During the 90s I used to cross over to Europe to watch most of the Classic races, and have watched the Paris-Roubaix since 1982. However in 93 or was it 96, I decided to follow the Liege-Bastogne-Liege and missed out on the P-R.That year Steve Bauer introduced his Special long-wheelbase bike in its Motorola colours as I recall - red, metallic blue and silver.
One of the great advantages of the L-B-L is that all the teams collect in hotels in Liege and on the Saturday afternoon there used to be, probably still is, a big exhibition by sponsors and a presentation of the teams and riders. It's a fantastic day-out for groupies and autograph collectors. Merckx's teams always seemes to stay at the Holiday Inn which was just next-door the the Conference Centre where the presentations were held.
The teams use the car park outside the hotel as a pit-lane and spectators can mingle very freely with mechanics and riders alike. On the Saturday in question Steve Bauers bike was leaning very prominently against the hotel wall on full display and attracting no end of attention.. for very obvious reasons. On these pre-race days Eddy, the man himself, was always available to talk the talk with the spectators, and on that day he looked incredibly embarassed as he tried to explain away the abortion in metal tubes that sported his decals.
he admiited to thinking it was grotesque but it was what Steve had requested.. and as Eddy said... "I only build these things these days. I don't have to ride them.. or like them!" He explained Steve's theory that the bike would be very stable and comfortable over the rough Belgian and French pave, and that the slack seat angle - about 68/69 deg. would enable him to sit back and virtually push the bike up the long sharp climbs sprinkled along the route. The top-tube appeared immensely long even though the head tube had been slackened a little, but not too much.
About half way through the race the route descends sharply into a village before taking a 90 deg R/H turn up a very steep and cobbled climb. The corner normally catches riders out and finds them in the wrong gear for the abrupt climb. Bauer had no such problems becasue as he slowed to manouevre the corner he had the utmost difficulty getting the machine to complete the turn.. it just didn't seem to want to go round right-handers. Goodness knows what the caster angle and offset must have been
Back at the pits at the end of the race Eddy shruugged his shoulders knowingly as if to imply "Well, I told him it wouldn't steer" If the machine has since been scrapped it would be no surprise as eddy certainly take much pleasure in seeing his name on such an inelegant and impractical "racing" bike.
Norris Lockley
(..now full of nostalgia for those long gone days when bikes were made of steel, had lugs, and all the brands had their own distinct character making it worthwhile to go and spend an afternoon drooling over them..)