Bertrand built very few touring bikes, and mine isn't all that great for what it is supposed to be designed for. Gilles Bertrand bikes were mostly built for racing. The reason that I treasure mine is that it was custom built for a friend, I remember him showing it off at the beginning of one of our club rides many years ago. He rode it for years, even adapted it for time trials one time. It is beautifully crafted, and probably overbuilt with Columbus SPX tubing that was usually used in super stiff track bikes. My friend died a few years ago at a very young age. He was a very good person. Every time I ride "his" bike, I remember him