Lance Armstrong’s Art Bikes Fetch Over A Milli
Over the weekend, Sotheby’s auctioned off the half dozen artist-styled road bikes Lance Armstrong has been racing this year. Part of an awareness effort for the STAGES art show now on view at Deitch Projects, the Trek bike sale brought in more than $1.2 million for the cyclist’s cancer-fighting efforts.
Kenny Scharf Trek Equinox TT – $45,000
Limited edition bongmaker Kenny Scharf designed this intergalactic time trial machine for the Giro D’Italia. Unhappy with Trek’s decal work, the psychedelic performance artist scrounged up a Sharpie and color in his comets last week, a custom touch that surely could have brought in a couple extra thousand had Sotheby’s made mention.
Shepard Fairey Trek Madone – $110,000
Appropriating artist Shepard Fairey used designs reminiscent of classical Italian architecture for this intricately embellished frame raced in the Giro d’Italia. But as Fairey has admitted hiding far more obvious sources, it’s anybody’s guess where these simple patterns actually came from.
Marc Newson Trek Speed Concept – $110,000
London-based designer Marc Newson created this bold stroboscopic design for Lance’s open time trial on the Tour de France, his first since “retiring” three years ago.
Stolen/Recovered Trek 1274/27.5 TTX – $130,000
During this year’s Tour of California, career criminal Lee Crider busted open Lance’s team trailer and stole this $10k bike which he only succeeded in fencing for $200, a paltry sum by any standard but especially the two-wheeler’s auctioned value, For that, he’s serving time in prison.
KAWS Trek Madone – $160,000
KAWS gave his toothy cartoon treatment to this Madone road bike before Lance crashed it on the first stage of Castilla y León, breaking his collar bone and putting a damper on his comeback.
Yoshitomo Nara – $200,000
During the Tour de France, Lance raced this time trial bike drawn up by Yoshitomo Nara, the Japanese pop artist who was busted for drawing $10k smiley faces on the subway.
Damien Hirst Trek Madone – $500,000
Hype artist Damien Hirst rehashed his butterfly wing motif, pasting actual insect parts on the frame Lance rode on the final stage Tour de France. The third place finisher reportedly “loves” the butterfly frame which PETA calls “barbaric and horrific.”





























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