Comments on: Matt Eaton-Low Budget Superstar http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/ Thu, 17 May 2012 11:20:36 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Dave Eaton http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-501351 Dave Eaton Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:00:24 +0000 http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-501351 Matt's bike was made by OLMO, ITALY. Now afamily heirloom I still have it and won a Masters' USCF Championship on it in 1984. Matt’s bike was made by OLMO, ITALY.
Now afamily heirloom I still have it and won a Masters’ USCF Championship on it in 1984.

]]> By: Graham Slater http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-35878 Graham Slater Mon, 29 Oct 2007 23:29:40 +0000 http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-35878 Matt Eaton tried to put me in Thomas Craven's barbeque after the Carolina Cup in 1988. I was 4. It was scary. Matt Eaton tried to put me in Thomas Craven’s barbeque after the Carolina Cup in 1988. I was 4. It was scary.

]]> By: Ed http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-32404 Ed Tue, 16 Oct 2007 15:26:52 +0000 http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-32404 Quote: Kerry wrote: Here’s what they rode by year: ‘81: Schwinn ‘82-84: ?? ‘85: Murray ‘86: Murray (although Serotta became the official supplier in ‘86) ‘87: Huffy ‘88: Huffy again, but some were Serottas and rumored to also be De Rosa and Landshark (Hampsten rode a Landshark in his Giro win) ‘89-’90: Merckx ‘91: 7-11 dissolved and became Motorola, also on Merckx bikes. _____________________________________ Much of the above is incorrect. As noted previously, Serotta supplied most of the Murray and Huffy frames ridden by 7-Eleven, though there may have been individual exceptions like Andy Hampsten's Slawta-built Giro bike. Serotta became the official supplier of 7-Eleven in 1983, not 1986. I think it's extremely unlikely that 7-Eleven was riding any bikes actually built by either Murray or Huffy, as this timeline implies. They were mostly Serottas, as the Serotta website also explains. Quote: Kerry wrote:

Here’s what they rode by year:
‘81: Schwinn
‘82-84: ??
‘85: Murray
‘86: Murray (although Serotta became the official supplier in ‘86)
‘87: Huffy
‘88: Huffy again, but some were Serottas and rumored to also be De Rosa and Landshark (Hampsten rode a Landshark in his Giro win)
‘89-’90: Merckx
‘91: 7-11 dissolved and became Motorola, also on Merckx bikes.
_____________________________________
Much of the above is incorrect. As noted previously, Serotta supplied most of the Murray and Huffy frames ridden by 7-Eleven, though there may have been individual exceptions like Andy Hampsten’s Slawta-built Giro bike. Serotta became the official supplier of 7-Eleven in 1983, not 1986. I think it’s extremely unlikely that 7-Eleven was riding any bikes actually built by either Murray or Huffy, as this timeline implies. They were mostly Serottas, as the Serotta website also explains.

]]> By: Mark http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-24720 Mark Thu, 09 Aug 2007 19:07:53 +0000 http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-24720 Pete, The spring of '83 Matt Eaton traveled to Durham, NC. Stayed in town, trained with us locals. I remember doing a little work on that bike at Bull City Bikes. He was a temperamental but inspiring racer. I remember him going for broke in a local crit and then dropping out. He was putting the fitness together for this performance though. As the 80's progressed there came to be many generic Italian produced frames marketed with American brands like this Nasbar model or made-up Euro-sounding names like Tommasso (the house brand of Ten Speed Drive Imports). They were well made. Nearly all production was going towards investment cast lugs. That simplified production and lowered costs for what was probably close to equal of makes we didn't turn our nose up at. The difference wasn't in quality of materials it was more like marketing of hand made against high prduction. I had heard that Ten Speed DI brought in bare frames and painted with Dupont Imron for want of quality control. My early eighties Colnago had a paint-job that went to hell fast. Pete, The spring of ‘83 Matt Eaton traveled to Durham, NC. Stayed in town, trained with us locals. I remember doing a little work on that bike at Bull City Bikes. He was a temperamental but inspiring racer. I remember him going for broke in a local crit and then dropping out. He was putting the fitness together for this performance though.
As the 80’s progressed there came to be many generic Italian produced frames marketed with American brands like this Nasbar model or made-up Euro-sounding names like Tommasso (the house brand of Ten Speed Drive Imports). They were well made. Nearly all production was going towards investment cast lugs. That simplified production and lowered costs for what was probably close to equal of makes we didn’t turn our nose up at. The difference wasn’t in quality of materials it was more like marketing of hand made against high prduction. I had heard that Ten Speed DI brought in bare frames and painted with Dupont Imron for want of quality control. My early eighties Colnago had a paint-job that went to hell fast.

