Touring Equipment

They're the same, just different name.

We call it Audax, whether the French call it Randonneur.

http://www.yehudamoon.com/images/strips/2011-04-03.gif

You and me both, especially French one.

Yep french style randonneur events, handbuilt steel and 650b have all seen a major resurgence in the US in the last decade. That's how I got into them. But I never got to ride 650b/hetres myself... and it doesnt look like kicking off here in Ireland anytime soon! Favourite recent US randonneur bikes:

Awesome Nobilette "Demountable" [kinda like an integrated S&S coupler system]

Kogswell [chrome pista style] P/R

And... obvious and way overpriced tho it is... the Riv Homer Hilsen [700c]:

Gotta love the Rivendells

ah so THATS what audax is about. Used to know a girl who was crazy about audax, can't remember her name but she was affectionately known as 'the crazy cat shoe girl'.

It there a really noticeable difference to the handling? I'm going to LeJog this summer and was going to ride fairly light - a carradice nelson on the back and a bar bag on the front. I've brought the carradice, but haven't brought a bar bag yet.

when are you doing the ride? we may cross paths. I'm doing it in the last 2 weeks of June.

I'll be riding my surly cross check and as we're not camping will hopefully only need a Nelson longflap (great bag) and then either a boxy randonneur bag on the front - if I can bring myself to part with the cash, or something like the attached image (which is terrible quality), using old bits I've got. I'll need to clean up the surface rust on the rack and find a part to make it attach to the brake hole on the forks - currently the canti cable is in the way. I'll also need some dry bags as these panniers are not going to be water proof. You can't see from the pic but they are one piece that sits over the rack, so not 2 separate bags.

I'm currently deciding on what tyres to use. I've got 32c Vitorria Randonnerurs at the moment, but I think I'd rather go down to a 28c, or maybe a fat 25c if I can, just to reduce the rolling resistance.

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Narrower tyres dose not necessarily mean lower rolling resistance.

when are you doing the ride? we may cross paths. I'm doing it in the last 2 weeks of June.

I'm currently deciding on what tyres to use. I've got 32c Vitorria Randonnerurs at the moment, but I think I'd rather go down to a 28c, or maybe a fat 25c if I can, just to reduce the rolling resistance.

I'm riding with a mate from work mid July. We are planning on 11 days. We are both going to be on road bikes with nelson longflaps on the back and bar bags on the front. I have 25's on ATM and I'm hoping they will be OK. I'd love to buy a nice audax / fast tourer for this but can't really justify the cash. Although, a really nice one would tick so many boxes in terms of versitility that they do seem to be a sound investment. I'm going to ride my Condor Squadra that is a few years old, having been fitted by Scherrit, it shouldn't be too bad.

a boxy randonneur bag on the front - if I can bring myself to part with the cash

Possible retro-bargain for someone [given that those boxy bags cost ridiculous amounts]:
http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320678183966&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Narrower tyres dose not necessarily mean lower rolling resistance.

True statement this^. And if you're carrying a load up front and back you are gonna have to pump those 25s up to a higher psi than normal - which results in a really harsh ride all round [and wrecks your wrists and palms on long rides]. I'd say stick with 32s or at least 28s but maybe switch out the randonneur tires for a lighter better rolling set like gatorskins or paselas.

interesting, I didn't know that. thanks.

For those of you talking about Audax/Randonneur frames... there's a nice one closing in the next few hrs on ebay [does have a ding in the toptube - but Roberts Audax frames cost close to £1000 new]:

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320677727472&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[and I'm not related to the auction at all]

1+ on bigger tyre = lower rolling resistance.

That's from a bloke who run 60c on his bike.

what would you recommend as a tough, fast rolling touring tyre in either 28 or 32?

Oh the usual - Marathon Plus, that what I have on my 26" wheel touring bike.

but for a lighter tyre I go for the Pasela.

Was thinking about picking up some paselas next myself.

Ed do you know whether Pasela TGs are running true to their stated width these days? There's lotsa old stuff on the web about their 32s measuring out at only round 28 [on Open Pros]... and their 35s measuring only round 32mm.

My Gatorskin 28c come out at 26 on Open Pros [am hoping to find a 32c gatorskin that measures 30 on the rim!]

