Bikes riders use on a tough long distance event

vorsprung

There's a lot of talk about "I like this" or "carbon is best" or all kinds of fluff with saying what bike is best

So rather than thinking up some opinion latest blog article..
http://audaxing.wordpress.com/2014/06/0 ... ow-sw-600/

..is pictures and brief descriptions of the eighteen bikes that the finishers of the Kernow and SW 600km event used

I'm not saying any of these bikes are "the best" or anything. But the fact is that they all made it round Devon/Cornwall/Somerset/Dorset in 40 hours last weekend

markhewitt1978

Find it annoying most of them are non-drive side photos!

slowbike

So - what that tells me is that the frame material is immaterial ...
Mudguards depend on the weather
Luggage choice is limited

but you need to use clipless pedals.

vorsprung

madasahattersley wrote:

But this is basically a touring event isn't it? How has this got any relevance to the debate about which frame material is best? Carbon is predominantly used to make light, fast, stiff bikes for people who (presumably) aren't all that bothered about riding 600km in 40 hours or whatever.

It has relevance if you want a comfortable bike that is also fast.

Riders on shorter events that feel long to them are going to need a comfortable bike. I would guess this is quite a few people. Very few people with racing bikes are actually racing as such.

Audax at this distance is more like a non competitive sport than touring. Touring bikes have 35mm tyres and super low gearing. None of the bikes are like that. A tour of this distance would typically take 4 days or so.

My idea behind this blog post isn't to make broad pronouncements on "carbon is stiff" or "carbon has directional stiffness" or whatever. I just want to show a good sample of what are proven, comfortable, fast long distance bikes

chris_bass

so you need a bike made out of either titanium, carbon, aluminium or steel

markhewitt1978

I'll put my bamboo bike away then

clickrumble

Just knowing the label on the frame (or lack of it) and the frame material is largely irrelevant, surely it' s mainly all the other components that will determine how "good" a bike is.

vorsprung

markhewitt1978 wrote:

I'll put my bamboo bike away then

I remember catching up with someone on Paris-Brest-Paris riding a bike with bamboo wheels.
Not seen a bamboo frame on an event though

CiB

Wow. Good to know that there are some bikes can survive 40 hours of use then. Phew.

gloomyandy

Interesting how many of those bikes have either a large number of spacers or a flipped stem (or both).

Bar Shaker

vorsprung wrote:

It has relevance if you want a comfortable bike that is also fast.

But to be fair, there is only so much power you can put down through a pair of leather sandels and white socks.

Bobbinogs

gloomyandy wrote:

Interesting how many of those bikes have either a large number of spacers or a flipped stem (or both).

A rider's beard needs to be close enough to the bars to be rested on them. The men have a similar problem.

vorsprung

Bar Shaker wrote:

vorsprung wrote:

It has relevance if you want a comfortable bike that is also fast.

But to be fair, there is only so much power you can put down through a pair of leather sandels and white socks.

I suppose it depends if the sandals have carbon reinforced soles or not. I don't remember any of the riders wearing sandals this time.

I do point out in the article that all of the riders have clipless pedals. I don't know of any leather sandals that have cleats. Shimano SPD sandals are used by several long distance riders but not the ones riding that event at the weekend

trooperk

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Find it annoying most of them are non-drive side photos!

Ssssh,so they can hide the dirty chain.

de_sisti

gloomyandy wrote:

Interesting how many of those bikes have either a large number of spacers or a flipped stem (or both).

What's wrong with that then?

kayakerchris

I think Vorsprung's point is well made. I bought my first bike Boardman team Carbon as it was available on ride to work from halfords. fast and light but I really would not want to ride much over 150km on it as it was hard on the bum. I also wanted to go fast and read that 23mm tyres were the way to go. Then I bought a Giant TCR SL2, even lighter, super low and reasonable upto about 400km. tyres were swapped out for 25mm tubeless with some improvement and the bars double taped.

I now have a BMC GF01, designed for cobbles, 28mm tubeless tyres and a dynamo with a 34 32 setup. This rides superbly and whilst this year I am not doing a 600km, I am looking forward to next year. Despite this being a comfort orientated bike designed for long days in the saddle I am still setting PBs every time I go out. Comfort does not mean slow and touring.

Many audax guys are also extremely fast and have a real economy of effort.

Strith

I'm failing to see any useful point too. It's just pictures of bikes used for audaxing. The only real requirement is being comfy, and you can achieve that irrespective of the frame material.

vorsprung

Strith wrote:

I'm failing to see any useful point too. It's just pictures of bikes used for audaxing

You'd be surprised about the strange ideas that many bike riders have about bikes used for audax

As well correcting misconceptions other long distance riders are interested in the details of the bikes