# Touring bike aesthetic fashions



## brewster (Jun 15, 2004)

So, acquainting myself recently with the touring bike world and randonneuring, I've noticed there seems to be two camps of thinking when it relates to the bike fashions. 

Either you have a bike that's trying to be retro, early 70s colors, lot's of silver components, the Brooks rivet-laden saddle, retro looking silver fenders, skinwall tires, leather-strap panniers, tan bar tape, or you go the other way and build more of a modern looking bike, lot's of black components, black fenders, ergo bars, STI/Ergo (yikes! apparently, this is a big faux paux), black-wall tires and more high-tech looking wheels.

If you were planning a new build from the ground up, what would you do? The goal for each direction would be the same; to have a bike that fit properly, is reliable, comfortable, and able to carry a heavy load for high mileage riding.

brewster


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## rcnute (Dec 21, 2004)

Retro, early 70s colors, lot's of silver components, the Brooks rivet-laden saddle, retro looking silver fenders, skinwall tires, leather-strap panniers, tan bar tape.


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## empty_set (Nov 1, 2006)

My commuter/tourer is a mishmash of what you've described; a modern TIG welded frame in black, a Brooks B-17, Nitto 115 bars, STI, Carradice/Acorn Bags if needed, etc. No fenders though as I live in Phoenix and the amount of rain is somewhat negligible.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

STI/Ergo = fashion faux pas?! who knew?


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## sometimerider (Sep 21, 2007)

FatTireFred said:


> STI/Ergo = fashion faux pas?! who knew?


I don't think that is the issue. There are problems with existing brifters that make some folks resist them on tourers:


Too complicated and hard to repair.
No friction shifting mode.
10 speed shifters aren't very compatible with mountain gearing. (But yes, there are older brifters that don't have this problem.)


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

I like the retro stuff for a couple reasons- I grew up admiring skinny-tubed bikes, and nothing else seems to look right in my eyes. But more important then that, the Retro stuff just plain works better IMHO.

I like quill stems- they're more adjustable. I can quickly and easily adjust my stem a millimeter or an inch or more. Brooks saddles, San Marco Regals and Rolls just fit my butt better. Bar-end shifters don't break. Cloth tape takes forever to wear out. Metal fenders are usually longer than plastic fenders, so they have better coverage. And my favorite fatter tires only come in skinwall. Nitto noodle bars fit my hands better than any ergo bar ever bent. And there's an added bonus to silver components- in 5 years, it'll still be silver- there's no powder coat to chip or anodizing to wear through. 

Also, I'm a cheap sonofabeyotch. bar ends are cheaper than STI, paselas are cheaper than... pretty much everything, and a quill stem and standard handlebar will set you back far less than a fancy threadless+OS bar.

But, I'm no slave to retro, either- 9 speed indexing is far and away preferable to friction (though I'm always happy to have friction as an option, just in case) and my Arkel panniers might not look as good as berthouds, but they cost less and I'm not afraid to use them in heavy snow or slush...


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## tom_o (May 6, 2004)

I don't know that I'll ever be able to get away from indexed shifting...on the other hand, you'll have to pry my brooks saddle out of my cold dead hands.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*priorities?*

Ideally, you have some of both. I have a 1980 Bianchi racing bike that is nearly perfectly the way it was then, and a 2007 Cervelo carbon bike with Campy 10 speed and an SRM, with 10 more variations in between. For older steel bikes, I stick with the classic looking polished aluminum. For newer bikes that are for pure performance, I care a lot less what it looks like -- it's purely about function and speed (weight/aero/quality). 

Nonetheless, if performance is not the only goal, I much prefer the classic look. Sometimes you can have both. For my fixed gear "racing" bike (training in the mountains and ultras, actually), usually the strongest part is also the classic looking Campy Pista or Nitto polished kind of parts. A bit heavier, but this bike takes some enormous abuse. For a touring bike, I think it could go either way. Since they are usually skinny tubed steel bikes, classic polished parts may look better. However, if you can a more pragmatic approach, knowing the bike will get banged up and pretty dirty, then what the heck, throw on some black anodized parts. For the most part, though, I like to have bikes that I am proud of. With so many choices out there, you can have any look you want. Do what makes you proud of it.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

Tomakit said:


> I don't know that I'll ever be able to get away from indexed shifting...on the other hand, you'll have to pry my brooks saddle out of my cold dead hands.




if your brooks is in your hands, you're using it wrong! I think you meant "they'll have to pry if off your cold dead butt"


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## Scott B (Dec 1, 2004)

I would go for a mix of old and new, I don't feel totally tied to one school or the other and happily mix and match. 

If I had a big budget this is what I would do:

Steel lugged frame and fork, custom is budget permitted. Stainless lugs if possible. I think I'd go for a paint color similar to the one on my Gunnar, that I call Wisconsin Cow **** Green. Or maybe baby blue with vanilla color script. Either way, the chainstays would have small script saying "This machine kills fascists."

