Originally Posted by
unterhausen
There are things that production companies refuse to do, like incorporate light wiring. And one thing I did on my last frame was to lengthen the top tube so I could use a shorter stem. This moves my rando bag closer to the head tube.
If someone's idea of a long distance bike is well served by a racing bike, then there are plenty of production bikes to chose from. Too many compromises for my taste.
Very true about how difficult it is (should I say basically impossible) to find a production long distance/randonneur bike that integrates dynamo light wiring, room for wide tires (> 42c) plus fenders, front-end geometry suitable for heavy a front bag, taller head tube for extra comfort, etc. And that
just goes on the overall integration of gear and equipment.
Now add to the above the part of long distance comfort and the gap continues to widen. The vast majority of production bikes out there come with racing geometry. I even find the “endurance” bikes to be designed fairly aggressively — great for a grand fondo or anything under 400 Km. But depending on your physical condition and body flexibility, you may start feeling the toll on your hands, back, neck, shoulders, etc. on longer distances.
In 2012 I had built a custom rando-touring bike in Seattle. I had it built with the crazy goal of one day completing the 1,200+ Km of the Paris-Brest-Paris. That dream became a reality in 2015. I honestly believe that I couldn’t have finished this ride if I didn’t have a bike that truly fit me like a glove and had basically a perfect gear integration for riding glitch-free over such a long distance in less than the maximum 90 hours.
To the OP: your investment in a custom long distance frameset will only pay off based on your personal goals. If you enjoy competitive grand fondos, the occasional 200-400 Km brevet, you will be perfectly happy with an off-the-shelf bike from companies like Specialized, Trek or Cannondale. There is a lot to be said about the lightliness and agility found on those carbon fiber bikes. But the more and the longer you ride, the more you will appreciate the features and nuances of a well designed rando custom steel frameset.