T-Mar

I remember there being a big squabble over the bicycles to be used by the USA team. Murray was the official Bicycle Manufacturer for the Olympic Games, having purchased it from Southland Corporation. Murray was also sponsor of Southland's 7-Eleven team and it was obvious they weren't going to sell the license to Huffy/Raleigh. However, the USCF was desperate for money and sold Huffy/Raleigh the title of official supplier to the US national team. Each party was trying to get the riders on their brand of bicycles. It escalated to the point where the IOC stepped in and said that riders couldn't be forced to use something that they did not want to. Raleigh got a small victory in that the Team Trial Trial and Team Pursuit bicycle had to be aerodynamically compatible and the decision was left to the coaches, who chose Raleigh based on the extensive R&D they had put into these bicycles. It's ironic that in the end, the iconic cycling image is not of a Murray or Raleigh, but Alexi Grewal's Pinarello.

I'm wondering if some of the rider's took the IOC decision to the nth degree and mixed and matched components. After all, it is well known that Grewal used Dura-Ace AX crank and pedals on his otherwise SunTour Superbe Pro equipped Pinarello. If it was me, I'd probably choose wheels with Camapgnolo hubs even if the rest of my bicycle wasn't Camapgnolo, given that Campagnolo was providing neutral support. I wouldn't want the risk of some incompatibility issue after a flat.

I found a small Levi's Raleigh team picture from a 1984 advertisement. You can just make out that the men's jerseys have a Shimano logo but the women's jerseys have are curiously vacant in the same spot.