Retroronde 2018; who's going?
02-25-18, 04:47 PM
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Retroronde 2018; who's going?
Two years after the last edition one of my favorite events is back: the Retroronde.
What L'Eroica is to the Giro d'Italia, the Retroronde is to the Ronde van Vlaanderen. For a taste of what may be expected, see the previous reports here.
What L'Eroica is to the Giro d'Italia, the Retroronde is to the Ronde van Vlaanderen. For a taste of what may be expected, see the previous reports here.
02-25-18, 07:02 PM
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This qualifies as very cool. Love the video.
05-21-18, 04:09 PM
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Just a few more weeks before the event, and time to prepare our bikes. Mrs non-fixie is still very happy with her '68 Mercier, so that will be her steed. I'm less sure what to bring this time. Currently it seems to be a toss-up between the Vittorio Strada and the Mann-Libertas. Took the latter on a test ride today:
It would do nicely, but there are a couple of issues to address: the gearing is a little high and the freewheel is not very 'free'. Lowest gear is currently 42 x 24, which is good enough for the local polders, but not for the Retroronde, not to mention Eroica Britannia, which we'll be doing a week later as part of the same trip.
So, a different freewheel with bigger cogs is a no-brainer, but where to find a smaller inner chainring for the TA Professionel cranks? One reason I'd like to take the Mann-Libertas along is the Huret Allvit transmission. The better I'm gettting to know it, the more I'm liking it.
It would do nicely, but there are a couple of issues to address: the gearing is a little high and the freewheel is not very 'free'. Lowest gear is currently 42 x 24, which is good enough for the local polders, but not for the Retroronde, not to mention Eroica Britannia, which we'll be doing a week later as part of the same trip.
So, a different freewheel with bigger cogs is a no-brainer, but where to find a smaller inner chainring for the TA Professionel cranks? One reason I'd like to take the Mann-Libertas along is the Huret Allvit transmission. The better I'm gettting to know it, the more I'm liking it.
05-22-18, 01:12 PM
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^^ Nice one
Was looking forward to this event, the newly added 160k is tempting. But I'm off to Spain instead next month, took up touring again since a few years. Have fun!
Stronglight TS 42
More of these on French Ebay.
Was looking forward to this event, the newly added 160k is tempting. But I'm off to Spain instead next month, took up touring again since a few years. Have fun!
Stronglight TS 42
More of these on French Ebay.
05-23-18, 06:03 AM
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Looks a nice ride, but I will be doing a 400 (around the IJsselmeer) that weekend. So will have to give it a pass.
Good looking Libertas.
Good looking Libertas.
05-23-18, 11:43 AM
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^^ Nice one
Was looking forward to this event, the newly added 160k is tempting. But I'm off to Spain instead next month, took up touring again since a few years. Have fun!
Stronglight TS 42
More of these on French Ebay.
Was looking forward to this event, the newly added 160k is tempting. But I'm off to Spain instead next month, took up touring again since a few years. Have fun!
Stronglight TS 42
More of these on French Ebay.
Enjoy your trip to Spain! Will you be going fully-loaded or might you perhaps be taking just a clean pair of white socks, your credit card and that lovely Bertin?
05-23-18, 01:00 PM
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Thank you! I will be keeping an eye on the various ebays, but so far 42T (which is what I've currently got) seems to be the smallest size on offer. But there's still three weeks to go ...
Enjoy your trip to Spain! Will you be going fully-loaded or might you perhaps be taking just a clean pair of white socks, your credit card and that lovely Bertin?
Enjoy your trip to Spain! Will you be going fully-loaded or might you perhaps be taking just a clean pair of white socks, your credit card and that lovely Bertin?
Fully loaded, yes. Not C nor V but Surly LHT.
05-23-18, 02:09 PM
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The Mann-Libertas was a lucky find. In Herentals, no less, the home of the Emperor of Herentals, the most famous Libertas rider ever:
Last edited by non-fixie; 11-12-18 at 05:16 PM. Reason: fixed pic
05-23-18, 02:12 PM
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Saw your LHT. Nice bike for the job at hand!
06-04-18, 02:15 PM
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Not sure to come this time.
I'll decide on Saturday evening if not too tired.
Sorry no fit ...
I'll decide on Saturday evening if not too tired.