Components:
Rohloff Speed Hub or Campy Triple Group with drop bars
Mechanical Disc Brakes
Crank - something smaller then regular campy so I can deal with a cassette that only goes up to 29 teeth.

Accessories:
Handmade Maple Fenders
Tubus Racks - in Stainless, front and rear. 
Ortlieb Panniers with a Carridice seat bag
Brass Bell


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## Kolossal (Feb 12, 2007)

buck-50 said:


> But, I'm no slave to retro, either- 9 speed indexing is far and away preferable to friction (though I'm always happy to have friction as an option, just in case) ...


I do like both schools. Skinny tubes look good, technology can be real good, like 9 speed indexing is. I finished my new touring bike last week (and posted it in another thread here). I think it's a mix and match from both world I guess... I didn't think about it before reading this thread. I just went with what I wanted for a tourer/commuter.

Here's the mandatory pic:


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*black*



Kolossal said:


> I do like both schools. Skinny tubes look good, technology can be real good, like 9 speed indexing is. I finished my new touring bike last week (and posted it in another thread here). I think it's a mix and match from both world I guess... I didn't think about it before reading this thread. I just went with what I wanted for a tourer/commuter.
> 
> Here's the mandatory pic:


You don't like black, do you? ;-)


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## Fredrico (Jun 15, 2002)

*My commuter IS retro.*

Had it custom made in 1985. It's lugged Columbus SLX with SP chainstays, shiny black of course, with matching black full coverage fenders, set up with original Campy Record chromed headset and bb, Nuovo Record crankset purchased on a closeout, Super Record pedals with black aluminum cages and chromed steel toe clips, classic Nuovo Record downtube shifters, friction of course, linked to a six speed freewheel, 13-28 in back, 52-43 in front, Cinelli 1A stem and deep drop bars, Record brakes with non-aero levers, and of course Regal saddle, and yeah, 36 spoked wheels on a set of Campy hubs I had on a PREVIOUS bike.

It's rocked faithfully through thick and thin since '85, and the last time I overhauled it, shows no signs of giving up. I attribute alot of this to the fact it has always been fendered. They not only keep the rider clean, but also to a large extent the bike, especially the headset, brakes calipers, seatpost and indirectly bb. BBs get destroyed by water dripping down the seattubes after being kicked up by the back wheels.

This bike weighs 25 pounds with water bottle battery and 28C tires, but still doesn't discourage me, at age 65, from pacing the young studs--and catching some of them--who chase me down and proudly zip around me. I love that bike, and if it dies before me, will replace it with another as close to it as possible.


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## tom_o (May 6, 2004)

FatTireFred said:


> if your brooks is in your hands, you're using it wrong! I think you meant "they'll have to pry if off your cold dead butt"



Not the most pleasant mental image, but how very right you are!


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## anthony.delorenzo (May 8, 2007)

Well, I guess I fell into the retro camp when I built up my road bike:


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## PdxMark (Feb 3, 2004)

I set mine up to go either way... fixed gear simplicity or Ergo convenience, with light-touring geometry and classic features like lugged & threaded steel fork & Brooks saddle. It's not my lightest bike, but it's the one I can ride the most hundreds of miles at a time in the most comfort.


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## roadfix (Jun 20, 2006)

Sage green steel frame, riveted leather saddle, bar end shifters, traditional frame pump, Carradice Super C panniers, etc...

Oh, wait a minute.....I just described my LHT......


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## ispoke (Feb 28, 2005)

Hmmm... well a lot of the issues revolve around personal preference and fit. And as mentioned above, choices that maximize durability, versatility, reliability.

But clearly polished metal (aka "silver") components are the way to go even if your frame is black. There's a reason that high end cars like Porsche and Mercedes sell more silver paint jobs than any other color, year after year. People just like it. It's classy. Anyway, we all know the limitations of black painted/anodized parts subject to repetitive motion. The black wears away in spots, like rims and crankarms. Looking back, was the Cannondale "Black Lightning" from the 1980's generally regarded as an icon? Sure they pop up on eBay from time to time just like purple mountain bike components. Let's see how soon black anodized silverware tops wedding registries. Black anodized wrist watch links anyone? I know, I know - provocative...


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## ispoke (Feb 28, 2005)

Anyway, didn't they tell you? Green is the new black...


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## bolandjd (Sep 12, 2008)

Count me on the retro side. I'm only 30, but I love the old look. I've got a green LHT with honey brown Brooks flyer and matching shallaced cork handlebars. Silver VO fenders. I love it. I wish I could afford a lugged frame with a threaded stem, but in this day and age, not so much. I dream of one day finding a nice old lugged steel bike at a thrift shop or a yardsale for real cheap and restoring it to its former glory, but that hasn't happened yet either. Besides, the LHT is plenty retro (at least the fork is lugged), looks great, and I get compliments everywhere I go.


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## RedRex (Oct 24, 2004)

IMHO, black components make a bike look cheap, unless of course you're hanging them on a cheap plastic frame, then I suppose black components would look appropriate.

