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Switching to a new bike for long rides



 
 
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  #1  
Old March 14th 05, 10:59 PM
Dane Bramage
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Default Switching to a new bike for long rides

Hey there - this is probably a bit off topic, but wanted some advice
about bikes that are built for long rides and any recommendations.
Since this group is experienced with longer rides, I figure you all
would have a good viewpoint.

I currently ride a Cannondale T2000 touring bike. I like it a lot, but
it's heavy and built to carry a load. Looking for something I can
upgrade to that's lighter and built more for speed.

Not looking for a racing bike - rather something to take out for on day
rides of 100+ miles at a quicker pace, and preferably a more
comfortable ride than I'm used to.

Any thoughts? Thanks if you have them.

Ads
  #2  
Old March 14th 05, 11:58 PM
Paul Kopit
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Default

On 14 Mar 2005 13:59:19 -0800, "Dane Bramage"
wrote:

Not looking for a racing bike - rather something to take out for on day
rides of 100+ miles at a quicker pace, and preferably a more
comfortable ride than I'm used to.

Any thoughts? Thanks if you have them.


I do long rides. Lots of them.
http://www.caltriplecrown.com/Fame.htm#PK I have done most on
Cannondale CAAD frames because they are most comfortable for me and
inexpensive. I just bought an older, steel, SLX braze and lugged
bicycle and will be using that for my efforts. It's like riding a
spring. I also had a Cannodale touring bicycle but I never did more
than centuries on it. I don't remember it as being particularly
comfortable. The weight of the bicycle is not really a major
consideration. Anything that's 21 lbs will be fine.
  #3  
Old March 15th 05, 01:34 AM
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Posts: n/a
Default

Dane Bramage writes:

Hey there - this is probably a bit off topic, but wanted some advice
about bikes that are built for long rides and any recommendations.
Since this group is experienced with longer rides, I figure you all
would have a good viewpoint.


I currently ride a Cannondale T2000 touring bike. I like it a lot,
but it's heavy and built to carry a load. Looking for something I
can upgrade to that's lighter and built more for speed.


Not looking for a racing bike - rather something to take out for on
day rides of 100+ miles at a quicker pace, and preferably a more
comfortable ride than I'm used to.


You bring up an interesting subject. Most road bicycles I see in
stores have features claimed to be the fastest racing equipment made,
be that light weight, materials, numbers of spokes, aerodynamic rims,
bars, seat posts, etc yet bicycle racing is at an all time low, at
least in this area where every town once had at least one criterium
and the region had many great road races.

Now you ask whether there is a good long distance bicycle. All road
racing bicycles should be good for that. What longer distance is
there than 100+ mile road races? You often hear people scoff at
nostalgia buffs, as they call them, saying the old times were better.
I can assure you that the racing bicycle I rode in races is still my
best tourer and all around mountain and trail bicycle. I don't
understand what the equipment buffs are into when they derail good
bicycles into something a writer here must avoid to get a good
reliable ride. It seems to be a world of pseudo racers with spoilers
on the back of their cars with which they transport "racing" bicycles
to a suitable location.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/brandt/

Jobst Brandt

  #4  
Old March 15th 05, 02:50 AM
Earl Bollinger
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Posts: n/a
Default

"Dane Bramage" wrote in message
oups.com...
Hey there - this is probably a bit off topic, but wanted some advice
about bikes that are built for long rides and any recommendations.
Since this group is experienced with longer rides, I figure you all
would have a good viewpoint.

I currently ride a Cannondale T2000 touring bike. I like it a lot, but
it's heavy and built to carry a load. Looking for something I can
upgrade to that's lighter and built more for speed.

Not looking for a racing bike - rather something to take out for on day
rides of 100+ miles at a quicker pace, and preferably a more
comfortable ride than I'm used to.

Any thoughts? Thanks if you have them.

In my opinion...
Most any road bike would work OK for you. If you like Cannondale, I would
check out their road bikes, they would all work good.
Since cyclists are using lightweight road bikes for things like century,
double, triple centuries or more what the heck, go for it.
Pete Pensayers road in the RAAM competitions across the USA, on a light road
bike, and set records doing it.
The touring bikes were intended for long distances, but they expected you to
carry everything with you too. Thus racks, panniers, etc.
Depending on your weight, the bikes with only a small number of spokes would
probably not be a good choice, as the wheels may not hold up on rough roads
very well.
When you go for a lightweight road bike, you will be sacrificing the ability
to carry stuff with you. But on the "credit card" touring, the riders
basically ride from hotel to hotel and have a support vehicle with them too
maybe. Thus they get to travel light. One can use a backpack or even one of
the hydration systems backpacks to good advantage too.
On a long ride the seat may be an issue, thus you may want to get a really
good seat that gives you your best comfort.
On really long rides it may even be best to have a sprung seat like a Brooks
American Flyer, etc. Comes in handy when you are tired and not paying
attention all that much and hit some bumps, etc.
I would expect that a lightweight aluminum frame with carbon fibre fork,
carbon fibre seat stays, and a carbon fibre seatpost would give a really
good ride too. There are just so many choices in bikes to pick from too.




  #5  
Old March 15th 05, 04:19 AM
Mike Vermeulen
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

Hey there - this is probably a bit off topic, but wanted some advice
about bikes that are built for long rides and any recommendations.
Since this group is experienced with longer rides, I figure you all
would have a good viewpoint.

I currently ride a Cannondale T2000 touring bike. I like it a lot, but
it's heavy and built to carry a load. Looking for something I can
upgrade to that's lighter and built more for speed.


I think it depends what you define as "long ride". Carrying a load
can be good thing on some long rides :-). For example, I rode my
Cannondale T1000 touring bike one lap around the perimeter of
Australia. I will also ride it on the 100+ mile rides. I am a little
slower than average, but I figure that is more the rider than the
bike.

I also enjoy riding a TourEasy recumbent bicycle on 100+ mile rides.
It is also comfortable on that distance and generally slightly faster
than my Cannondale (though also slightly heavier).

In May, I have an upcoming trip of 8 days/830 miles, (see
http://www.hellweek.com/vegas.html). I am thinking of riding 4 days
on the TourEasy and 4 days on the Cannondale and doing a back-to-back
comparison.

--mev, Mike Vermeulen
  #6  
Old March 15th 05, 04:34 AM
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Posts: n/a
Default

Earl Bollinger writes:

When you go for a lightweight road bike, you will be sacrificing the
ability to carry stuff with you. But on the "credit card" touring,
the riders basically ride from hotel to hotel and have a support
vehicle with them too maybe. Thus they get to travel light. One
can use a backpack or even one of the hydration systems backpacks to
good advantage too.


I disagree. A backpack may work in the flats but if you climb hills,
sweat will run down your back into your shorts. The backpack can
generate good back sores. The bicyclists are not good beasts of
burden. Carry things on the bicycle. That's why touring equipment is
all about saddlebags and rack bags.

As for hotel overnights, they are far more pleasant than camping,
especially in the Alps where it can snow any day of the year. I have
met many bicyclists who did not believe this and had to discover it
first hand.

I have no follow car and have taken many tours of the alps. I learned
form my first long mountain tour that hotel/motel overnights are far
superior to camping if you want to enjoy long days on the road.

http://www.bicyclinglife.com/Recreat...erraSpring.htm
http://tinyurl.com/adls

On a long ride the seat may be an issue, thus you may want to get a
really good seat that gives you your best comfort. On really long
rides it may even be best to have a sprung seat like a Brooks
American Flyer, etc. Comes in handy when you are tired and not
paying attention all that much and hit some bumps, etc.


I disagree. The most important feature of a seat is that it doesn't
develop raw skin on the sit bones. For that one needs to put in a lot
of miles on a regular basis. Springs are for the hypothetical rider.
I got to understand that in 50 years of touring the Alps with others,
none having sprung bicycles or saddles. My first rides were in the
days when many of the major passes were yet unpaved or at best paving
stones.

I would expect that a lightweight aluminum frame with carbon fibre
fork, carbon fibre seat stays, and a carbon fibre seatpost would
give a really good ride too. There are just so many choices in
bikes to pick from too.


A good steel frame will do and all that materials research is for the
mind. The baggage you carry will overshadow any materials weight
savings you can imagine.

Ride bike!

Jobst Brandt

  #7  
Old March 15th 05, 05:48 AM
Tim McNamara
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Posts: n/a
Default

"Dane Bramage" writes:

Hey there - this is probably a bit off topic, but wanted some advice
about bikes that are built for long rides and any recommendations.
Since this group is experienced with longer rides, I figure you all
would have a good viewpoint.


IMHO the secret to a good long-distance bike is a comfortable position
that you can be in for hours.

I currently ride a Cannondale T2000 touring bike. I like it a lot,
but it's heavy and built to carry a load. Looking for something I
can upgrade to that's lighter and built more for speed.

Not looking for a racing bike - rather something to take out for on
day rides of 100+ miles at a quicker pace, and preferably a more
comfortable ride than I'm used to.


Unfortunately racing bike = crit bike, at least here in the US.
"Aggressive" handling and "tight" frame angles and "stiff" tubes etc.
Yet in the Olde Days, riders often did 300 km races on their racing
bikes! Indeed, what are now considered "touring" bikes are prety
similar to what the greats like Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali raced on
in the Tours and the Giros and the Classics.

Now, I've done 100+ mile rides on my racing bike (a Ritchey), on my
"touring" bike (a Rivendell) and my 'cross bike (a Gunnar). But then
I've also done a hilly 70 mile ride on my singlespeed track bike, so I
may not be a good judge... I was happy with all those options.

For riding 200km or longer rides, I'd pick one of the first three
bikes I mentioned. My position is close to being identical on each.
I think that longer chainstays are helpful, in particular, as they
reduce the bumps the rider's butt receives (not through shock
absorption, as some people mistakenly believe, but through the
geometry of putting the rear wheel farther behind the rider).

