Velognome 

^ Stem shifters on this one are just so right...very, very nice!

gerv 

I should say thanks for the blog post. I saw it and thought others would like to see it. Both beautiful bikes.

Occasionally you'll see these up for sale (usually at prices beyond my budget...). They are so striking in that they look like the prototypes for every sport touring/'cross bike. It's like suddenly discovering an ancestor.

Saguaro

Thank you for the kind words about the Nishiki! Those are 700c x 32c Panaracer Pasela TG tires on the bike. These are great all terrain performance tires that excel on pavement and can also handle hard packed dirt roads and gravel paths.

More information on the bike here:
1982 Nishiki Cresta

Catnap 

At its heart, a randonneur bicycle is really a sport tourer; in-between a touring bike and a road bike. They will have racks for panniers, but intended for lighter loads than a full-on heavy tourer a.k.a a "campeur". While I think the concept goes back to the early 1900's, the design reached an apex in the 1940's - 60's when the famous French "constructeurs" like Rene Herse, Alex Singer, etc. built custom randonneurs where nearly every component was handmade for an individual bike. The style saw a revival in Japan during the 70's and 80's, with notable brands being Toei, Cherubim, and Watanabe. And now another revival is in full swing with American builders like Boxdog, Pereira, Velo Orange, Rivendell, etc.

I think the appeal of the randonneur aesthetic is that you get the classy look and utility of a touring bike with the livelier ride of a road bike.

Here's a couple famous examples of randonneur bikes that have inspired me:

rowebr

Catnap, I'd like to see some pics of those bikes!

Catnap 

as soon as they're built! Here's what I'm planning:

- Lugged, fully chromed Italian in 53cm with a mix of Shimano 600 and Dia-Compe. will be more of a roadie / pass hunter
- Lugged Schwinn Crosscut with a mix of Suntour Mountech, Sugino, and Dia-Compe. randonneur / tourer / commuter
- A 26" wheeled classic townie based on a Univega Uno lugged hard tail MTB frame. not sure of the parts mix yet, but either IGH 7spd or something retro with thumbshifters.

753proguy

Great pics.! Great bikes, too....

I don't think Rivendell has much of anything to do with randonneuring, though. I will give you that Grant has been influenced by Jan Heine somewhat, but Grant tries to create a (rather silly, imo) unique niche of 'country bikes' whatever the f that is.

Only relatively recently have his bikes moved towards greater brake reach, bigger tires, 650b, etc. and none of them features integrated racks and lighting, or light-gauge non-oversized tubing, or level top tubes, etc., which are all keys to a 'true' randonneuse, imho. People throw the slang term 'rando.' around way too much, fwiw.

I would agree that a Sportif is very similar to a 'Sport Tourer,' but not a randonneuse, imo. And I like Sportifs, as I come from a weight-weenie tubular-tired 'racing bike' background, and don't ride up the Cascade mountain range in four inches of fresh snow, or try to ride 500 miles in 24 hours, so I really don't 'need' a bike with killer lighting and 'all-road' tires with wide fenders. I think they are awesome, I just don't need or want one (unless it is a free Herse or Singer - then I will gladly agree to steward one of those through its next few decades!).

Catnap 

at the risk of turning this into a Grant P thread, i think he's been pushing this concept of the "sub-24 hour" ride, as well as gravel-grinding / fire trail riding. These are both elements of randonneuring but made more accessible to the general American public. i think it's a smart move on his part to appeal to consumers who want to ride offroad but not into aggressive mountain biking / downhilling or those who want to ride long distances on the road but not athletically... and all on one bike. those pathways lead to randonneuring and rando bikes, but aren't in and of themselves.

i'm a little guilty of conflating the sport of randonneuring with the style of bicycle. that is to say, one can ride a randonnee on a bike that's not a randonneuse, and one can build up a bike in the style of a randonneuse, but neither of those things make it a randonneuse in the strictest sense of the word.

these finer points matter more to collectors than enthusiasts, I think, but I hope that the pics I posted clearly show the amount of workmanship and integration that makes true randonneur bikes so impressive.

Bianchigirll 

Volpes have trouble being light but otherwise they can do pretty much anything.

Italuminium

I think Grant sells his bike in another speed range: he purposely tells people to slow the F down and enjoy the view, camp up and lather with pine tar soap. Not running like the dickens against the clock to complete some ludicrous lengthy course on a road bike with a spare raincoat and some fenders.

rowebr

I call my Bianchi a "rando" bike because I've built it up with the basic features inspired by randonneuring: wide tires, fenders, lower gearing, and it carries luggage. I never stopped to think that maybe I should call it something else. The features plus the fact that I ride it on brevets are good enough for me.

Italuminium

good point, rowebr, it's not a rando until you've done a brevet on it!

KvltBryce

What saddle is this, Jeff?

jeffpepperdine

I believe it's a Brooks Colt. Found by my father in a thrift store. Rear badge is missing, but the remnants of the rivets seem to match Brooks, and if I recall it had an 80's Brooks style date code. Really thick leather; I've got 1500+miles on it, and I still feel it isn't broken in completely.

gerv 

I have a Bianchi Volpe that I absolutely love. Modern sports touring bikes do seem to be close to these classics.

However, a Volpe is really a pale comparison in many ways. For one thing the wheelbase looks shorter and the chainstays are significantly less than most of those you post. And... of course.. it's a really utilitarian bike.

Bikes from VO and Rivendell bikes are probably closer to the category. Another is the Soma San Marcos, said to be an "all-rounder".

Curious that you mention some Japanese brands... I'll have to search for some photos

fender1

My Riv in the Rando Spirit.

[IMG] 018 by bylar13, on Flickr[/IMG]

EdgewaterDude

I've come to notice that.

What is the difference between a RANDONNEUSE and a SPORTIF, anyways? Is it that the randonneuse has specific braze ons that the sportif does not?

I was quite surprised at my most recent 200K - I was maybe 1 of 3 riders out of 30 or more that had a C&V steel bike. Everyone else was on carbon.

I guess anything is randonneuse if you can finish the brevet on it.

KvltBryce

Your father has good taste, it seems!

That is precisely the reason I am making the switch over to an (almost) full leather fleet.

Grand Bois

It looks like a Colt, except for that dot in the center. What is that? My Colt has extra thick leather that seems impossible to break in.

jeffpepperdine

It was drilled and plugged, and then tied with wire. Someone must have wanted the sides to be held down nicer. I found the tie made it even stiffer, so i've now removed it. I left the plugs in, but I guess I could remove them and just have the holes.

1987

Can anyone spot the RD on that TOEI bike?

ColonelJLloyd 

Probably Campagnolo Chorus 10s.


Nice fender line.

fender1

Thanks! The $20 for the compliment is on the way! Paypal or money order?

ColonelJLloyd 

Reciprocal ego stroking will be just fine, thanks.

JAG410

My 1974 Romic with 650B conversion built in a faux-randonneur style. This is my main commuter and solo distance bike. I'll do a brevet on it later this year. Dura Ace 7400 hubs, derailleurs and shifters. VO crankset, cages, fenders, and headset. Nitto noodles and Technomic stem.