Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - My moment of realization

OK, so I started a long rambling diatribe involving me arguing with myself about what kind of bike to start building, and then I realized "You know what?" (here I am, back to my inner discourse) "People are probably tired of the 'what bike should I get' posts."
So I deleted all my rambling and I'll break it down to this:


My commuter bike needs minimal work to keep going for another 17 years
I'm doing more long distance riding (and really enjoying it)
I don't do, or plan on doing, any touring
I want to get into longer/ultradistance riding
My current road bike is too small for me (but I ride it anyway because it's fun)


I realized that this all adds up to one decision: Ultradistance road bike build, CliftonGK1 style. The odd mix of racing and touring equipment which will combine to form the Voltron-like awesomeness of my next bike. Most probably a steel racer as the frame (maybe CF, not sure yet.) Road-triple components. Aerobars (for relaxing on those long rides.) Dynohub lighting for going at all hours. Lightweight fenders for going in all conditions.

Maybe I'm just thinking silly thoughts after stepping on the scale and seeing that I lost another 3 pounds. It could be my goals of riding the Chelan Century Challenge, RAMROD, and finishing StP as a one-day which are clouding my usual better judgement in bicycle building. Then again, I just might be on to something, here...

Well, I just ordered an Allez with custom wheels, Deep V, so we're in the same boat!

Well, I just ordered an Allez with custom wheels, Deep V, so we're in the same boat!

This isn't all too strange, then?
I see lots of road bikes, and they're really just that: roadie speed machines. Carbon everything, right down to the hubs. I think they'd be great, if I wasn't so into long night rides and riding in really cold weather.
I also see lots of touring bikes with front and rear racks/panniers, dynos, the works; but I don't need that kind of carrying capacity for the type of riding I'm getting into. I have my commuter for when I need to carry stuff, and after I replace the headset and overhaul the bb, it's going to be good as new again... a little beat up looking, but functionally good as new.
I've never really seen the kind of setup I'm thinking about. The rando crowd up here comes close, and I suppose that's really the type of bike that I'm building. It's sort of a mix between relaxed rando bikes and speed-demon ultradistance racing bikes.

So are you decking the Allez out with fenders and lights? I'd love to see some pix when it's finished.

I know where you are coming from Jason. Granted, my judgement is a little clouded from being OFF the bike for a bit, but I'm hoping to have a better fit and be back and better than ever when I come back (within a few weeks I'm hoping).

I've recently been thinking along similar lines. I have, as you know, turned that 520 into the perfect commuting/touring (which I want to do one day) bike. But I'm thinking about building up a newer, nicer, lighter bike for the longer, faster weekend rides. I'm not sure what to go for yet, but that same idea is beginning to brew in my noggin too.

Nope, the Allez is going to be a race and event bike and light as I can make it for 100+ mile rides ;)

Clifton,

I've got a Giant OCR Limited CF bike. Relaxed geometry, road triple drive train. I do centuries all the time on it. The OCR series bike is a great all-day, long miles rider. Very, very comfortable and smooth. And they are relatively inexpensive.

There are several factory-built relaxed geometry all-day bikes that would suit your needs. Trek makes the Pilot series and Specialzed the Roubaix, for starters

I can recommend the Specialized Roubaix. I tried the Allez and the Sequoia, but the Roubaix just fit me like a glove, despite the fact that a guy my size shouldn't really be on a carbon fiber bike. I think of it as encouragement on two wheels.

Clifton,

I've got a Giant OCR Limited CF bike. Relaxed geometry, road triple drive train. I do centuries all the time on it. The OCR series bike is a great all-day, long miles rider. Very, very comfortable and smooth. And they are relatively inexpensive.

There are several factory-built relaxed geometry all-day bikes that would suit your needs. Trek makes the Pilot series and Specialzed the Roubaix, for starters

I'll have to check out what you're calling relaxed geometry, because in looking at bikes like the Roubaix (high on my list of condenders) they're certainly not built like the touring frames I was looking at initially. They may not be as steep as say, a tri-bike... but they're not slack, either.

How about something like a Surly Pacer?

How about something like a Surly Pacer?

