What is Steve Hegg’s 1986 Columbia Funny Bike? Steve Hegg’s 1986 Columbia funny bike is a custom-built time trial machine constructed by Southern California frame builder Dave Tesch for Olympic gold medalist Steve Hegg. Wearing Classics by Columbia decals as sponsor branding, the bike features a Campagnolo Super Record drivetrain, Mavic cow horn bars, a carbon fiber disc rear wheel, and an extremely aggressive low front-end position. It is one of the most purpose-built funny bike examples from the late 1980s American racing scene.
SPECIAL THANKS TO CLASSICCYCLEUS.COM FOR THIS IMAGE CONTAINED IN THIS ARTICLE!
Look at this bike. Seriously — keep scrolling right, because the front end just keeps going. This week’s Bicycle of the Week is about as far from a casual Sunday tourer as it gets. Steve Hegg’s 1986 Columbia funny bike is a purpose-built time trial weapon from one of the most exciting eras in American cycling, and it comes with an Olympic gold medal story attached.
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The Man Behind the Machine
Before we talk about the bike, we need to talk about Steve Hegg. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Hegg won gold in the individual pursuit — one of cycling’s most demanding track disciplines, requiring both raw power and precise pacing over a grueling 4km effort. If you were watching on television that day, you may remember what happened after the final whistle: Hegg completed his victory lap around the velodrome carrying coach Eddie Borysewicz’s young son in his arms. It’s one of those moments that crystallized just how much that Olympic cycle meant to American cycling.
This funny bike was built a year or two after those games, and it carries that championship energy in every tube angle.
The Columbia Mystery
You may notice something odd about the branding. Classics by Columbia — the headtube badge and decals on this frame — was a line of old-fashioned cruisers and utility bikes. They did not make road bikes. They certainly did not make funny bikes. So what’s going on?
Current owner Aiden suspects that the frame was actually built by SoCal frame builder Dave Tesch, and that the Columbia decals were applied as sponsor branding for Hegg’s racing program. That theory was confirmed in an email from former National and Olympic Team racer Carl Sundquist, who knew firsthand that the bike was built specifically for Hegg to race under his sponsor’s colors.
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Built for Speed, Not Comfort
This funny bike is an exercise in aerodynamic extremity. The front end sits approximately 12 inches below the saddle height — an aggressive drop that puts the rider in a near-horizontal position and slices through the air like a blade. Mavic cow horn bars handle the steering, dropping the grip position another three or four inches below the stem connection point. There is nothing casual about this cockpit.
The component spec is pure late-1980s Italian excellence. The Campagnolo Super Record group gives the rider 12 gear ratios to work with, along with a headset and bottom bracket that are smooth and precise by any era’s standards. Thoughtful upgrades elevate it beyond standard Super Record spec: an aero-shaped Campagnolo C Record seatpost replaces the round Super Record model, C Record downtube shifters provide more positive gear retention, and C Record platform toe-clip pedals complete the picture. A Concor saddle keeps the rider planted on long efforts.
The wheel package is equally considered. Out back, a carbon fiber disc — a Zipp 950 model, slightly newer than the rest of the build — minimizes drag where it matters most. Up front, a smaller 650c handmade wheel spins on an American Classic hub laced with wide bladed spokes, reducing frontal area and cutting through crosswinds more cleanly than a full-size wheel.
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The Legacy of This Funny Bike
What makes this particular funny bike so special isn’t just the spec — it’s the provenance. A Dave Tesch custom frame, confirmed Olympic racing use, and a direct connection to one of the most celebrated moments of the 1984 Games. These things don’t come together often.
And then there’s the ending. According to the story, this same aerodynamic racing machine — built to chase gold medals on the velodrome — was later pressed into service with an aerodynamic baby seat attached, shuttling toddlers to day care in record time. Somehow that feels exactly right. An Olympic funny bike deserves an extraordinary second act.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who built Steve Hegg’s Columbia funny bike? The frame is believed to have been built by Southern California framebuilder Dave Tesch. This was confirmed by former National and Olympic Team racer Carl Sundquist, who knew the bike was constructed specifically for Steve Hegg to race under his sponsor’s branding.
Q: Why does the bike say “Columbia” if it’s a custom race bike? Classics by Columbia was Steve Hegg’s sponsor at the time. The Columbia decals and headtube badge were applied as sponsor branding, not because Columbia actually manufactured the frame. Classics by Columbia was known for cruisers and utility bikes — not time trial machines.
Q: What did Steve Hegg win at the 1984 Olympics? Steve Hegg won the gold medal in the individual pursuit at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. After his victory, he famously completed a lap of the velodrome carrying coach Eddie Borysewicz’s young son in his arms — one of the most memorable moments of that Games.
James Hickman is a former Expert coach with USA Cycling who coached cyclists across all skill levels, from CAT 2 racers to intermediate and beginning riders. He also served as a coach for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team In Training program, where he successfully trained individuals of varying abilities to complete century (100-mile) rides, combining his passion for cycling with meaningful community impact.
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