OK, admittedly, this is getting a bit ahead of myself. My main goal is to lose weight and build up to longer rides this year, but I can't seem to stop dreaming about that next bike I would like to buy. So I tend to get caught in a "rabbit hole", as my (much) better half likes to say, researching seemingly endlessly on the internet for bikes and equipment. All really pointless until I lose some more weight I think, but it sure is fun, right?
In the past, I rode a Ciocc racing bike. It was quick and very responsive, however, on a long ride, I would get sore. It had a rougher ride and you could feel all the bumps. For a few years I rode my Mercian Vincitore touring bike, though admittedly, I did not put all that many miles on it. It definitively was more comfortable, but I remember thinking it felt a little dead. Clearly it did not have the same get up and go I was used to in my Ciocc. The comfort bike I am riding now is very comfortable, but it is not responsive and it a way I find it harder to ride because you cannot really stand up to power up hills and such.
What type of bike to get next??? I have been trying to find a bike that would have some speed if I want it, but also one that is comfortable on a long ride of up to 100 miles or more. (Yes, I know I am thinking way ahead here). I have come across a number of websites and blogs that talk about randonneuring. The
Randonneurs USA website defines randonneuring like this:
Randonneuring is long-distance unsupported endurance cycling. This style of riding is non-competitive in nature, and self-sufficiency is paramount. When riders participate in randonneuring events, they are part of a long tradition that goes back to the beginning of the sport of cycling in France and Italy. Friendly camaraderie, not competition, is the hallmark of randonneuring.
A bike designed for randonneuring is meant to be capable of speed if needed, but also for comfort on a long ride. They are designed to carry weight up. A rider wants to have everything they need to be accessible while riding, so this necessitates a bag on the front of the bike. While the the design makes the bike stable with a front load, most riders (that I have read about) describe the bike as more stable and comfortable in general, even without a front load. Many say they do not notice a handling difference when loaded versus not, which would seem to be the point, right? I won't talk about geometry here, but there are different areas of thought on the subject. Some believe the bike should have a low-trail, which has to do with the fork angle and rake, but I don't profess to be an expert, so I will not try to explain it here. There are some very polarized views on the subject. In general, a bike set up for light touring should work as a start. A comfortable saddle is a must. I have never owned a
Brooks saddle, but I understand that once broken in, there is nothing more comfortable. I have used Selle San Marco saddles, but those were more or less for racing, not comfort. I would also like to try a
Selle Anotomica saddle. They say they do not need to be broken in and are very comfortable.
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| Brooks B17 |
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| Selle Anotomica Titanico |
Bigger diameter tires can also help make the bike more comfortable. My Mercian has 23mm tires, but for randonneuring and comfort, a tire diameter of 32-42mm (or bigger) can help considerably. They run at lower pressures and provide a more comfortable ride.
I may consider a customer bike as a reward when I reach my weight goal. We shall see. When I was younger I would drool over the custom
Davidson Bicycles, a local Seattle builder or
Rodriguez, another Seattle custom bike builder. But while these bikes would be fully custom, I still need to figure out exactly what I want because a customer racing bike is different than a custom touring bike.
I may play with my Mercian. It is a touring frame and is relatively comfortable. I can swap out the saddle with one of those above. I was considering switching to 650b wheels, to have the ability to add a larger diameter tire, however, I realize I have plenty of clearance between the fork and tire, so I can probably try a larger diameter 700c tire. Taking some crude measurement, it even appears to be a low-trail bike, though at the upper end of the range. However, it will likely become more neutral adding bigger tires. Fortunately I have another set of Campagnolo Nuovo Record hubs, so I can keep my current wheel set and have some built with wider rims to handle a bigger tire. I believe I currently have a racing freewheel on it, so I would likely put a freewheel with a larger range on and maybe switch to a triple crank in front to give myself a wide range of gearing. While I could get a newer style hubs that could handle a 10 speed rear cassette, that would require work to my frame and would move it too far from it vintage state. I would prefer to keep this bike as vintage as possible. Now if I go with a custom bike at some point, all bets are off. Sram, indexed shifting, oh my! As a side note, I have never used anything other than friction shifters on the downtube for shifing on a road bike. When Campagnolo Ergo and Shimano STI shifters came out in the early nineties, I drooled and couldn't wait to try them, but never did.
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| My Mercian in its current state |
I guess that is enough for now, I need to escape from my rabbit hole...
For more information on randonneuring, randonneuring bikes and low trail bikes visit:
Also, check out the
Lovely Bicycle! blog, written by Veluria (Constance Winters), who also writes for Bicycling Magazine. She compares several different randonneuring style bikes, talks about what low-trail bikes are and compares Rivendell and a Jan Heine style low-trail bike.
Velo-Orange has quickly become one of my favorite sites as well, with lots of great accessories and even some randonneuring style frames at reasonable prices.
A final note, I have no affiliation with any of the referenced websites or links. I do not advertise or receive any compensation for recommending any products. All opinions and ideas (right or wrong) were generated through my own "rabbit hole" research. I don't profess to be an expert on anything, so always get a second opinion.
