Touring - Returning My Randonee

Last August I purchased a 47cm Randonee for my girlfriend and a 52cm for myself. The only other size in stock was a 57cm which felt too big. I took the 52cm for a lengthy test ride and it actually felt pretty good. They had a sale going on so I pulled the trigger and brought it home.

After replacing the orginal foam saddle with a Brooks B.17, I just haven't been able to get the fit right. The Brooks appears to sit about 3/4" to 1" forward compared to the original saddle, which puts my rear end right on the rivets. I've tried 3 different stems which haven't done much to solve my problem. After talking to the REI bike shop guy this morning, he said he was surprised that they let me leave with a 52cm based on my height (5' 10"ish). I should have tried a 55cm, but due to the sale and lack of stock, I got too excited and went with what they had.

So, tonight I have to strip the saddle, fenders, pedals, bottle cages, cycle computer and everything else that I enjoyed mounting. It's a little difficult admitting defeat, but I don't see the bike ever fitting correctly. I'll get a full refund, which is nice, but I'm back to square one. I need to find a decent Trek, Surley or whatever and this time I'll take extra time to make sure it fits. Lesson(s) learned...

Anyone have any experience with the '09 Randonee? It doesn't look quite the same.

Why don't you just exchange it for a 55cm (if one does manage to fit you)?

I bought the '08 Randonee, which they no longer stock (forgot to mention that), and I got it on sale. I would have to pay full retail ($300 more) for the '09 model. They don't have a single 55cm '08 Randonee in their database.

Can't go wrong with a LHT. The 54cm might be just the ticket.

Can't go wrong with a LHT. The 54cm might be just the ticket.

My thoughts exactly... I need to find a shop that has one I can test ride. The MSRP price is about $50 more than the '09 Randonee, and I already have all the parts I need to trick it out.

asromek...I returned my 08 (55cm) Randonee to the Minneapolis store about 2 weeks ago. If it's still there you might be able to work out an exchange and have them ship between stores.

There's a 54cm LHT from last year at my LBS Hiawathacyclery.com. They're on bike vacation right now but if you call I'm sure they'll box and ship.

Think about this..................... if the surly does not fit you or your not happy with it..... can you take it back months later for a full refund? Great reason to consider going that route again. Get a 09 Randonee from Rei and give it a whirl in a 55.

asromek...I returned my 08 (55cm) Randonee to the Minneapolis store about 2 weeks ago. If it's still there you might be able to work out an exchange and have them ship between stores.

Which store did you return it to? When I search for Minneapolis, MN I end up with 3 results: Roseville (4.69mi), Bloomington (8.39mi) and Maple Grove (11.37mi).

Why did you return it? How many miles were on it? If you don't mind me asking. :)

I called the Roseville and Bloomington locations. Roseville didn't have it and Bloomington said they wouldn't have it on the floor since it was a returned used item. If it did show up and become available for sale, I would be responsible for paying to have it taken apart, shipped and reassembled, and the sale would be final (no return policy on used items, apparently). They took my name and number and will call if it becomes available. So, we'll see. I may check out an '09 this weekend.

I was going to ask if anyone on the boards has seen one lately, but I thought "Nawww... there's no way I'd be that lucky!"

I'll get a full refund,

At the risk of being accused of being an REI fanboy, this is a pretty amazing testament to their customer service policies.

I've met other folks who have returned REI bikes, with similarly good experience.

asromzek, Sorry I should have said the Bloomington store. It's all original and I rode it about 150 miles. The only problem with it is the seat tube clamp needs replacement as the seat would slide down. Depending on the cost to ship it might be a better deal than the 09. Personally I like the looks of the 08 better. Good luck either way.

I have a feeling that I won't hear much from them. The guy I talked to a the Roseville store mentioned that the Bloomington location had a "garage sale" very recently, so it may have been sold there. If I don't hear anything by the weekend, then I'll assume it's gone.

The '09 Randonee is not nearly as attractive as the '08 version. I'm also a little skeptical about the stem, since I already have 3 spare stems (from screwing around) and it doesn't look easy to mount any them. Aside from that, I think it's worth a shot. I think I can look past some of the... ugliness... as long as it fits correctly.

