Originally Posted by
thebulls
+1. If you can only have one bike and it must be good at being a loaded tourer, then that's what you need to get. For randonneuring, it will be somewhat-heavier than required, and the frame will be less "lively" and steering may be less sprightly. So it may be a little slower than a rando-optimized bike. But many people ride rando on touring bikes.
+2. My long-distance bike is a Surly Long Haul Trucker. I'm not yet a real randonneur (was going to do my first 200K today but I banged up my knee this week), but I've done rides up to 102 miles on it. It's comfortable and reliable, which for me is more important than lively and sprightly. Plus, I weigh a bit over 200 pounds right now, which means that I wanted a strong bike that could run wide tires at moderate pressure. I run 35mm Paselas and I have a sprung saddle to boot. The result is a bike that still feels comfortable after a day in the saddle.