, we can't buy Canyon's yet. Lionel's extremely influential and everyone already wants to ride what the world champ is riding. Hopefully they can penetrate into Canada soon.

I stand corrected!! Another talented German on a Canyon

I just got around to reading your article...sorry, but this doesn’t sound like someone who has learned much or is taking guidance from a coach or is basing his decision on a larger partnership opportunity. Unfortunately, it sounds like same old, same old. This is how my 9 year old picks sporting equipment. It’s unfathomable to me that a pro blithely does the same.


“I asked Sanders who he consulted when deciding which of the offers to take. “I didn’t need to consult with anyone,” he told me. “I just consulted the results, to see what they’re riding. Patrick and Jan are winning the biggest races in the world on a Canyon. Tony Martin is riding a Canyon. Now I’m on an equivalent bike.”

Ha. It reminds me of buying air jordans in the 90's thinking that I would now jump out of the gym!

This is just a bad, bad, bad, take.

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“The answer is hard work. What are you doing on Christmas Eve? Are you riding your bike? January 1st – are you riding your bike?”- Lance Armstrong

I think the bike is s good choice and emulating Jan isn’t the worst thing in the world. That being said he’s had a history of just doing what Jan does:
- Went vegetarian/plant based because that was what Jan did
- Switched from the P1 pedals which he was always saying how much he liked to Speedplay because that’s what Jan was using

I think there are some more things as well, I don’t watch a ton of his videos or read all of his interviews. But when I have he’s often talking about what Jan is doing (gear, nutrition, workouts) and he often ventures down that road. Again, not the worst person to copy since Jan is detail oriented and wildly successful. My next question is, who is Jan’s coach???

For Canyon, I think it’s a great signing. Not sure how much they’re spending on marketing/sponsorship, but to have the back-to-back world champ and Kona record holder (Lange), the guy who may be the GOAT (Jan), and the most talked about and polarizing athlete (Sanders) on your roster is big.

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Matt

Jan was the picture he had up before Lange won, than Jan got taken down and Lange was put up

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Ask me how much I love my Kiwami LD Aero Trisuit

Maybe Slowman will explain how he take his post above and that quote and makes sense out of it... Especially considering Slowman's mantra on how to pick a bike.

Looking at the youtube video, I'm not impressed about the fit and Lionel's description of the fitting process.

Just got out of the pool, saw the instigram post from Lionel 3+ hours ago..came here fully expecting the site to be down! Did you upgrade the server in anticipation?

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Ask me how much I love my Kiwami LD Aero Trisuit

It's good to see he is learning from previous mistakes /pink.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

He needs to replace their pictures with one of himself. Seems he’s his own worst enemy at times with self doubt. How much is he gaining going from Garneau to Canyon? I would hope he measured the gains before going all in.

So how bad is it that Cervelo can't get the premier Canadian (Fanbase perspective, and results too) on their bike?

Position looks cleaned up.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

According to the article, that's exactly what he is doing: “I didn’t need to consult with anyone,” he told me. “I just consulted the results, to see what they’re riding. Patrick and Jan are winning the biggest races in the world on a Canyon. Tony Martin is riding a Canyon. Now I’m on an equivalent bike.”

The Canyon probably isn't bad, but I doubt it has anything on the Garneau. I haven't seen independent aero testing on either.

I wonder about the extreme Kamm truncation that is the fashion these days. The P5 still wins all the aero tests and only has a modest Kamm at the seattube, and normal airfoils elsewhere. The Shiv TT which is unquestionably the winningest TT bike over the last 9 years, has no Kamm. Cancellara and Martin both instantly sucked when they moved to other bikes.... ;)

Just looked an I can't find the Gennix on Garneau's site. Is it even for sale anymore?

I love that you helped boost the 'Start a new Lionel' thread count today :) My guess was 6, half way there...

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

you're asking 2 things i think. first, the bike brand decision. i think it's fine. great in fact. the speedmaxes are highly adjustable, and i think the only question really is whether he should be on a size S or M. we'll see. he's on an M now. i asked several times how his fitter made that decision, and i'm yet to get an answer on that. but, the brand and model, it's fine for him.

now, about how specifically the bike is chosen. canyon has a solid process for that, once you know your fit coordinates. we'll be helping you (slowtwitchers) along with that. was that process followed by the fitter? don't know. how was the bike size chosen? don't know. canyon wasn't lionel's fitter. but i'm going to remain pushy on this, because one of lionel's strengths, and part of his charm, is his transparency. that's some of what canyon is investing in (or it would be if i was canyon). there is no greater need for transparency, for canyon, than here. so, i love lionel, i love the idea of lionel, i love the brand lionel. but, prospective canyon buyers deserve an answer to your question, and i'm going to push for that.

and finally, there are some bikes that lionel might have have been a good match with. lionel specifically admires the scott plasma premium. that bike has nowhere near the adjustability of the canyon. so, that's a bike where i really don't think you could do a deal until you know you could fit it. i helped sika henry choose a plasma premium, but, i fit her, i had her fit coordinates, i built the pad x/y prescriber for scott, so i knew how that bike worked, it was a match, i built up the bike, whammo, done. but that's the process. canyon, no need to be quite so hinky. canyon's going to be a great match for lionel.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman