Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Your century bicycle(s)

1999 Merlin Extralight - My first choice for long rides.
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj140/northbend/sunrise002.jpg

I envy your Merlin, northbend.

Here's my everyday ride, which has yet to be on anything longer than a metric century.
http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii243/Elderberrypictures/HPIM0895.jpg

It's an '89 Schwinn World frame I repainted and built up with mostly the cheapest used and discounted parts I could find.

http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii243/Elderberrypictures/HPIM0897.jpg

Its "dinglespeed" drive train allows for some versatility in a fixed setup, which is great for all kinds of things. I hope to do some 200 and 300k rides with it this spring when the roads aren't covered in slush and salt.

I've been lurking on this forum since almost a year now. And it's been a good year for cycling. One imperial century, 2 imperial almost-centuries, over 2500 kms of riding and a new bike gifted by my wife halfway through the year.

http://img53.imageshack.us/img53/1905/lionspointbicycleal8.jpg (http://img53.imageshack.us/my.php?image=lionspointbicycleal8.jpg)

^^^

That's a nice picture

2000 Trek 730 hybrid (basic $400 entry-level steel frame hybrid -- used for New York - Boston AIDS ride and three MS 150 centuries)

2004 Trek 520 touring bike (100 mile touring days and 1 SR series)

http://users.rcn.com/crisc/randobike2.jpg


I noticed the fenders on your Trek 520. Can you give me more details about them?

Schwinn Continental (unknown number of times; no odometer in those days)
Schwinn Le Tour (once)
'80s Fuji 12-speed (once)
Trek 560 (probably 4)
Specialized Hardrock (once)
RANS V-Rex (about 12)

The Le Tour was horrible. The Fuji was pretty uncomfortable. The Trek was okay when I had a good back. The Specialized was actually the second most comfortable bike I've finished a century on. On the RANS I did six centuries back-to-back, quite comfortably.

Been lurking for a while, but I thought I would share my new century (or longer) bike. Had it built by Ira Ryan (http://www.iraryancycles.com/), with King (http://chrisking.com/) bling (Hubs, headset, and BB), Ultegra, and Paul (http://www.paulcomp.com/neoretro.html) Neo-retro brakes. My previous century bike was a Trek Portland - which I did 4 centuries and Cycle Oregon twice on.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3134/3159704271_e04b9d525a.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3133/3160539444_2789c1f035.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3268/3160540658_60a08e271f.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3095/3159705923_6db48ea936.jpg

bmike,
That ti bike rigged for rando is beautiful. By the way what crankset is on the rando bike? I noticed in the second photo the crankset was changed.

bmike,
That ti bike rigged for rando is beautiful. By the way what crankset is on the rando bike? I noticed in the second photo the crankset was changed.

thanks! the crank is a specialities ta carmina (http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/carmina.asp), 94 bcd for rings from 30 all the way to 50.
i had a to wait for the rings to get here when i built it up so used and old ritchey compact before the good stuff arrived.

Nice bike! I've always been a sucker for black and tan bikes. . . and beer

That Ira Ryan is quite nice... lovin' the cantis and colors. Something in me wishes all bikes like that had classic retrogrouch stuff all over, but that's very much a form over function thing. For riding's sake, I hope the brifters and other modern stuff give you the ride of yer life.

My first century was started and completed in the rain, which happens quite alot here, we actually did 120k in 8 hours that day.

So far, all my centuries have been on my Kona Jake-the-Snake, with road tires. My next one,
if/when I can get in shape, will likely be on my Surly LHT.

1980's Trek 400
I've done one so far, but I'm going to do more this year

Just cleaning the bike off since it is sub-zero temps here in SW Ohio. Having the winter blues and need to clean up my ride. This is my 55cm 2001 Lemond Buenos Aires 853 Reynolds with full ultegras all around. The pedals will be changed out with Look pedals for 2009 :)

Hope you like it.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/3205859406_a442531729.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3330/3205015675_cd45e772ff.jpg?v=0

Those 853 frames ride beautifully. Like those older retro decals too. If there is a of-the-peg frame that should keep it's value and become collectible it aught to be this!

