Pics of actual rando bikes please

[jamesdak]

Originally Posted by bicycletricycle

I got a bob jackson step through trike for sale in CT

That's one heck of a long drive. There was one showed up local about a year ago for like $400. I didn't have the truck with me at work or I would have taken leave and bought it. It was sold before I got a chance to even reach out to the seller.

How'd you like riding it? I hear it's a completely different "experience".

[bicycletricycle]

It is strange, keeping it going straight is a lot more work. Fun though.

Originally Posted by jamesdak

That's one heck of a long drive. There was one showed up local about a year ago for like $400. I didn't have the truck with me at work or I would have taken leave and bought it. It was sold before I got a chance to even reach out to the seller.

How'd you like riding it? I hear it's a completely different "experience".

[d_douglas]

That Firefly is stunning. Grail beyond grail.

Originally Posted by dsjackson

I'll offer this one up as a build that supports SV's take on a slightly rowdier rando build.

The roads of trad Randonneuring and "Endurance Gravel" have intertwined as of late, with many who were previously strict randos deciding that, in the USA, death by cars and gas station controls are just not that great. So while many argue to just leave randonneuring alone, others have tried to broaden the format from within its constraints to include rougher, less traveled terrain.

I don't know where I stand right now within the tensions of randonneuring, but this bike was designed for long ass self-supported rides off the pavement. It can do the classic randonneuring thing too, but I see why some believe that the SV take with 48mm tires dilutes what was once a great underground consensus on "rando bike design." I still got my 700 x 35 rando bike, and it's fun too, but I'll share this one on this thread.

Best,
Daniel in Northern VT

[icepick_trotsky]

Originally Posted by slowpoke

btw, for anyone looking for a randonneuring bike, this '79 Centurion Pro-Tour for $650 is a pretty darn good deal. This generation was one of the few mass produced bikes that had center-pull braze-on brakes (later Pro-Tours went to standard cantis).

https://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/bik...351901807.html

The ad has the bike with the original 27" wheels, but you can easily throw on 700c wheels and fit 35-38mm tires.

I've wanted one of these with the braze on center pulls forever. That one is one size too big for me.

[hummus_aquinas]

Here's the bike rack at work (me in the back!). Didn't read the thread- a rando bike has to have low-trail geo, fenders, integrated lighting, front rack for GILLES BERTHOUD bag, and silver stuff.
My lugged Boulder All-Road is by far my favorite bike of all time.

[Smitty2k1]

Originally Posted by hummus_aquinas

Here's the bike rack at work (me in the back!). Didn't read the thread- a rando bike has to have low-trail geo, fenders, integrated lighting, front rack for GILLES BERTHOUD bag, and silver stuff.

My lugged Boulder All-Road is by far my favorite bike of all time.

I think I'd like to go for a ride with you sometime.

Also your post has me really missing working in the office. I work at the US DOT headquarters in DC and our bike racks were always super interesting in the mornings. Such an unusual mix of bikes and easily 50+ bikes a day.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[ripvanrando]

This is my randonneuring bike from 2015 PBP although it had Dura Ace C50 wheels and a Swift Paloma handlebar bag on it then

[ripvanrando]

This one did a 1200K in NC and a variety of brevets

[ripvanrando]

This one is a workhorse, custom magnesium frame by Zinn. I used it on TABR and many brevets. It can take 700x35 but typically 700 x 28 GP4K were its preferred rubber at the time. It wears either Brooks B17 or Berthoud Aravis

[zennmotion]

Serious question from an aspiring rando newbie... what the heck is the attraction for 48c (or even 58c? ) marshmallow tires for a rando bike designed primarily for pavement and non-technical maintained gravel? I get it for off-road adventures with rocks mud sand and ruts, but riding randos on pavement? And while I'm being both curious and slightly snarky, what's up with the giant rando handlebar bags that seem to be permanently affixed to rando bikes no matter the length of ride? Do randonneurs only ride 200k or greater distances that need a range of kit, 1000s of calories of food etc? Wouldn't a typical (shorter) daily ride or even a century be more enjoyable by losing the weight of the bag + rack+ contents? What's inside those things, or are they like my wife's giant handbag that she carries every day to work, and I don't really want to know what's inside? Or is it kind of a rando, tribal thing, like beards and recumbents? What am I missing, aside from long distance fitness, a giant handlebar bag and the secret handshake?