I rode a 28c tyres - it just about clear the Campagnolo brakes, whether the 30c Grand Bois tyres doesn't, the maxium clearance those brakes can accept is 28c;

Having said that, when I installed the Marathon Plus 28c, it doesn't clear the brakes, it appear that the rubber itself is quite thick to the point that it's realistically 30c.

Also different width rims can make a difference, with touring wheel, the Grand Bois 30c (the best and lightest tyre out there) fit in the brake nicely, whether a narrower rims doesn't allow it to fit under the brake.

For those of you talking about Audax/Randonneur frames... there's a nice one closing in the next few hrs on ebay [does have a ding in the toptube - but Roberts Audax frames cost close to £1000 new]:

http://cgi.ebay.ie/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320677727472&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

[and I'm not related to the auction at all]

spotted that yesterday just a little to big :( would be a great buy

Also different width rims can make a difference, with touring wheel, the Grand Bois 30c (the best and lightest tyre out there) fit in the brake nicely, whether a narrower rims doesn't allow it to fit under the brake.

Thanks for that... +1 on the Grand Bois - have long wanted to try them but their way too expensive. Also my bike takes medium 57mm reach brakes so I got a good bit more room... My question was really about *width *[not height] because it's between my chainstays that I'm worried a 32c+ will be too tight.

For anyone wanting to have some more fun fantasizing about "ultralight" touring in the vein of the Crane pair, this site is pretty awesome:http://ultralightcycling.blogspot.com/. Again, I wouldnt want to do anything remotely like it... but he does offer a lot of advice that might come in useful and I do have a soft spot for crazy people who turn their obsessions into a fine science. And he offers wonderful nuggets like:

"I do like to shower or wash at the end of the ride, but if there is no such possibility, it's no disaster: I know the sweat will dry out in an hour, leaving the dry, crisp layer of salt that I lick off and replenish the electrolytes that were lost."

And: "*Cut, cut, cut. The things produced nowadays - apart from those made for TdF racers - are redundantly designed. Cut your shirts, tear off buttons, straps, collars and not needed pockets. You will save few 100 grams, you will learn how the things work and will develope an eye for ridiculously redundant equipment."
*

spotted that yesterday just a little to big :( would be a great buy

Ditto - seems like we'll be fighting over the same bargain audax frames as they arise ; )

just to say, that bar bag has been sold.

in other news, i am touring the western isles over the easter break. ill keep you informed of progress.

More historic touring exploits... as an (unemployed) American historian, I love this. Two photos of the 25th Infantry Army (also known as the Buffalo Soldiers) Bike division in 1896-97. Note the frame bags which have recently been revived by ultralight tourers:

You can read more here: http://www.nrhc.org/history/25thInfantry.html

Realise I'm responding to a months old post in this thread... but did any of ye ever read about the epic tour across Asia by the Crane Bros back in the mid-1980s? They rode across Kilimanjaro, the Himalayas, the Gobi desert, etc all on two custom-built 21lb Raleigh Ti bikes [fully-equipped] ...and they did it all with only two small panniers in the back...

The book is called Journey To The Centre Of The Earth, so called because it's the point on land farthest away from the sea in all directions. It is an epic adventure and an awesome read. Just finished reading it again for about the millionth time.
Journey to the Centre of the Earth: Amazon.co.uk: Richard Crane, Nicholas Crane: Books
Buy it, read it, keep it.

again, i think that here will be the best place for this...
Karrimor rear panniers for sale!!
Never used from what i can tell...waterproof fabric.
near perfect condition (the part that "sinches" shut with the draw cord has had its waterproof delaminate through age - not important as lid is water resistant and... all your stuff would be in dry bags, right??) look at picture.
£40

Just made a decision to upgrade our tent for upcoming tour. We were going to borrow a touring tent weighing 1.2kgs but with no room to move in. Since we're traveling for 2 months we think we can afford to go up to about 2.5kgs and have a little bit more luxury accommodation. I reckon it'll be well worth it.

So, 2 man tent recommendations around 2.5kgs?

this may not be of interest if you're looking to go up the luxury ladder, but, at 1.1 kg it certainly satisfies the weight criteria.

http://hennessyhammock.com/

i used one for a couple of weeks in florida and was impervious to some massive mossies in the everglades. *insulation recommended.