# brevets/Randonneuring bikes



## itc41 (Oct 27, 2009)

curious about types of bikes being used.
Are a lot of people using traditional vintage 
type bike, steel/lugged. Or modern aluminium
sporty bikes.

And type of saddles being used.

Bigmark


----------



## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

itc41 said:


> curious about types of bikes being used.
> Are a lot of people using traditional vintage
> type bike, steel/lugged. Or modern aluminium
> sporty bikes.
> ...


I'm thinking if you showed up with anything but a Brooks saddle, they would laugh you off the start line. But that's just from reading about these things.


----------



## tperez11 (Nov 4, 2006)

Ride what you brought; there are no rules for brevets. I have seen the entire gamut from vintage steel bike weighing 35 pounds (and yes, the obligatory Brooks) to top of the line carbon with SLR saddles. It's whatever you are comfortable riding for very long distances.


----------



## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

colnago CX-1 works pretty well.

A great bike for everything. My pal Mick W. rode one to victory in this year's Race Across Oregon Solo category, doing 527 miles in 39hrs 20 mins and climbing over 40,000'. At the end, he held the bike over his head in a victory salute! Probably not something you would do (be able to do?) with a steel bike...

A very effective no-fuss bike . I've done a couple of 12 hr Ultra TTs on mine..the bike seems to just do the job without any 'issues'..Climbs well, really stable on fast descents, sturdy and quiet, comfortable, reasonably light. A couple of guys rode these in this past TDF, too.

I ride a Selle Italia Flite saddle. Whatever fits your tail. I've tried perhaps 10 different saddles over time and always come back the the old Flite. I have found I am very sensitive to saddle angle on really long long rides....if I get it a little wrong, my whole body lets me know.

Couple of pics


----------



## Dale Brigham (Aug 23, 2002)

*My 2 cents*



itc41 said:


> curious about types of bikes being used.
> Are a lot of people using traditional vintage
> type bike, steel/lugged. Or modern aluminium
> sporty bikes.
> ...


In my decade plus of brevets and randonnees, I have ridden road race bikes, cyclocross bikes, and sport tourers for those events. All of these (and other) kinds of bikes can work just fine. The main things to look out for are, in my opinion, are:

1) Position -- Can you be comfortable on the bike for 16-20 hours a day, and then do it for 2 or 3 more days in a row? If not, something needs to change (reach, handlebar drop, saddle setback, etc.). A position that is hunky-dory for a 4 hour ride can kill you after 12 hours. Most randos favor a more upright, less extended (i.e., less reach) position than road racers, but there certainly are exceptions. Neck and lower back pain are real show-stoppers in the longer (e.g., 1200 km) rides; a more upright position tends to lessen those problems. Hands also take a bit less of a beating if they have less weight on them and more on your rear end, which a more upright position entails. Bikes that allow you to get to your ideal position are obviously the kind to have. That might mean having a longish head tube (or shamelessly sport a huge stack of stem spacers, if you dare) and a top tube that's not too long.

2) Gearing -- That climb you big-ring at the end of your 2 hour ride might have you walking at the end of 400 km, if you don't have sufficient gear range. Which really means low gears (nobody "wins" a brevet sprinting in a 53-11, even if you could win one). Compact or triple cranks, big cogsets, and mtb. rear derailleurs are all common on rando bikes. There is no gold standard for gearing, but it generally is much lower than needed for racing on similar terrain. (My fixed gear rando buddies will vehemently disagree with me on this.) Most bikes can be configured to get to adequately low gearing.

3) Tires, Lights, Fenders, and Bags -- I have ridden brevets with about the same stuff on my racing bike as on a 4 hour ride (maybe an extra spare tube or two), and I have looked more like a bike tourist on others. For me, it depends on weather, road conditions, and the amount of night riding. My default rando bike these days has 28 mm width tires, full fenders, a seat bag (tools and spares), a small handlebar bag (clothing and personal items), and battery lights (2 front; two rear). Depending on your preferences and conditions, you may want a front and/or rear rack with bag or panniers, a generator hub powered headlight, 32 mm or wider tires, and other more "touring bike" features. On the other hand, you might go with a road bike set up exactly like the one Gnarly 928 rides (nice Colnago!).

In my experience, weather drives many of these decisions. If it is wet and/or cold, you are likely to need more clothing, more room to stow clothing in when the weather relents (bags and/or racks), stouter tires (ask me about having a flat in pouring rain in the dark about 400 km into a 600 km brevet), and fenders. If you think you might want to mount racks, fenders, and tires wider than 25 mm, your bike ought to suit you in accommodating that equipment. Not all bikes (see road racers) do.

4) Saddle -- I had two nice Brooks that I rode for thousands of km, and I gave them both away. I now ride Selle San Marcos Regals on all my rando bikes. You see every kind of saddle on brevet bikes.

5) Frame material -- Easily the least important characteristic. I see lots of carbon fiber, titanium, aluminum, and steel bikes on brevets. You see every kind of bike on brevets. BTW, recumbents are totally welcome on brevets. We are "big tent" cyclists.

Sorry to go on so long, Bigmark, but I thought I detected a "Can I ride the bike I already have in a brevet?" question in your post. The answer is always "Yes," although there are caveats.

Bonne Route!

Dale


----------



## itc41 (Oct 27, 2009)

Thanks for all the input.

I have two old bikes I am fixing up.
One is just a frame and fork, may build it up
in an old school Randonneuring style.

Next year I want to do some century rides,
then 2012 see if I am ready for Randonneuring.

Bigmark


----------



## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

Most of the fast dudes are on race bikes, maybe clip on fenders and minimal luggage.


----------



## dualpivot (Oct 25, 2009)

Gnarly 928 said:


> colnago CX-1 works pretty well.
> 
> A great bike for everything. My pal Mick W. rode one to victory in this year's Race Across Oregon Solo category, doing 527 miles in 39hrs 20 mins and climbing over 40,000'. At the end, he held the bike over his head in a victory salute! *Probably not something you would do (be able to do?) with a steel bike...*


My dearest Gnarly 928...in all kindness, I suggest you take up some occasional weightlifting in place of a bit of cycling if you are unable to lift a steel bike (even a 1980 Schwinn Varsity) over your head.


----------



## gardenrunner (Jul 25, 2009)

dualpivot said:


> My dearest Gnarly 928...in all kindness, I suggest you take up some occasional weightlifting in place of a bit of cycling if you are unable to lift a steel bike (even a 1980 Schwinn Varsity) over your head.



Call me logical.............

But I'm pretty sure he was refering to the duration/terrain of the riding. Not the ability to lift a steel bike over one's noggen.


Just sayin'.................


----------



## Fogdweller (Mar 26, 2004)

dualpivot said:


> My dearest Gnarly 928...in all kindness, I suggest you take up some occasional weightlifting in place of a bit of cycling if you are unable to lift a steel bike (even a 1980 Schwinn Varsity) over your head.


I think his point was not being able to lift it after 40 hours in the saddle. I don't think I could lift a fork of pasta or a 12 oz beer after that.


----------