[ripvanrando]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

Serious question from an aspiring rando newbie... what the heck is the attraction for 48c (or even 58c? ) marshmallow tires for a rando bike designed primarily for pavement and non-technical maintained gravel? I get it for off-road adventures with rocks mud sand and ruts, but riding randos on pavement? And while I'm being both curious and slightly snarky, what's up with the giant rando handlebar bags that seem to be permanently affixed to rando bikes no matter the length of ride? Do randonneurs only ride 200k or greater distances that need a range of kit, 1000s of calories of food etc? Wouldn't a typical (shorter) daily ride or even a century be more enjoyable by losing the weight of the bag + rack+ contents? What's inside those things, or are they like my wife's giant handbag that she carries every day to work, and I don't really want to know what's inside? Or is it kind of a rando, tribal thing, like beards and recumbents? What am I missing, aside from long distance fitness, a giant handlebar bag and the secret handshake?

It is style started in Seattle but is mostly confined to the USA.

The vast minority of bikes on brevets worldwide look like what you describe.

I built a proper rando bike with 650B tires, it never earned its way to a brevet. Too slow.

What is common and critical is comfort.

[unterhausen]

Originally Posted by zennmotion

Serious question from an aspiring rando newbie... what the heck is the attraction for 48c (or even 58c? ) marshmallow tires for a rando bike designed primarily for pavement and non-technical maintained gravel? I get it for off-road adventures with rocks mud sand and ruts, but riding randos on pavement? And while I'm being both curious and slightly snarky, what's up with the giant rando handlebar bags that seem to be permanently affixed to rando bikes no matter the length of ride? Do randonneurs only ride 200k or greater distances that need a range of kit, 1000s of calories of food etc?

If all you are going to do is short rides like 200k's in good weather, then a racing bike with all your gear ridiculously stuffed into your jersey pockets is just fine. Just like a century. Although, it might make it harder to get your brevet card out if it's under your food and spare tubes. I try not to judge people that have their stuff bulging out of their jersey pockets. Usually the only thing I have in my jersey pockets is my wallet, and I like that a lot better.

I see no reason to take bags off of a bike that has them on there. It doesn't weigh much. Plus my current rando is low trail, so the steering is a bit quick with no weight on the front. Also, if your hands get cold you can put them behind the bag.

There used to be a weekly time trial around here and one time I rode it with my rando bike, which at the time was my racing bike with a big seat bag and dyno lights. I don't think my current rando bike is any slower, but it might appear to be. There is nothing more satisfying than catching your minute man with dyno lights shining. A traditional rando with 42mm tires would be even better, but they stopped running the time trials for some reason.

As far as big tires, I'm stuck at 32mm for most of my road bikes. I ride a lot at night in places where they love potholes, so smaller tires are a recipe for pinch flats. I have ridden a series on 38mm tires and it worked great. Very relaxing not to worry about running over anything. I know some people that are much faster than me that run 650bx42mm. I'm not sure about bigger tires, but that SV rando was probably intended for some gravel riding. And the rider it was for is really strong, so he probably won't notice. I don't think I know anyone that randos on anything bigger than a 44mm tire, except for the people that use fatbikes. Who also don't seem to be slowed down any.

[72gmc]

Originally Posted by ripvanrando

What is common and critical is comfort.

This, to me, is the reason for the big front bags. And a visual style.

I have a medium Swift front bag + Nitto rack that I began experimenting with when the pandemic started. With no long rides yet it’s too much bag 100% of the time, but it also doesn’t weigh much of anything and it’s convenient for a jacket or a trip to the local bike shop to pick up bits and pieces.

[72gmc]

It helps to have a bike that’s built to ride well with a front bag.

[slowpoke]

Originally Posted by ripvanrando

What is common and critical is comfort.

Randonneuring is only a race against a set time. No one, aside from a small few, care about coming in "first" for a brevet. So larger tires provide comfort against potholes and poorly maintained roads. Also, Jan has said wider tires don't roll any slower.

A front handlebar bag allows one to snack and easily access things while riding. With certain brevets it's wise not to linger at a stop too long. Also, before the widespread adoption of GPS computers, folks would have a paper map or cue sheet under a plastic cover on the handlebar bag. Even now, it's good to have a backup because electronics can run out of batteries. Many randonneurs prioritize redundancy in their setups.

In the Bay Area, a lot of non-rando folks have started mounting burrito-style front bags on their bikes. I think it's a lot better than overstuffing one's jersey pockets.