Just swap out the stem with one you have and problem solved. I just checked it out online and I think it looks pretty sharp. At least when compared to a LHT ;)

Brooks saddles have short rails. You can try a long set-back seatpost, which will allow you to move the saddle further back than your current setup. Maybe this in combination with a long stem will make the reach feel better for you.

Good luck!

I'm going to test ride a 55cm '09 Randonee this weekend. I'd like to compare the '08 vs. '09 specs side by side, but I can't find the '08 specs now that they don't sell the bike anymore. Anyone have them lying around? Geometry, drive train and brake specs is what I'm really after.

I also did an experiment and put my girlfriend on the 52cm frame after making a few adjustments. She didn't want to try since she thought the 47cm felt fine, but I managed to talk her into it. Sure enough, she felt a lot more comfortable on the 52cm. After a few more adjustments she said the 52cm was much better than the 47cm and that I was right (which happens once in a while!). So, the smaller frame will be going back.

I talked to a couple of bike shops yesterday about Surlys, and they all agreed that I would probably fit best on a 54cm or maybe better on a 56cm, based roughly on my height and build. After a few visits to my LBS, I'm not so sure about how well they'll be able to correctly fit a touring bike. I just didn't get a good... vibe... when talking with them. The shops I called were all more than an hour away (closest Surly dealers) and all seemed like they were much more on the ball when it came to fitting a touring bicycle. I'm getting the impression that it will be worth the drive and money to visit one of them for a fitting.

I'm going to test ride a 55cm '09 Randonee this weekend. I'd like to compare the '08 vs. '09 specs side by side, but I can't find the '08 specs now that they don't sell the bike anymore. Anyone have them lying around? Geometry, drive train and brake specs is what I'm really after.

Here is the 2008 catalogue - you can get the specs from it on pg 55. (http://www.rei.com/pdf/novara/novaracatalog_08.pdf)

Don't you still have two 2008 Randonees to look at to confirm the spec from that year?

I talked to a couple of bike shops yesterday about Surlys, and they all agreed that I would probably fit best on a 54cm or maybe better on a 56cm, based roughly on my height and build. After a few visits to my LBS, I'm not so sure about how well they'll be able to correctly fit a touring bike. I just didn't get a good... vibe... when talking with them. The shops I called were all more than an hour away (closest Surly dealers) and all seemed like they were much more on the ball when it came to fitting a touring bicycle. I'm getting the impression that it will be worth the drive and money to visit one of them for a fitting.

there seems to be a tendency to fit folks on too small of bikes after the mtn biking boom where high bb and large crotch clearance required smaller frames. I recall in the 70's and 80's a lot of folks getting road bikes were getting larger frames than ideal simply because they weren't accustomed to drop bars and a road position.

I'm 5'9 1/2" and ride a 56cm road bike and LHT. I have size 11 ft and long arms and the fit is perfect. I've known guys taller than me with short legs who rode 54cm frames with 125cm road stems who were also fitted perfectly.


It's too bad the LHT doesn't come with a 26" wheel version in the larger sizes. I'm fine with the 700c wheels but a 26" wheel is a better overall compromise for strength and weight in the fatter tire sizes.

there seems to be a tendency to fit folks on too small of bikes after the mtn biking boom where high bb and large crotch clearance required smaller frames. I recall in the 70's and 80's a lot of folks getting road bikes were getting larger frames than ideal simply because they weren't accustomed to drop bars and a road position.
Different strokes. I tend to think that folks in the touring community are buying larger frames than I personally would prefer and then still adding all kinds of spacers and stuff to get the bars even higher.

Personally I like a smallish frame with the bars 4-5" below the saddle. This works fine for me for everything from short around town rides to centuries to multi-month tours. But as I said, different strokes.

Different strokes. I tend to think that folks in the touring community are buying larger frames than I personally would prefer and then still adding all kinds of spacers and stuff to get the bars even higher.

Personally I like a smallish frame with the bars 4-5" below the saddle. This works fine for me for everything from short around town rides to centuries to multi-month tours. But as I said, different strokes.


whew,,when I weighed 50lbs less my road bike had the stem 3 1/2" below the seat,,,I'm now at 1" below.

