You guys are making it too complicated
WW,
This is triathlon and this is ST - it always has to be way more complicated than it really is! 
You guys are making it too complicated
- Trek is an American company
- Trek want to sponsor Americans
- Trek wants to sponsors the best
- There are no outstanding American Triathletes
Therefore, there are no Triathletes riding Trek.
I know a couple of outstanding American AG triathletes (one on this thread) that are sponsored by Trek. Maybe Trek realizes that the average triathlete relates to and is more influenced by an exceptional AGer than a Pro.
Hey trek, sponsor me! Iâm american and I have potential!
Just donât watch me run ok?
âMy point is, just because a company (such as Trek) is wide ranging in their brand doesnât mean they canât excel on the top end.â
I absolutely agree, and your examples do well to support that fact.
Companies may make a choice to narrow their product lines though, and that focus may speak to some consumers in terms of brand recognition.
Hey trek, sponsor me! Iâm american and I have potential!
After you earn a resume like Bruceâs, write them a letter. They might talk to you.
Support Crew
Letâs try an automotive analogy: BMW, Mercedes, Ferrari, even Honda are all active in Formula 1
Honda pulled out you knowâŚ
Trek actually has a history of sponsored triathletes and has had very good success with them.
Keep in mind the number of men who have won Kona on a Cervelo still = zero
Trek = two with Tim deBoom
Specialized = four with Peter Reid and Macca
Chris Lieto is not to be underestimated this year. I think he is in a perfect position to do very well next year in Hawaii since he has already qualified at IMAZ and will be able to design his whole season around getting to hawaii ready.
Sorry to pick nits but DeBoom won once while riding Trek (going 1-2 in 2002 with DeBoom and Reid).
Chris Lieto is not to be underestimated this year. I think he is in a perfect position to do very well next year in Hawaii since he has already qualified at IMAZ and will be able to design his whole season around getting to hawaii ready.
So, what you are saying Ian, is that Chris would be Trekâs the set up guy for Lance in 2010?
I still like Macca for another win . . and he rides the right bike! 
Notice: Ferrari doesnât make pick-up trucks.
Of course though Lamborghini make tractors though - ok I know that the Tractor part are now own by Same Deutz-Fahr and not part of the VW group which is now of course almost own by Porsche that own the car manufacturers.
I think you are right though I know of more people that ride P3âs and P2âs than Exiquinoxâs yet Cervelo still some how feels more exclusive - like being in the inner circle. I think its because if a friend who does a bit of riding asks what bike you ride and you say a Cervelo they will likely never have heard of them yet if you say a Trek they will have. My mtbâs are both Trek and I know alot of the local road racers ride them because one of the shops that support local clubs is a Trek dealer and only sell Trek bikes and Orange MTBâs. I also think (maybe not now - I havenât really compared the prices) at one point you could probably get a little more bang for your bucks by a bike from the likes of Cervelo.
Right you are. I stand corrected.
My first Tri bike was a Trek and it performed great for two years until I got caught up in the âneedâ for carbon.
Captdav1
I think Karen Smyers won Hawaii on a Trek, plus a shitload of other races including a world champ or 2.
Pigg didnât have Kona success on a Trek but huge short-course.
To me Trek is like chevy. Itâs a good solid brand and much of itâs lineup is without bells and whistles. But remember chevy also makes the corvette. And Trek has a couple of corvettes too.
but letâs not forget that Chevy/buick/pontiac (itâs all the same) have also created beauties like this:
As a F1 fan, sad to see Honda go but happy to see Nick Fry gone too. Go KIMI!
Who is bruce? what do I need to do?
Hey trek, sponsor me! Iâm american and I have potential!
After you earn a resume like Bruceâs, write them a letter. They might talk to you.
Support Crew
You guys are making it too complicated
- Trek is an American company
- Trek want to sponsor Americans
- Trek wants to sponsors the best
- There are no outstanding American Triathletes
Therefore, there are no Triathletes riding Trek.
I know a couple of outstanding American AG triathletes (one on this thread) that are sponsored by Trek. Maybe Trek realizes that the average triathlete relates to and is more influenced by an exceptional AGer than a Pro.
Interesting perspectives.
First, âthere are no outstanding American Triathletesâ is just plain wrong, and I think we all know that (do I really need to list names here?). And I wouldnât say, Lieto and a few other Americanâs on Trek exactly suck. Also, if Trek only wants to sponsor the best, they wouldnât support Team Timex (primarily and AG team) so well, and be starting a triathlon race series.
Second, the idea that consumers are more influenced by AGâers then pros always makes me laugh. All you have to do is stand in transition at a large triathlon and listen. I would agree that triathletes will say they arenât influenced by pros (even in a ST poll) but the reality is nearly everyone in transition is studying the pro setups and following what the pros ride.