My century bike is a Specialized Roubaix Expert, 2008. Here's a few photos, some from prior BF posts.

http://davewyman.net/bikeroub.jpg

http://davewyman.net/seat.jpg

http://davewyman.net/colorspec.jpg

http://k53.pbase.com/g5/54/54554/2/98502314.TGQZp7nT.jpg

http://davewyman.net/seat.jpg

I'm sorry

I'm sorry

LOL, umd.

Is it true you just switched to this saddle? :rolleyes:

http://davewyman.net/bigsaddle.jpg

LOL, umd.

Is it true you just switched to this saddle? :rolleyes:

http://davewyman.net/bigsaddle.jpg

:notamused:

Just cleaning the bike off since it is sub-zero temps here in SW Ohio. Having the winter blues and need to clean up my ride. This is my 55cm 2001 Lemond Buenos Aires 853 Reynolds with full ultegras all around. The pedals will be changed out with Look pedals for 2009 :)

Hope you like it.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3499/3205859406_a442531729.jpg?v=0

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3330/3205015675_cd45e772ff.jpg?v=0

Ah yes, I had Buenos Aires exactly like that one that I sold last year. It was a fantastic bike and I'm still wondering what the heck I was thinking when I sold it.

Many nice bikes pictured here. For my butt, this is da' bomb for long rides. Yes, I know. I will be accused of being a recumbulator. But I don't have a white beard or a big belly. I do have a pocket protector, slide rule, and I am an engineer.:eek:

The bike is a Challenge Fujin SL II.

Well the belly is almost gone and I no beard but another recumbent. Pic cropped from my 200k Sunday.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_GIFgiCQnK-8/SXeHHu2TxwI/AAAAAAAAAMc/s2RRYa4e7lM/s400/BrevetBike_nolabels.JPG
Challenge Hurricane - A sport perhaps I'm the 3rd-4th owner.

My wifes Hurricane SL from the same ride
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_g0_wmYkLmkY/SXSaZTu4ZaI/AAAAAAAAAOk/A3ZJpnIJR14/s400/P1181468.JPG

My Claud Butler 853 is probably the sweetest ride, Ive also got a Pinarello Galileo, Its faster but very stiff I was also going to sell the 853 until I changed the Cassette and suddenly it became my favourite, Steel is real, Must post pics

Here's my ride most all the time. 1994 Trek 520, upgraded to 8 speed with XT/Mavic wheels, Nitto randonneur bars, and Brooks B67. This bike has a jillion miles on it, including centuries,three cross state tours, and several unsupported tours. It gets 3000 miles per year. Next year it may get 9 speeds, brifters, and a new factory paint job.

As seen on Oklahoma Freewheel, 2008
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm11/monoborracho/2008OKFreewheel/100_0082.jpg

My Merida FreeWay 9300 for scientific trips around Carpathians, Europe, pic. from Summer 2008

http://www.velodom.com.ua/i/500/500/2950.jpg (http://www.velodom.com.ua/full/2950.jpg)

Here are my two COLNAGOs that I used to for veteran's road cycling races, Ukraine 2008

Colnago C50 2007

http://www.velodom.com.ua/i/500/500/2951.jpg (http://www.velodom.com.ua/full/2951.jpg)

Colnago C50 Crono 2008

http://www.velodom.com.ua/i/500/500/2116.jpg.jpg (http://www.velodom.com.ua/full/2116.jpg)

Here is me, training on Moskva-80 road bike on roller track, which I used to in 1981-1985, while have been amateur racer of SPARTAK, Uzhhorod racing team
Photo from 1981-1985

http://www.velodom.com.ua/i/500/500/2965.jpg (http://www.velodom.com.ua/full/2965.jpg)

I used two folding bikes: a german Birdy Touring (Riese & Müller) and a british Pashley TSR 30. :love:

Here's my ride most all the time. 1994 Trek 520, upgraded to 8 speed with XT/Mavic wheels, Nitto randonneur bars, and Brooks B67. This bike has a jillion miles on it, including centuries,three cross state tours, and several unsupported tours. It gets 3000 miles per year. Next year it may get 9 speeds, brifters, and a new factory paint job.