This is the comparison that betweent the '08 and '09 models. The differences that really pop out at me are between the rear derailleur, rear cog and chain. If any of these components on the '09 model are less than desirable, I wonder if they would let me swap the parts from the '08 I'm returning? Also, there's a completely different rear rack on the '09 model. I like the one that's mounted on my '08 Randonee, so I'll have to get a first hand look at the '09 rack to see if it's worthy. The geometry between the two are identical.

Edit: Apparently my webhost is having some issues... image attached...

My recommendation is to think long and hard about what frame size you need and a bit less about the components right now. If you originally felt like you needed a 57cm yet purchased a 52cm you might have your priorities in the wrong place. Now those of us members of the REI co-op have to absorb the loss to the co-op. Go to a reputable bicycle shop or seek out an REI employee who is very knowledgeable about bike fitting, not some kid working there for the summer who just happens to kind of like the outdoors. Your most important concern is the fit - everything else is secondary. Parts can be switched out pretty inexpensively (save wheels, difters, and a few other high ticket items) and most good shops will let you swap things out at the time of purchase.

Once you get a frame that most closely fit your dimensions, go get a professional fitting. It will be the best ~$100 you will spend on your bike. You have to figure you will be sitting on the bike for hours/days/weeks/months/years/decades on the bike spinning little repetitive circles. If things don't fit right you have a classic case of repetitive stress injury.

Good luck with your biking adventure.

I don't think there is much of a difference in quality of components. Both setups will work fine for thousands of miles. Your issue is whether or not you want a lower gear than 28 tooth in the rear. Then you might have to add links to the chain and figure out whether the derailleurs will work with that setup or not.

My recommendation is to think long and hard about what frame size you need and a bit less about the components right now. If you originally felt like you needed a 57cm yet purchased a 52cm you might have your priorities in the wrong place. Now those of us members of the REI co-op have to absorb the loss to the co-op.

Getting the correct frame size is definitely my main concern. I never did feel comfortable when testing the 57cm frame. In fact, it felt too large no matter how we played with the saddle/handlebar position so I went to the next side down that they had in stock. The 52cm it was very close with the original saddle, but turned into a different bicycle when I put the Brooks on. Even though I'm confident the 55cm will be right, I'm going to try the Brooks on both the 55cm and 57cm frames to see how they react.

If I do manage to find a frame size that makes me happy, the next stop is a fitting for both me and my girlfriend at a reputable bike shop closer to home. I have one in mind already, and may go directly there if I end up buying a new bike.

And I wouldn't worry about REI losing out. I'm returning a bicycle I bought on sale last year and paying full price (up $100 from last year) for a new one. Not to mention... I have my eye on a set of front panniers... for two bikes... By having that return policy in place, they've guaranteed quite a bit of future business from me. :thumb:

I don't think there is much of a difference in quality of components. Both setups will work fine for thousands of miles. Your issue is whether or not you want a lower gear than 28 tooth in the rear. Then you might have to add links to the chain and figure out whether the derailleurs will work with that setup or not.

I figured there wasn't much of a difference in quality, but the lower gearing would be nice. I just called REI and they have never had anyone ask if they could swap parts from a returned bike to a new one. I suppose asking to put used parts on a brand new bike is kind of an odd question. There would be labor costs involved, so I'm probably better off buying new parts and putting them on myself if I need to.

I just found out that the paid week I normally have off around the 4th of july will be surrounded by 2 weeks of unpaid "vacation". I have 3 consecutive weeks off! I hate to get ahead of myself in planning a tour, but it'll be tough to pass up the opportunity...

I really wonder why they put a 105 derailleur on the back. You might want to ask in the mechanics forum if it will handle an 11-32 cassette.

Did you ask at REI if they wouldn't give you the new Randonee for the same cost? Or are you assuming? We returned a tent and some shoes that we had bought on sale and got replacements for the same cost even though they were no longer on sale. I think (but am not positive) that REI will replace the item - and if they no longer have the exact item in stock they will replace it with a comparable item. It's worth checking it out.

I suppose I never really asked directly if they would do an exchange. I figured since it was a different model year, different frame size and I bought the original on sale, they wouldn't allow an exchange, especially since they went up in price.

You may be surprised. Ask - it can't hurt!

I really wonder why they put a 105 derailleur on the back. You might want to ask in the mechanics forum if it will handle an 11-32 cassette.

