Rad-ndo bikes

Definitely sounds like a more suitable option for bikes without mudguards and racks, and maybe flat bars also make it easier to fit.

I currently use a decathlon transport bag for bus trips - this one - but it is quite heavy and bulky and uses up all the space in my handlebar bag. A rinko bag looks like a decent less bulky alternative

When I did the fuck this I take the train thing once I took the wheels off and put them in my bivy and put the frame behind the seats in the German fast train. No idea if this would work with every train boss person though.

Thanks for the nice write up, bit more motivation to go and tour is welcome!

Thanks for the nice write up, bit more motivation to go and tour is welcome!

Aw man, no worries! I like doing these lil reports, they help consolidate and motivate future stuff for myself too.

@Zebra aye I was looking at a few heftier bags, but no way I'd have lugged those around. A friend since mentioned he keeps a bin liner and some zipties in his pocket just in case he needs a train in a pinch, kind of angry w myself that I didn't think of that. It's mad that there isn't a cheaper simple cover from some thin fabric, seems like it should be easy enough to sew together.

I have a very old bag by Bach, its made from thin ripstop and has a bit of cordura at the bottom, its the right size for a bike with front wheel off. So its big and not that lightweight, but can be carried along.
But you still need straps and stuff to make the bike nicely packed, and the train bosses will probably only accept all wheels off, so even if you produce some plastic waste I would just go to a supermarket and buy cling film and go mad with that in future.

I have done it in the past with 80l black bin bags, usually need about 4-5 of them to cover everything and carry the bags too. Has never been particularly easy to carry, but is ok if you can wrangle your way to the platform with the bike intact.

I’m planning on making a rinko bag out of the lightest rip stop I can find, doesn’t need to be super durable as I’d only really use it for getting around the tgv problem on trips to France.

Did a 200k audax in Croatia with the pink raleigh yesterday, a friend snapped a few really cool pics. Had to switch to flats due to lack of spd shoe. Unfortunately, the right pedal has a bent axle, which while I knew about, thought wouldn't be a big deal. It turned out to cause issues in the back of my knee and up towards my lower back after a few hours, and the last 50km were a bit of a drag. My front tyre was seated poorly too, and I got a bit of a bounce every revolution. Lastly, the dynamo hub started making a bit of a low rattling noise at low speeds, which I expect is a sign of it giving up. Bit of a bummer for =<5000km, but I guess it confirms the rumours about SPs.

I blame none of this on the bike, which is a great little beast. Just couldn't fit in a proper maintenance session it deserved. A triathete contested the appropriateness of the bike for randonneuring, which I received with extreme internal indignation.

It was a great ride. As usual, I was looking for a wheel to suck on the later flats, but I killed it on every climb. Managed to prep food at home and only spend money on ice cream and coffee en route, which was cool. Didn't do a brevet here since '19, which made it nice and sentimental for me.

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A lot of people riding seemed serious and rode plastic, and were much faster than us. We took many breaks and moving averaged 20ish. Organisation was great, a 20e entry fee got you a banana and energy bar breakfast, coffee and a jager/rakija shot to water it down, and an excellent vegan hamburger dinner at the end.

Route had some climbing, one proper lovely one, and a bunch of smaller bumps. I always hate flats - they are boring, unsatisfying, they go on forever, and you get all sorts of drivers and motorcyclists out there. Hills, however, are good for the soul, you get to shift your body around, and the views are better. I think I ought to look up a bike fit, my back is still tender and doesn't respond to faster-than-touring pace.

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Nice pics. Good basketpacking inspo right here
also

A triathloner contested the appropriateness of the bike for randonneuring, which I received with extreme internal indignation.

The audacity!

ikr? I won't take lessons on culture from a tr*athlete.

The basket is so great, I bet I could get away with touring just with that and a big carradice. Obv not very aero, but I'd like it on record that I did some of the pulling on flats too.

Rando fixie back in the spotlight. Had a nice strong ride today, I just know this'll be very sick fully built up. Massive kudos to @Ph1ll1p for brazing the posts and crimping the stays <333

Some GB mudguards, nitto m12 rack, VO decaleur, etc. Dunno what's up with the cockpit, I swear bdhu was on point in the workshop. Might find a pair of campy levers for it anyhow.

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I'm stoked it came out looking so swell!

So I'm in the last (touch wood) efforts of writing my phd thesis, and have been away from bikes for too long, but like, here's a small progress report on the grey raleigh which is growing to be my favourite bike

Pending as soon as I find the time, and it's not freezing:
Gutted campy levers
Nitto M12
Fix chainline
Connect rear light

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Just a few more grabel pics. This is actually super fun on trails, 70 gear inches is like a magic ratio that works almost everywhere.

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Almost everywhere.

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There's also Crust's autistic cousin, which is probably also going to be my favourite bike, but it's a bit off from a satisfying level of done. I was a little worried about the spyres and campy levers -- they seemed a bit soft on the stand, and there's some speculation that the campy pull ratio might be a touch off, but after a few rides, I totally fw it.
The shifting also works super well (campy 10 + shimano 9 with alt cable routing). Def recommend.

Mudguards are keeping me up at night tho. I was a dummy and bought 700s thinking they might fit the frame mounts better, and I can swap wheels, but they're kinda off. I think I can get them right, might need to drill another hole for the fork crown to push it forward, it's waaay too low on the front wheel rn.

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Oh it's also getting a rear son light (scored for £15), spd m520 from bike station, and a spa 160mm crankset (it's the one they sell as a triple). The BB drop (70mm) is my only beef with the frame, but I don't mind shorter cranks, and they might also have a reason for not changing it because they do the mk5 in 650b with the same drop (although slightly bigger tyres).

I didn't really keep track but I think I spent under £500 on this thing, which is pretty cool.

This one is wonderful. "Crust's autistic cousin". Brilliant and I can see why it could become a favorite bike.

I want to lament more about how cool Thorn can be, but maybe after I finish the few things it's missing.

Im impressed! A Thorn that doesn't look completely shit, but actually really nice.

It's baffling how they can put so much thought into designs and still put together the weirdest looking aesthetic atrocities for their catalogue. But the gigantic steerer, at least in this model, is really convenient because you can get the bars level with the saddle without it looking out of place.

I also don't understand the geometry of how they can simultaneously have such big head tubes as well as so much steerer leftover.

Super rad! What’s the front bag?

Looks a pretty short a2c compared with more modern big tyre forks?

Oh that would do it. Would also strengthen the fork under twisting force I guess?

@user150977 it's an ostrich, not sure about the exact model. It's my favourite, planetx had them for £30 in 2020

Thorn is done!

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GB mudguards weren't working out and I found cheap 26in SKS, they fit like a glove. Mudflaps would be good.

Given the low bb, I got a short spa triple 160mm crankset. Currently running 46/28 and 11-32, I'd prefer a 42 or 44 big ring tho. The campy 1o - shimano 9 sp combo works really well. The Spyres work nicely with the campy levers, too. Not prefect, but I think better than most cantis i had, and much easier to squeeze.

One beef is the Alfine dynamo - just as another shimano dynamo I have, it's producing quite a strong vibration, sometimes I feel it even in the pedals. Most people say they never feel the drag, but I def can. Not sure if I can mess with the bearings at all to sort that out.

Would be nice to use this bike to get a full audax season down this year, although I'm criminally under shape right now.