How do you say "road bike" in French?

[victoryfactory]

I am going to the Loire this May with my usual gang of buds.
They are not cyclists so usually I borrow a junker from our landlord
and tool around. Oh!, the horror! (see photo)
Anyway, this year I hope to rent a real road bike for more extensive riding.

My friend who is fluent in French is happy to make the arrangements by phone
for me but he's not fluent in bicycle.
To avoid ending up with a hybrid with a basket (not that there's anything
wrong with that)
How do you say "road bike" in French?

VF


My usual ride in Loire:

[phcollard]

You say "vélo de route".

30 years ago you could also say "vélo de course" which means race bike but I haven't heard this one recently - except when talking to old timers riding steel bikes :D

[djg]

You say "vélo de route".

30 years ago you could also say "vélo de course" which means race bike but I haven't heard this one recently - except when talking to old timers riding steel bikes :D

Hey, "de course" worked for me last summer but . . . I'm, er, not so young and people were patient.

The other thing I'd suggest is a little web surfing -- they do have at least a few places with web sites that let you see what's available. I think I found a link to several shops . . . maybe through here, maybe through a more global search on one of the travel sites. Not sure about the Loire -- spent half a year in Blois, and it was great, but it was also 1980.

[ultraman6970]

I know how to say Bertoni :P

You say "vélo de route".

30 years ago you could also say "vélo de course" which means race bike but I haven't heard this one recently - except when talking to old timers riding steel bikes :D

[christian]

That does not look like a junker. It looks like a fine practical bicycle.

"Velo de route, comme un Pinarello ou Trek ou Cyfac." ought to get the point across. What you don't want is a velo de ville.

[christian]

BTW, I'd use this as an excuse to buy a Cyfac.

[bargainguy]

Or buy an S&S coupled bike or Bike Friday and take it with. I love traveling with my Bike Fridays overseas, especially when they go as a piece of checked luggage and no oversize or overweight penalty.

For me, it's worth it to have a bike properly set up to my dwarfish dimensions rather than renting a bike elsewhere, but I realize I'm an outlier in this respect.

[victoryfactory]

Thanks everyone. This is enough info to get it done!
And yeah, I thought about having my steel bike chopped
but traveling with just a small backpack is way to enticing.

VF

[sg8357]

To say Performance Bike in French, ask for Decathalon.
Lots of old road bikes hanging up in the back of Singer shop.
The cute girl's name at Berthoud's is Veronica.

[jr59]

I have no idea;

Rene Herse
Meral
Berthoud

That's the best I got!

[rjfr]

A velo de route will get you what you want. It's a general term so you could also get you a cyclocross, randonneuse, fixie, triathalon or track bike. A velo de course will get you a road bike.

There are several places near the Loire valley which offer location de vélos (rentals).

[GRAVELBIKE]

"le Big-Mac"?

http://www.joblo.com/video/media/screenshot/Pulp-Fiction-on-Blu-ray---Le-Big-Mac_.jpg

[jet sanchez]

I was in Paris last year and was amazed at how cheap used bikes are, I should have bought one. Check out leboncoin.fr for deals, bringing a bike back on the place should be $100 or so.

[rjfr]

A bit more expensive asking price, but more complete listing for used bikes and bits. Seems like everyone asks top euro. Kind of expected to bargain, though it means fluency in French.

http://www.troc-velo.com/

[ultraman6970]

"road bike" in French, very easy...

"Bicicleté de road'é!!!"