 | Choosing the Right Bike by Peter Leiss
Introduction This is one area of randonneuring where there are a lot of ideas about what's right for the job. Some people gravitate towards the latest and greatest current hot wheels, while others feel that history has a lot to offer. Even within our club, you will see a large variety covered. At PBP in 1999 I saw everything from a 90-year-old Pedersen with a wicker basket to the latest racing machines with the bare minimum of lights required to qualify for the ride. Aluminum, titanium, and carbon fiber were also present.
I am one who has done both, and I believe that the answer lies somewhere in between. Most modern frames have limited clearance, which causes problems when one wants to use larger tires, mount fenders, racks, or lights. Older designs mitigate many of those issues, but many feel their weight may be an issue or that the materials don't meet modern standards.
There is no right answer. There are, however, some crucial areas that need to be covered. The bike has to fit, and it has to be comfortable. After all, you and your bike will develop a love-hate relationship as you venture out to complete the brevets and ultimately Paris-Brest-Paris. You will be spending many hours in the saddle, in all kinds of weather, in order to accomplish these goals.
Fit No matter what bike you buy, it has to fit and fit well. It helps to be fitted by a professional, because if the bike doesn't fit, you will be fighting the bike all the time. This will cause fatigue over longer distances, and definitely make the experience less than it should be. Spend the time, energy, and money to get this crucial area right, and you will never regret it. Get the saddle height right - too high and your hips will rock, too low and you won't be pedaling efficiently. A general rule is 107% of your inseam as the place to start. This distance should be measured from the top of the saddle to the pedal, with the cranks aligned with the seat tube.
Next, the reach should be comfortable - not too stretched out! You should be able to comfortably reach both the tops and the drops of the bars. The rule here is to place your elbow at the front of the nose of your saddle arm and fingers forward. Add the width of four fingers, and you should be touching the top flat portion of the bars.
Both of these "rules" are only starting points, with adjustments made from there. Again, the services of a professional would be most appropriate.
Comfort Comfort is something that we all search for when riding brevets. Even with lots of experience, it's like the search for the Holy Grail. You have three points of contact on your bike: your butt, your hands and your feet.
Even before I discuss saddles, handlebars, shoes, and pedals I want to spend some time talking about the frame itself. This is an area where the older designs shine. They have shallower angles longer chain stays and longer wheel bases. All of these combine to make for a comfortable riding bike.
The shallower angles make for a more stable ride, which handles a little slower than the steep angled racing bikes. You will save a lot of energy over long distances because you have to make fewer corrections and when you do get tired the bike is easier to handle.
The longer chain stays contribute immensely to your comfort as they take up a lot of the road vibrations and put the rear wheel a little further back so that the road shocks are soaked as opposed to being transmitted straight to your butt.
The longer wheelbase is partially a function of the shallow angles and longer chain stays but again this make for more comfort over the long haul. You might also consider raising the bars to provide for more comfort.
Other comfort areas that you should consider in the frame design are clearances and braze ons. Many of today's bikes have limited clearances partly to accommodate the components but more I believe for cosmetic and marketing reasons. This ultimately limits the size of tire that will fit and almost makes mounting fenders impossible. Tire size plays a large role in comfort, as it is 90% of the suspension on a bike. The bigger the tire, within reason of course, the more road shock is absorbed. Many modern tires are high pressure even in larger sizes so the rolling resistance is not a lot greater but the cushion will be much appreciated. You will also appreciate that the chances of punctures are greatly reduced.
Fenders are always a contentious issue but if you are out to complete a brevet in inclement weather they will enhance your comfort. They will keep the road grime off of you and your bike, which means less chance for breakdown.
Braze ons are the eyelets that allow you to mount fenders, racks and lights to your bike directly instead of having to resort to clamping onto the tubes of the bike. This will let you carry your gear on the bike rather than on you which again contributes to your comfort.
Summary All of these areas sound like the touring bikes of yesterday and to large degree that is true. There are touring and sport touring bikes made today that will work. Many club members adapt standard road bikes, which also do an adequate job.
You could also consider having a bike made for you. Over a long period of time the costs would be amortized to be far more affordable. You would have bike that should last a lifetime and provide a lifetime of enjoyment.
I hope that this helps somewhat. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. See you on the road! |  |