I think that great starting points for suitable bikes are he

http://www.rivendellbicycles.com

http://www.heronbicycles.com

http://www.kogswell.com

and of course there are other sources which I am just not remembering
off the top of my head. And there's a whole 'nother family of bikes
for randonneurs, which are designed exactly for rides from 200 km to
1200 km. There are now less than a handful of builders dedicated to
these bikes- Alex Singer (E. Csuka), Gilles Berthoud, Peter Weigle,
Peter Jon White and a few smaller builders in France.

http://www.mindspring.com/~heine/bikesite/bikesite/

http://www.seattlerandonneur.org/

http://www.wallbike.com/

http://www.wallbike.com/berthoud.html

Http://Perso.wanadoo.fr/dpacoud/webrando/index.html

  #8  
Old March 16th 05, 05:54 AM
Bartow W. Riggs
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Default

I too have a T-2000. You are right, it is heavy. For me though it is the
most comfortable of my bikes (recumbent excluded.)

If you want to go faster with _nearly_ as much comfort, a good Ti bike would
be my recommendation...


"Tim McNamara" wrote in message
...
"Dane Bramage" writes:

Hey there - this is probably a bit off topic, but wanted some advice
about bikes that are built for long rides and any recommendations.
Since this group is experienced with longer rides, I figure you all
would have a good viewpoint.


IMHO the secret to a good long-distance bike is a comfortable position
that you can be in for hours.

I currently ride a Cannondale T2000 touring bike. I like it a lot,
but it's heavy and built to carry a load. Looking for something I
can upgrade to that's lighter and built more for speed.

Not looking for a racing bike - rather something to take out for on
day rides of 100+ miles at a quicker pace, and preferably a more
comfortable ride than I'm used to.


Unfortunately racing bike = crit bike, at least here in the US.
"Aggressive" handling and "tight" frame angles and "stiff" tubes etc.
Yet in the Olde Days, riders often did 300 km races on their racing
bikes! Indeed, what are now considered "touring" bikes are prety
similar to what the greats like Fausto Coppi and Gino Bartali raced on
in the Tours and the Giros and the Classics.

Now, I've done 100+ mile rides on my racing bike (a Ritchey), on my
"touring" bike (a Rivendell) and my 'cross bike (a Gunnar). But then
I've also done a hilly 70 mile ride on my singlespeed track bike, so I
may not be a good judge... I was happy with all those options.

For riding 200km or longer rides, I'd pick one of the first three
bikes I mentioned. My position is close to being identical on each.
I think that longer chainstays are helpful, in particular, as they
reduce the bumps the rider's butt receives (not through shock
absorption, as some people mistakenly believe, but through the
geometry of putting the rear wheel farther behind the rider).

I think that great starting points for suitable bikes are he

http://www.rivendellbicycles.com

http://www.heronbicycles.com

http://www.kogswell.com

and of course there are other sources which I am just not remembering
off the top of my head. And there's a whole 'nother family of bikes
for randonneurs, which are designed exactly for rides from 200 km to
1200 km. There are now less than a handful of builders dedicated to
these bikes- Alex Singer (E. Csuka), Gilles Berthoud, Peter Weigle,
Peter Jon White and a few smaller builders in France.

http://www.mindspring.com/~heine/bikesite/bikesite/

http://www.seattlerandonneur.org/

http://www.wallbike.com/

http://www.wallbike.com/berthoud.html

Http://Perso.wanadoo.fr/dpacoud/webrando/index.html



  #9  
Old March 16th 05, 07:00 PM
Tim McNamara
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Posts: n/a
Default

"Bartow W. Riggs" writes:

I too have a T-2000. You are right, it is heavy. For me though it
is the most comfortable of my bikes (recumbent excluded.)

If you want to go faster with _nearly_ as much comfort, a good Ti
bike would be my recommendation...


Why Ti?
  #10  
Old March 18th 05, 04:36 AM
Jimbo
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Default

"Dane Bramage" wrote in
oups.com:

Not looking for a racing bike - rather something to take out for on day
rides of 100+ miles at a quicker pace, and preferably a more
comfortable ride than I'm used to.


Take a look at the 2005 Jamis Quest
(http://www.jamisbikes.com/bikes/05_quest.html)

The great thing about Jamis bikes is they make great all-day rides without
sacrificing a lot of speed. I have a Jamis, and I can tell you the steel
frame with a carbon fork is just velvet smooth. The frame is robot-made but
of high quality; no wobbles at speed on the downhills. At 20 lbs the Quest
is not super-light by today's standards but will certainly be a lot more
responsive and fun at pace than a touring bike. Plus the Quest is one of
the last road bikes that still comes with eyelets for a rear rack if you
want to put some panniers on for light touring. At around $1100 it's a good
value for what you get, which is a true all-purpose road bike.

Nah, I don't have any strong opinions on this :-)
 




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