The Pacer is nice, and since I was seriously considering an LHT buildup when trying to decide what to do I've got nothing against Surly; but it is a pretty heavy base to start with. The 62cm f/f rocks in at just over 5 pounds, and I'm still rolling the full carbon idea around in my head.
I was riding steel not just for the feel of it, but also because I was 260 pounds for quite a while. I'm back on my way down to race weight, and I used to ride CF/Al in my racing days so I know it's strong enough.

There's less than a pound difference between a Pacer frame/fork and that of the Long Haul Trucker.

All things considered, the difference between the Long Haul Trucker and an aluminum/carbon fiber bike is probably the weight of one of my shoes.

There's less than a pound difference between a Pacer frame/fork and that of the Long Haul Trucker.
True. But when I was thinking initially of building up a touring rig for long distance, I wasn't concerning myself with weight.


All things considered, the difference between the Long Haul Trucker and an aluminum/carbon fiber bike is probably the weight of one of my shoes.
At least for me, one shoe is about one pound, which is a hefty amount when you're trying to keep total weight (before filled water bottles) under 25 pounds. A 1 pound savings in the frame will counterbalance the excess weight of a dynohub.


(I know I'm starting to sound kinda weight weenie-ish about this build, but I'm aiming for something as light as possible to do 100+ miler rides with lots of elevation gain.)

I'll have to check out what you're calling relaxed geometry, because in looking at bikes like the Roubaix (high on my list of condenders) they're certainly not built like the touring frames I was looking at initially. They may not be as steep as say, a tri-bike... but they're not slack, either.

The relaxed/compact geometry bikes have fairly steep racer-esqe angles but the head tubes are built taller while the top tubes are shorter. So you get a bike with the steeper head tube angles for handling like a race bike but the bars are in a position higher up and closer to the seat so you have a more upright position.

I'll have to check out what you're calling relaxed geometry, because in looking at bikes like the Roubaix (high on my list of condenders) they're certainly not built like the touring frames I was looking at initially. They may not be as steep as say, a tri-bike... but they're not slack, either.

"Relaxed Geometry" in today's market generally means it has the chain-stays are a bit longer, the head tube has different angle than a road racing bike, and it sports a triple drivetrain.

For example - the Giant TCR vs OCR CF series bikes. The TCR is a racing bike, and the OCR is "more relaxed". Basically the same bike, but one has tighter geometry than the other, and the OCR has a triple.

Now... all that being said, I'm a big guy (230lbs). I've ridden the hell out of the Giant, with about 6000+ miles on it and almost 20 centuries so far. But I also have a 1985'ish Italian steel bike with classic racing geometry, as well as a newish 2003 Pinarello racing bike (aluminum frame and CF fork) with very aggressive geometry. They'll all go 100 miles comfortably, and which one I use depends on how I feel that morning. In order of preference, I'd list them as Giant CF/Italian steel/Pinarello aluminum - but the relative comfort of one over the other has more to do with saddle and tires than anything else..... IMO

Another way for you to go, if you're so inclined, is to find a suitable frame and build one to suit your tastes. Of my 3, only the Giant is a store-bought factory bike. The other two were frameset purchases that I built myself. From my experience doing this, I doubt I'll ever buy a complete bike again. There are so many frame-sets to choose from and so many ways to fit them out, it boggles the mind. Plus, I like the sense of satisfaction obtained from building and then riding a bike I've built myself.

Interesting thoughts.

I own a Giant TCR and have done a century ride on it.

If you have the right seat and fit it is a comfortable bike to ride.

I'm guessing the OCR would be possibly slightly more comfortable due to the positioning.

Interesting thoughts.

I own a Giant TCR and have done a century ride on it.

If you have the right seat and fit it is a comfortable bike to ride.

I'm guessing the OCR would be possibly slightly more comfortable due to the positioning.

Yeah - I would probably have bought a TCR if I could have found one with a triple.. :D

Like I said above, I believe the saddle and tire choice has more of an impact on comfort than anything else, assuming you have the bike set up correctly for your body. I really don't feel much of a cumulative difference after riding 100 across all my bikes, and they all have different geometries.

But CF does give a nice comfortable ride, even for us heavy folks.

Well, my relaxed road bike is a Canondale T1000. Not fancy or new, but I sure like it.