I canât site references etc. at the moment but I did a story a few years back on this topic. There have been several studies that have shown, basically, people lie in polls, and questionairres. Sub-consiously we try to give the answer we think the questioner wants to hear. So, you gotta go back to basic human nature, which is that we are always drawn to and intrigued by the best in anything, be it ping pong, football, golf, chess, triathlon or anything.
That said, as a bike company you do need to address the AGâs but it is intriguing to me that many companies and tri shops will heavily sponsor AGâs. It seems to me you wouldnât want to be giving away product to the very people who are supposed to be your customer base. But, I am sure that is something for another thread.
anyway, my point is, Timex is basically a professionalized AG team. Treks heavy invovlment with them should illustrate thier intrest in the AGâs.
Now, this might be one for another thread but it seems to me, if I were and AG I would be a bit pissed that some of my competition are basically pro athletes but still competeing against me for over all placing and qualifications. Basically, many of these âeliteâ AGâs are more pro then the pros. Is it really fair to have sponsorship of this level in the AGâs? Doesnât that make for and uneven playing field? It seems, if you feel you want or deserve sponsorship you should step up to the pros.
And lets not get into the AGâs have jobs etc. This is triathlon not NFL. The vast majority of the pros have jobs as well.
Jimmy
I ainât saying heâs gonna beat Macca but i do think he represents their brand very well and is a great sports marketing asset for them. (and an underutilized one as well)
So, you gotta go back to basic human nature, which is that we are always drawn to and intrigued by the best in anything, be it ping pong, football, golf, chess, triathlon or anything.
I agree with you on that one. The AGers are drawn to the best - sometimes the best AGers! I have had feedback from a number of sponsors who say they get more attention for their product when used by a well recognized AGer, than a Pro. If we assume that poll respondents lie, any poll data to reflect either position is null.
As far as bike companies heavily sponsoring AGers. I donât know that I have seen much evidence of that. I only know a few of AGers who have ever gotten anything more than a discount on a bike.
I do not understand how a âsponsoredâ athlete has any advantage over a paying one when it comes to actual performance. Both have equal access to the best equipement. The only advantage would be to a lower income athlete who may not be able to otherwise afford the equipment. It really isnât supposed to be about who had the most disposable income. In fact, if someone is talented enough to get sponsorship, and needs the financial help - more power to them! If they are good enough to win prize money, they will go pro soon enough.
And lets not get into the AGâs have jobs etc. This is triathlon not NFL. The vast majority of the pros have jobs as well.
You make a good point here. It is not Pro vs Amateur in Triathlon. A sponsored AGer is not a Pro. And a âproâ does not mean one earns income from the sport. âProâ ranking has nothing to do with income sources. In Triathlon, Pro is a division one qualifies for and enters in order to be eligible for prize money. AG is just everyone else racing for âsportâ. If it were Pro vs Amateur then a lot of âProsâ could complain about the athletes racing in the Pro division that support themselves in regular jobs. Support Crew
I shouldnât have said âlieâ in regards to polls etc. It isnât lying, it is more a subconscious attempt to answer the question correctly. To say people lie is a bit harsh.
I see what you are saying about sponsorship.
As for the pro/AG thing. I would really like to see the pro category done away with in nearly all races (obviously there will be exceptions). I would rather see a âmoney waveâ where anyone wanting to race for money would race head to head. This would clear up some of the confusion over whoâs faster, why did that AG beat this pro etc.
As for the AG sponsorship thing. I know of quite a few AG athletes who are getting complete bikes from either the manufacturer or a shop. Yes, access to equipment may not necessarily be an advantage, and for the most part triathletes can afford to buy whatever they need. But, if one athlete is getting top of the line equipment, maybe bonuses, maybe travel help. And another athlete is racing strictly out of their own pocket, and both are trying to qualify for AG worlds, 70.3 or IM it seems we have a serious question as to the sportsmanship of the situation. Basically, the one athlete has a potential advantage over the other, whether or not the implementation of the sponsorship has allowed for an actual advantage.
Basically, all I am saying, is if I was racing AG I would be a bit pissed that some of my direct competition are getting quite a bit of help and from a, not always, performance based selection. (i.e. the AG sponsorships are not always based on how well you race.)
Just thoughts. Iâm not trying to rattle any cages.
Jimmy
I bet starting next year you will see many more top woman AGers and pros riding Trek. Rumor has it there are a couple smaller models coming out in the not so distant future. With the current sizing, a vast majority of women would not be able to fit on a Trek carbon tri-bike.
Jodi