Thanks for the suggestion. This is the response I got from the Mechanics forum...

"you can get a 29T in there... maybe a 30T if you are lucky. anymore and yes, you'll have to swap it for a mtb derailer."

For fully loaded touring I assume it would be wise to upgrade the cassette/derailleur down the road, if not right away to get better gearing on the low end? Is 11-32 sufficient? I'm sure I've read a few times that you can never have low enough gearing on a touring bike.

If I have one complaint about my Randonee it's that they didn't put low enough gearing on it. I had the gears swapped out for the smallest I could get, but I'm still stuck with that blasted large chain ring in the front that I never, ever use - which means I really only have two chain rings in the front. I could pay a lot of bucks and get the whole thing swapped out, but decided I could live with the two only. I"ve made it 8500 miles so far, so it must not be too bad.

For around $150 you can swap out the crank with an LX or Deore . You will then not need to worry about the chain length or the rear cassette. This would be what I would do if I was riding your bike. 24 small ring with that cassette should get you up any hill you can find.

Good news. REI is going to swap the Deore LX MTB derailleur and 11-32 cassette to the new bike for free. I will probably end up buying an 11-34 cassette to install myself down the road. And if I'm feeling frisky, maybe I'll take the smallest chainring from 26t to 24t. :)

Nice! Good to hear it all worked out. Never hurts to ask. :)

The REI near me has great service too. I have an 08 Randonee and love it. You forgot to mention where you were going with those three weeks off. I am a little envious of you, new bike and three weeks to break it in. Wow.

Good news. REI is going to swap the Deore LX MTB derailleur and 11-32 cassette to the new bike for free. I will probably end up buying an 11-34 cassette to install myself down the road. And if I'm feeling frisky, maybe I'll take the smallest chainring from 26t to 24t. :)

Just a point of info: my wife bought the 09 Randonee, which came with the LX and 11x32. She's had some trouble with slippage on the cassette. When we took it in for the post-sale adjustment, we were told that there has been some trouble with the drivetrain and the STI shifting in the 09's with that setup. The fix has been to switch out to the 105 and 11x28, and newer 09 Randonee's come that way, I think, but as said previously, you then give up some of the range. The bike shop manager/mechanic at REI, who's very well qualified, has tried to adjust things with the existing parts. We'll pick up the bike this weekend and hopefully have a chance to ride and see how things are running.

I made a mistake when I called to verify that they could move the '08 drive train components (which work well) to the '09 bike. I didn't write down which manager I talked to the day before. The manager on duty when I went in wasn't the friendliest. I did my best to explain what I wanted and why, and he said "Sorry. I don't know who you talked to, but you were horribly misled. We can't do that." and walked away. I was really put off with the tone that he used when he said it. Then, to make things better... the bike mechanic got the paperwork out and said "So, you want to take the '09 bike home?" with a smile. No thanks.

They were busy and I might have gotten better service if I had gone in on a different day. Usually REI has excellent customer service, but it was as if they didn't want to put any effort into selling the bike. I'm kicking myself for not writing down who I talked to, since it would have been nice to toss it back at them.

Oh well, I ended up taking both '08 bikes back and will probably invest in a pair of Surly LHTs for next year. I had the opportunity afterward to talk to a local tourer who has been riding for 20+ years. After 3 hours on the phone I had a much better education of what touring means and how to go about it the right way. He recommended looking at the Surly and had quite a few suggestions for components. At first I was considering buying a complete bike, but now I'm leaning toward building one (or two) up from scratch. I know the cost will be higher, but I'll have a much better understanding of how the bike goes together and I know the components will be right. Should keep me busy through winter.

Welcome to the world of custom bike building!

Once you start, you can never go back to buying packaged bicycles.

You pay more, sometimes a lot more, but so what? It's a long term investment, not an airline ticket.

:cheers:

You pay more, sometimes a lot more, but so what? It's a long term investment, not an airline ticket.

That's the biggest lesson I've learned! :thumb:

Ah it's for the better anyways. I just complained to REI the other day that they were getting way too big. I order a part from my LBS and the guy can pick it up on his bike along the way. At REI they can't order the part until someone who is authorized to do so does it. And then I have to wait wait wait.