Tommy’s Top-Notch Two-Wheeled Transportation: SCOTT CR1. The sport of skiing was revolutionized with a technical innovation from Ed Scott, a talented engineer and ski racer living in Sun Valley, Idaho. Ed Scott’s invention of the first tapered aluminum ski pole immediately replaced the sport’s existing use of bamboo and steel.
From there, the company basically took off. Making different stuff for different sports, they launched a motocross goggle in 1970, later dropping motocross grips, boots, and accessories. Then, in 1989, SCOTT introduced one of the most significant product innovations in the history of cycling—the aerodynamic handlebar.
This handlebar, shaped by Charley French, was strategically utilized by American Greg LeMond in his 1989 Tour de France win. Charley French was an aerospace engineer turned innovator, with a ton of scientific contributions.
When he made the aero bar, he and his buddy went to the top of a hill and coasted down together, both with their normal bikes, both arriving at the bottom at the same time. Then they put the WOOD aero test bar on his buddy Boon’s bike, and at the bottom of the hill Boon was like six bike lengths ahead. Then they switched the bars to Charley’s bike, and he was six lengths ahead.
Charley was the first person to use the bars in competition, winning his age group in the Ironman. Triathletes took to the bars quick. Then Boon was in France and convinced Greg LeMond to use the bars in the TT, where Greg dumped on Frenchman Laurent Fignon by over a minute in the 24.5 km final time trial.
SCOTT and Charley both continued to do incredible bike-related innovations, including this CR1, which is full Campy and weighs under 17 pounds. Come in and take it for a spin.
- Tom Chapel
