Cool article - touring equipment survey
Posted 9 months ago by misskazThought some of you might appreciate this. I found it browsing around the internet for information about the Surly Long Haul Trucker*. It's a 6-page pdf of an article from Bicycle Quarterly. They studied the equipment that randonneurs in the 2007 Paris-Brest-Paris used and how it correlated to their ability to finish the 1200km ride. Interesting stuff!
http://www.vintagebicyclepress.com/BQPBPEquipsurvey.pdf
I liked the concluding paragraph:
"These results are of interest not only to randonneurs, but to all riders who participate in long events. We found no consistent evidence that bikes with racing-oriented equipment provided a speed advantage over more completely equipped bicycles, among riders with similar goals. Considering this, it makes sense to use the bike that is most comfortable, most reliable, and that best protects the rider from rain and road spray. Unsatisfactory equipment can be a distraction, whereas a perfectly working bike can contribute greatly to the enjoyment of the ride."
*As an aside, this weekend was a disappointing weekend, bike-wise. Found a Panasonic Pro Touring bike on Craigslist that, according to the ad, had a chance of being small enough for me. Got really excited about the possibilities. But when I got there we found out the frame had been mis-measured and it was too big. The seller said that if I wanted to go new, the Surly LHT was probably a good bet, which is something I have heard and considered many times. So I called around and one of the LBSs had the LHT in the tiny 42cm frame built up and I test rode it yesterday. Loved it! But since Surly doesn't do model years they never go on sale so there's no reason to buy it now. (We're buying a house in the next few months and all available cash is currently earmarked for that whole process.) I might take a look at a Bianchi Volpe too, but realistically no new bike until maybe next year...
Replies
Thanks for the link. Interesting reading indeed.
The LHT is a fantastic ride. I do occasionally see them on craigslist, but they sell quickly.
Surly is hard to beat for reasonably-priced, well-engineered steel bikes. I have two in the stable already. :)
yeah, I remember reading through that survey when it came out and the discussion that it provoked on the American randonneuring forums. Generally speaking, for all of Jan's scientific rigor and detail, the survey has to be taken with a grain of salt. The survey was generally anecdotal and didn't really account for the physical capabilities of the rider nor the relationship between them and their equipment choices.
Still, it does raise a good point in that, for most uses, a bike should just be more about whether it's steel or carbon, Campy gruppo or Shimano equipped. Any rider who hopes to use their bike for utility and/or touring has to also think about fender compatibility, luggage, light mounts, etc, and that whole package has more of an effect on your enjoyment of your ride than whether or not your bike has a 160mm crank or 180mm crank.
(fun fact -- my ANT is the bike pictured near the end of the article)