My commuter, before the lights/bags were hung...


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## bigbill (Feb 15, 2005)

Here are some shots from a Seattle International Randonneurs event on the Kitsap Peninsula. Our own JP is the guy with the sweet Waterford.


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## treebound (Oct 16, 2003)

brewster said:


> ...
> If you were planning a new build from the ground up, what would you do? The goal for each direction would be the same; to have a bike that fit properly, is reliable, comfortable, and able to carry a heavy load for high mileage riding.
> 
> brewster


The budget determines the build, my comfort determines how I build within the budget. But budget aside it would be a blend of old and new and retro and modern, whatever worked best for my needs and comfort and goals.


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## function (Jun 20, 2008)

buck-50 said:


> I like quill stems- they're more adjustable. I can quickly and easily adjust my stem a millimeter or an inch or more.


Curious, how come you adjust your handlebars a millimeter - inch on a regular basis?


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

I generally prefer the retro or non-state-of-the-art parts, but not because I am totally averse to change. I just find that the older stuff is less complicated, more reliable, more adjustable and better looking.

Case in point -- threaded vs. threadless stems. I tried a threadless stem for a while, but they are much more complicated to adjust and figure out sizing. With a threaded stem, you just loosen the bolt and move it up or down. I am not concerned about the minor weight differences.

I also tried a 10-speed group for a while and sold it because it ate up chains and was more finicky about staying adjusted. I've got 9-speed groups on all three of my bikes and I don't miss that extra gear for a moment.

My commuter has downtube shifters, mainly because I was trying to save money when I built it. I will soon be building up a new commuter frame, using most of the existing components and plan to keep the DT shifters because they work fine and are so reliable and trouble free. Might go to bar-ends, but I don't plan to use STIs because they are so much more expensive and can fail without warning (in my experience).

Another reason I like the more retro parts is appearance. I am tired of black and carbon components. Silver parts just look better to me on most frames, although I do have a red and black Merckx Corsa that looks nice with black wheels, stem and seatpost.

One area where I have gone "modern" is my saddle. The Fizik Vitesse that I use is more comfortable than the Brooks B17 it replaced and weighs less than half as much. I don't mind newer parts when they work better for me.


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## Fixed (May 12, 2005)

*old stuff*



tarwheel2 said:


> I generally prefer the retro or non-state-of-the-art parts, but not because I am totally averse to change. I just find that the older stuff is less complicated, more reliable, more adjustable and better looking.


Agree. Unless you are racing up mountains or something actually works better, like a saddle, the older stuff can be so much more reliable, serviceable, and better looking. There is nothing like the beauty of a polished aluminum Cinelli or Nitto quill stem or seat post, or some older Campy Record polished cranks, chainrings, brakes, hubs, etc. I spend hours on line searching out these parts, and I can't be the only one. You'd think a few manufacturers would get it, and make more of them available.

It would be nice if someone would make a lightweight carbon fork, but with a steel threaded steerer. Could then have the best of both technologies. I'm likely going to paint the fork anyway to match the frame, so it will still have somewhat of a classic look.

I'd guess that many people have been sucked into the "new must be better" thing and bought the all carbon and titanium blacked out look bikes. I have a Bianchi that may actually have no steel whatsoever in it, except maybe some of the bearings (other than the ceramic ones) and cables. However, my 1980 Bianchi with Campy parts looks soooo much nicer, with the lithe skinny steel tubes and minimalist polished aluminum tubular rims.


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## tarwheel2 (Jul 7, 2005)

*fork*



Fixed said:


> It would be nice if someone would make a lightweight carbon fork, but with a steel threaded steerer. Could then have the best of both technologies. I'm likely going to paint the fork anyway to match the frame, so it will still have somewhat of a classic look..


Head over the Serotta forum in Classifieds, and post a message WTB a Serotta F 1 fork. Some of the rich Serotta dudes are practically giving away their F1s so they can go full carbon, and you may be able to pick one up for a song.

My Merckx AX has an F1 with steel steerer, and it's a very nice fork. The only problem is they don't have a lot of clearance, so the largest tire you could probably run is a 700 x 25 (and that depends on the brand).


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## ARP (Mar 7, 2002)

*Retro with a modern touch*

This rig has the 10speed DA barend shifters and the Ultegra/Open pro wheelset.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

function said:


> Curious, how come you adjust your handlebars a millimeter - inch on a regular basis?


When I first got my Rivendell Romulus, I had it set up full-grant. That is, Handlebars above seat height. It was great because I was out of shape and about 50 pounds overweight. As I got in better shape and lost weight, the stem dropped- I'm more comfortable with the stem a little lower than the saddle, so it dropped about an inch. 

I like knowing that if I'm really feeling like crap, I can raise my stem right back up with the twist of an allen wrench. 

Yer right, it doesn't come up very often. BUT, it's good to have the option. I figure a bike that's meant for long distance, multi-day rides should be as easy to adjust/tweak for comfort as possible.


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