Originally Posted by
GhostRider62
It can be localized. I see a lot of steel, wool, 36H and 32H alu rims, and 8-10 speed drivetrains in many areas. I have not had DT since 1985 Campy C record, STI starting in around 1992. Pretty much everyone has left downtube shifters although one can still see them here and there. I was berated at PBP for using etap. I have been criticised for using low spoke count carbon wheels. So, I tend to casually survey who rides what. I do not see a lot of 11 and 12 speed on longer brevets. 200k brings out a lot of new randos and lots of gear.
When you say club rides, I assume you are not referring to randonneurs? Like local cycling club riders?
One thing is sure, surveying gear on a 400k or longer and one sees all sorts of preferences that work just fine.
I meant the Ontario rando club, my local bike club is is almost all people on bikes from the last 1-15 years, though they do a few vintage rides too. I'd say from my own observations that on 200/300s there's a lot more modern road bikes, with an even split of newer 11 speeds and older 10/9/8 speed stuff. Not too many folks running older shimano brifters with external cables anymore. On my 400K this summer, I was the only one on carbon, but the two others were on newer titanium with 11 speed and hydro discs, another was on an early 2000s Litespeed, the other was on a 1985 Miyata with a 6 speed frewheel... they were all faster than me
I'm still on 10 speed because I like my triple and it's cheap to replace the drivetrain. My new gravel/rando build is my first foray into 11 speed. My partner does most her 200s on her 11 speed carbon roadie. Wool is fairly popular though, our club did a wool jersey and riders on carbon rock the wool too.
I've always been a fan of "run what ya brung", I think modern road bikes, especially the endurance type, are pretty decent for rando. I started on vintage steel with brifters, tried another bike with downtubes and fenders, but ended up like my carbon roubaix the best. I can't stand gear snobbery even when it comes from the steel & wool crowd. I'll probably be on electronic shifting in a few years.