As seen on Oklahoma Freewheel, 2008
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm11/monoborracho/2008OKFreewheel/100_0082.jpg

I have the same bike and it is pretty great. I always want to upgrade but in terms of frame I don't know what an upgrade would be (well i my dream world I do but not in reality). someday I will find some pictures of it. I want to get it repainted too but where are you thinking of doing that?

Finally rode a century on the new bike, as pictured...

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/5882.jpg

Here's my ride most all the time. 1994 Trek 520, upgraded to 8 speed with XT/Mavic wheels, Nitto randonneur bars, and Brooks B67. This bike has a jillion miles on it, including centuries,three cross state tours, and several unsupported tours. It gets 3000 miles per year. Next year it may get 9 speeds, brifters, and a new factory paint job.

As seen on Oklahoma Freewheel, 2008
http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm11/monoborracho/2008OKFreewheel/100_0082.jpg

I dig the yellow (http://www.flickr.com/photos/9320902@N04/2833971981/) bottles.

This is my randonnée bicycle, built last year and ridden through the season (2x 200km brevets, many 100km commutes). It was repainted a bright metallic blue this year:

http://www.dominguezcycles.com/images/gallery/12/mres/073.jpg
Battery-powered Schmidt E6 headlight. The lead-acid battery weighs 907g (2lbs. - a little more than a full water bottle), but provides ten hours of run-time at full brightness.

http://www.dominguezcycles.com/images/gallery/12/mres/074.jpg
Silver fillet-brazed steel frame and rack, silver-brazed fork. 11.4kg (25.2lbs.) as shown. I still need to install mud flaps.

I'm looking forward to riding it on some local brevets (400km, 600km, 1000km) this year.

(There are more photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25757838@N05/sets/72157604608120195/)

Very nice, with all the details integrated. Don't see too mcuh silver fillet brazing -- expensive and hard to do right. Did you build the frame yourself?

Very nice, with all the details integrated.

Thanks! However, the next randonnée bicycle I build (for myself or a customer, if they request it) will have as much of the electrical wiring routed internally as possible. There's always something for which to strive...


Don't see too mcuh silver fillet brazing -- expensive and hard to do right.

Although the price of silver is high compared to bronze, it's a small fraction of the cost of the other raw materials and assembly and finishing labor involved. Not to mention the cost of paint. Nevertheless, as you said, it's expensive and not many of my customers request it. However, it was a nice change from using bronze on tubing this thin (Columbus Ultra Foco - about 0.5mm at the thick ends of the top and down tubes) to build up large fillets (which I find very appealing).


Did you build the frame yourself?

Yes, I built it myself (framebuilding is one of my vocations).

Ishy Bunny that is a sweet bike. I am a TC native and I would like to build my own frame, but I don't know where to start. where did you learn?

Thanks! However, the next randonnée bicycle I build (for myself or a customer, if they request it) will have as much of the electrical wiring routed internally as possible. There's always something for which to strive...What would you use to do that, brass tubing? Is there a way to get past the bottom bracket?

This is my randonnée bicycle, built last year and ridden through the season (2x 200km brevets, many 100km commutes). It was repainted a bright metallic blue this year:

Battery-powered Schmidt E6 headlight. The lead-acid battery weighs 907g (2lbs. - a little more than a full water bottle), but provides ten hours of run-time at full brightness.

Silver fillet-brazed steel frame and rack, silver-brazed fork. 11.4kg (25.2lbs.) as shown. I still need to install mud flaps.

I'm looking forward to riding it on some local brevets (400km, 600km, 1000km) this year.

(There are more photos here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/25757838@N05/sets/72157604608120195/)

Like they say, "A thing of beauty is a joy forever"!
Love the way you made modern components please the eye.
:love:

This is my baby. My one and only bike which forces me to do the OC- SD century with one gear. And I love every painful spin.

