Highlights Archives
Lance Armstrong's Winning Bicycle on Exhibit
On July 25th, 2004, American cyclist Lance Armstrong crossed the finish line in Paris to win his sixth Tour de France, becoming the first rider in history to do so. Armstrong won these titles riding bicycles made in Wisconsin by the Trek Bicycle Corporation. Come see how Trek follows a venerable tradition of Wisconsin invention and manufacturing success as the Wisconsin Historical Museum commemorates Trek's historical accomplishments with this latest exhibit. Highlighting the exhibition will be a Trek Madone 5.9 that Armstrong rode to victory in the 2003 Tour de France.
Founded in 1976 with five employees, Trek has become the largest independent bicycle manufacturer in America, with one of the best-known brands in the industry. Selling bikes in more than 60 countries, Trek has earned a global reputation for quality and innovation. The company kept its Wisconsin roots as it has grown, maintaining approximately 70 percent of its workforce in the Badger State.
So how did a fledgling business from Jefferson County come to dominate the high-end American bicycle industry? While Asian manufacturers steadily gobbled up market share with low-cost, mass-produced bikes, Trek expanded its presence by emphasizing quality materials and skilled engineering. Trek developed in-house proficiency with all the major materials used in bicycle production: steel, aluminum, titanium and carbon fiber. Trek's exclusive Optimum Compaction, Low Void (OCLV) process has enabled the company to make several generations of state-of-the-art bicycle frames and components. And Trek's designers have met consumer demand. The "Y" bike, featuring a full-suspension frame and revolutionary styling, was named Mountain Bike of the Year in 1995. Trek's Women Specific Design program, introduced in 2000, applied information about human body geometry to create bikes that would be more comfortable and efficient for women. The success of a fellow named Lance Armstrong didn't hurt either.
But the story is much more than Armstrong. The exhibit, "WISCONSINNOVATION," is on display July 19th through September 17th, 2005. It will explore Trek's successes, failures and business strategies from its early days to its present success as a model Wisconsin company in an era of global competition.
:: Posted July 7, 2005
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