Lance Armstrong and Team Radio Shack pro cycling team

[Tosh]

Today's announcement on cyclingnews.com

"RadioShack has been confirmed as the sponsor of a new American ProTour squad, to be led by Lance Armstrong in the 2010 season."

This must be RS' last dying PR gasp before they fold? Only in the most dire emergency will I step foot into this rip-off mart (and there's one two blocks away from me). I guess it could have been worse: I was fearing the new sponsor would have been MicroSnot (also in need of a PR jump start).

And Lance is no spring chicken anymore either, although obviously a cycling legend and still one of the best.

Will this make you feel better about RS and spend your money there? I had thought most people thought they were a joke.

[janneman]

Originally posted by Tosh
Today's announcement on cyclingnews.com

"RadioShack has been confirmed as the sponsor of a new American ProTour squad, to be led by Lance Armstrong in the 2010 season."

This must be RS' last dying PR gasp before they fold? Only in the most dire emergency will I step foot into this rip-off mart (and there's one two blocks away from me). I guess it could have been worse: I was fearing the new sponsor would have been MicroSnot (also in need of a PR jump start).

And Lance is no spring chicken anymore either, although obviously a cycling legend and still one of the best.

I saw Lance today in the Tour de France. Yes, he's still good, but he also is obviously an old man. Not good enough for a 7th victory.

jd

[star882]

Since hybrid race cars are just starting to emerge (and consumer hybrid cars have already became mainstream), what about apply a similar idea to make a hybrid racing bicycle? There is already a hybrid out there with a 1/4 mile time of 17-18 seconds!
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/vie...hp?f=6&t=10301

I already see some possible improvements. Rewire the battery pack for higher voltage but lower current to lighten up the wiring and build an inverter that is designed for the higher voltage, then rewind the motor/generator for the higher voltage. (Since common IGBTs are available up to 1200v, does a hybrid racer with a nominal pack voltage of 800v at 50A sound like a fun engineering project?)

[eclectic2k]

Originally posted by Tosh
Will this make you feel better about RS and spend your money there? I had thought most people thought they were a joke. [/B]

Well mostly a joke. Though some now only sell RC helicopters and cell phones, there is at least one near my home that still has wires, soldering tools, small perf boards, resistors, a decent selection of basic audio cables, etc...

Still handy when I need something and don't feel like ordering online or visiting one of the few remaining parts counters (which aren't so nearby) -- Despite Radio Shack being mostly a joke, I hope they stick around and do well. Even if they don't have many answers.

As for Lance, he may be past his prime as well, but he's still good enough to make for a good race.

-CK

[Jan Dupont]

Not good enough for a 7th victory.

Sorry but that would be the 8th victory

Working close with some PR guys for many years ealier, I know these team sponserships are very well calculated. A stage win in the tour normally has a PR value for the specific sponser of app. 2-3 mil. dollars (calculated to the sponsers marked segment).

Many of the team sponsers in the tour de france does it only to marketing them self in their home countries. Products from many team sponsers are not accessable in e.g. Denmark (my country). RS (Radio Shack) is not reprecented in e.g. Denmark.

The Danish Saxo Bank is sponser for the "Danish" team Saxo Bank. Saxo Bank is a bank mostly for investors (and therefore of very little interest to common people in Denmark), but I know they get full value for their sponsership.

[DigitalJunkie]

does a hybrid racer with a nominal pack voltage of 800v at 50A sound like a fun engineering project?

I'm not riding it until ALL the bugs are worked out!
800V and 50A doesn't sound like something I want between my legs,if something were to 'go wrong'..

[Enzo]

If you are looking at them as an electronics parts store, then yes, Radio Shack is pretty silly. But RS doesn;t care about the parts market, they have been phasing it out for years. They are there to sell consumer electronics goods and services to consumers. They sell Cell phones, TV stuff, Computer stuff, GPS thingies for your car. I don't know that a Garmin GPS is any less desirable from there as from anywhere else. And a lot of people are more comfortable parking in front of a small storefront like Radio Shack and walking right in the door, than parking 200 yards away in a multi-acre parking lot and then navigating to the far end of a giant Best Buy store.

[panomaniac]

Originally posted by janneman
..obviously an old man. Not good enough for a 7th victory.

Didn't I see that he is in 3rd place today (19eme etape)?
Only Ventoux and Paris left.

Not bad for an "old man."

[AndrewT]

I'll agree that Lance Armstrong is probably past his best, but he managed to increase his lead over our Bradley by 4seconds with that spurt to keep in touch with the lead group, whereas Mr Wiggins was the first of the next group.
Tactics seems to still be useful, not just muscle power.

[panomaniac]

Yeah, it's hard to think of Armstrong riding "smarter" - But I guess he is.

Contador will take it, for sure. But Lance should maintain 3rd, right?