]]> By: Tom http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-21097 Tom Sun, 08 Jul 2007 22:47:43 +0000 http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-21097 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=466755&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490 Peter, you need to check this out. See link above. What do you make of this? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=466755&in_page_id=1766&ito=1490
Peter, you need to check this out. See link above. What do you make of this?

]]> By: steevo http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-20846 steevo Sat, 07 Jul 2007 01:02:39 +0000 http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-20846 I know somebody who might know. Matt Eaton was the Pride of Renfrew PA. The Jersey from that race is at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh PA. I know somebody who might know.
Matt Eaton was the Pride of Renfrew PA.
The Jersey from that race is at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh PA.

]]> By: Dana http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-20707 Dana Thu, 05 Jul 2007 23:16:36 +0000 http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-20707 As a teenager I had the Campy poster of Greg and Bernard going hand in hand across the finish line at Alpe d'Huez in 1986. While I loved the poster, the pubescent bike snob in me loathed the HUFFY head badges. As a teenager I had the Campy poster of Greg and Bernard going hand in hand across the finish line at Alpe d’Huez in 1986. While I loved the poster, the pubescent bike snob in me loathed the HUFFY head badges.

]]> By: Kerry http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-20388 Kerry Tue, 03 Jul 2007 02:00:43 +0000 http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-20388 Here's what they rode by year: '81: Schwinn '82-84: ?? '85: Murray '86: Murray (although Serotta became the official supplier in '86) '87: Huffy '88: Huffy again, but some were Serottas and rumored to also be De Rosa and Landshark (Hampsten rode a Landshark in his Giro win) '89-'90: Merckx '91: 7-11 dissolved and became Motorola, also on Merckx bikes. Here’s what they rode by year:
‘81: Schwinn
‘82-84: ??
‘85: Murray
‘86: Murray (although Serotta became the official supplier in ‘86)
‘87: Huffy
‘88: Huffy again, but some were Serottas and rumored to also be De Rosa and Landshark (Hampsten rode a Landshark in his Giro win)
‘89-’90: Merckx
‘91: 7-11 dissolved and became Motorola, also on Merckx bikes.

]]> By: pietro http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-20385 pietro Tue, 03 Jul 2007 01:42:21 +0000 http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-20385 Sebastian- I just realized that 7-Eleven rode Huffy-stickered bikes after their Murray days in the late 80s, probably at the same time that you posted your comment. I'm pretty sure that Ben Serotta supplied both the Murray and Huffy edition 7-Eleven team bikes. Greg LeMond had a lengthy allegience to Della Santa, but I'm not sure if the other La Vie Claire bikes were also Della Santas. Sebastian-
I just realized that 7-Eleven rode Huffy-stickered bikes after their Murray days in the late 80s, probably at the same time that you posted your comment. I’m pretty sure that Ben Serotta supplied both the Murray and Huffy edition 7-Eleven team bikes. Greg LeMond had a lengthy allegience to Della Santa, but I’m not sure if the other La Vie Claire bikes were also Della Santas.

]]> By: sebastian http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-20383 sebastian Tue, 03 Jul 2007 01:34:18 +0000 http://www.bobkestrut.com/2007/07/02/matt-eaton-low-budget-superstar/#comment-20383 Didn't 7-Eleven ride Huffies from (at least) 86 to 88? Were they actually something else? Please explain. This has always confused me. Didn’t 7-Eleven ride Huffies from (at least) 86 to 88? Were they actually something else? Please explain. This has always confused me.

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