52/15 ratio.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7566709@N07/3463927488/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7566709@N07/3463927488/

What would you use to do that, brass tubing? Is there a way to get past the bottom bracket?

The bikes I have seen simply run the wiring through holes in the tubing -- usually through the lower tang of the lower head lug, and through the rear of the seat tube to the tail light -- and through the bottom bracket shell above the bottom bracket spindle. This is how I am doing it on the frame that I am almost done building. I will let you know if something goes wrong with it...

This is my baby. My one and only bike which forces me to do the OC- SD century with one gear. And I love every painful spin.

52/15 ratio.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7566709@N07/3463927488/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7566709@N07/3463927488/

Wow, that's insane gearing for riding long distances. Every painful spin is right.

Wow, that's insane gearing for riding long distances. Every painful spin is right. Its not supposed to work well, its like the boyz that wear their pants down around their ankle so their shorts can hangout - its all about "street cred."

Did (almost 157.84km)a century on this yesterday so:

http://gallery.rhapsody.st/albums/ironfist_abo-kyrkslatt/240409_1.sized.jpg

My 2008 Roubaix Expert Triple - I'm riding it in the Chico (Calif.) Wildflower Century on Sunday and it was my steed on the Solvang Century about six weeks ago. It's a very comfortable bike.

http://davewyman.net/roubaix08.jpg

My Bianchi Axis cross with road wheels on.

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii303/chrism32205/csmbianchi.jpg

Did (almost 157.84km)a century on this yesterday so:

http://gallery.rhapsody.st/albums/ironfist_abo-kyrkslatt/240409_1.sized.jpg

Nice ride Black Shuck. Which model is that?

Nice ride Black Shuck. Which model is that?

Soma Smoothie, the fork is a Enigma Etape Audax. Full Ultegra groupset, put it together myself, som build pics here (http://gallery.rhapsody.st/ironfist_smoothiebuild)

Got redirected here by a post Machka made in road cycling, so thought I'd join the club. I rode the Primavera century on my 07 Roubaix comp last weekend. I've been doing some saddle searching but my Fizik Antares kept me fresh through to the last mile.

http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn384/RDW5980/2009_04_03_HookyRide/DSC00558-2.jpg


Hi icyclist - great looking ride. What kind of paint job have you got there? It looks custom?

Here's my old tourer... I rode it on many centuries back when it was new, but it didn't look like this then.

I rode it 140 miles last Saturday, when it looked like this.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3361/3480022428_04643bd43d_b.jpg

Details, for those who care:
Trek 720 touring frame, built in 1982, before they started putting cantilever studs on them.
Shimano Nexus-8 hub, twist shifter on flat handlebar (MTB bar) with drop bar ends, aero levers on the bar ends.
Sanyo dynamo hub, 3E lights.
Steel fenders from a 1940's Schwinn, but these will soon be replaced with new plastic ones.
The luggage rack is unsatisfactory; when I do the fenders, I'm going to put my old Jim Blackburn racks on it, the way it was back in '83.
Seat is a Fujita Professional, it's been on this bike since 1983.
I'm not going back to the original color (metallic vomit, I think) or derailleurs, though.

Here is my ride. It's a 1999 GT Edge and although it looks like a TT bike it's not really. It's also not really a comfortable distance bike but whatever... soon to be replaced with a Waterford 2200.

It's almost all stock 105 stuff except the shifters are record. I'm working on their position so I haven't wrapped the bar yet. The saddle is also on trial... I usually use a Brooks Swift, in honey of course. As it sits it looks like a fashion show but with the Brooks it just looks cool.

It's done 6 or so metric centuries and 3 double centuries. The rectangular stickers on the seat tube are for the Vatternrunden, which is a 300km ride about the second largest lake in Sweden. It's the largest event of it's kind and sells out at 17,500 most every year. It's an excellent day in the saddle! Coming up again in mid June - can't wait.