Sorry no fit ...
06-05-18, 04:31 PM
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Tonight I made the final adjustments to my bicycle of choice for this ride and Eroica Britannia: I exchanged the TA Pro 52/42 crankset for a Stronglight 49D with 50/36 TA rings. Made possible by @JaccoW, who, as luck would have it, sent me the missing French-threaded left crank today.
06-06-18, 01:08 AM
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36 teeth ring ...
This is an aspect of the Ronde preparation I would have like to address by accumulating lot's of km.
I used to be limited by my equipment choice like BCD 151 cranks ... and the rings I can still find in my stock for these, or vintage campa derailleurs
Also the crank arms lenghts. Last time my Merckx Fiat team bike was with 180 cranks (the team member size to compensate)
I'd be very hesitant on the bike choice for this edition.
Have ready one of my pijote PY10 but stuffed with many titanium parts; have de ready Zeus De Vlaeminck but same titanium and even more fragile with these holed cranks ...
Preparation is key to enjoy the coblestones
Don't forget loctite on much threads and good quality tubulars
This is an aspect of the Ronde preparation I would have like to address by accumulating lot's of km.
I used to be limited by my equipment choice like BCD 151 cranks ... and the rings I can still find in my stock for these, or vintage campa derailleurs
Also the crank arms lenghts. Last time my Merckx Fiat team bike was with 180 cranks (the team member size to compensate)
I'd be very hesitant on the bike choice for this edition.
Have ready one of my pijote PY10 but stuffed with many titanium parts; have de ready Zeus De Vlaeminck but same titanium and even more fragile with these holed cranks ...
Preparation is key to enjoy the coblestones
Don't forget loctite on much threads and good quality tubulars
06-06-18, 01:48 PM
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That would really be too bad! Well, you can always just drop by later for a Kwaremont anyway ...
Tonight I made the final adjustments to my bicycle of choice for this ride and Eroica Britannia: I exchanged the TA Pro 52/42 crankset for a Stronglight 49D with 50/36 TA rings. Made possible by @JaccoW, who, as luck would have it, sent me the missing French-threaded left crank today.
Tonight I made the final adjustments to my bicycle of choice for this ride and Eroica Britannia: I exchanged the TA Pro 52/42 crankset for a Stronglight 49D with 50/36 TA rings. Made possible by @JaccoW, who, as luck would have it, sent me the missing French-threaded left crank today.
Never would have expected to sell it to a bikeforum member.
what are you doing with the rest of the crank? I'm guessing spare parts? You could have gone even lower with the 30T ring.
06-06-18, 04:15 PM
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Actually, I could have gone down to 26T. But the 50/36 x 14-28 combination gives me a useful 34" to 96" gear range, while still looking sort of credible, and an amount of chain wrap within the Allvit's limits.
06-08-18, 01:54 PM
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Oudenaarde is getting ready!
06-09-18, 03:04 AM
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...
... In Herentals, no less, the home of the Emperor of Herentals, the most famous Mann-Libertas rider ever:
... In Herentals, no less, the home of the Emperor of Herentals, the most famous Mann-Libertas rider ever:
Sorry for smart-assing!
Enjoy Retroronde!
06-09-18, 04:30 PM
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06-09-18, 04:40 PM
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In the meantime I'm enjoying myself immensely in Oudenaarde. Ran into fellow member @Zieleman this afternoon, sporting some C&V facial hair and trying for the win in the pursuit race in the town square:
06-10-18, 03:59 PM
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Didn't work out for our friend Zieleman, alas. 
He was just too fast, and didn't make it around the corner on the improvised track on the square. Not vertically, anyway. Didn't break his spirit, though. He had his wounds seen to and dutifully rode the 160k today.
He was just too fast, and didn't make it around the corner on the improvised track on the square. Not vertically, anyway. Didn't break his spirit, though. He had his wounds seen to and dutifully rode the 160k today.
06-10-18, 04:16 PM
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I won't have access to a proper computer for another week, so you'll have to make do with what I can accomplish with hand-held devices from a hotel room for now.
After a one-year lapse the RetroRonde van Vlaanderen is back, and just as good as, if not better than before. Lovely relaxed atmosphere, some 800 participants from all over Europe, beautiful and challenging routes, excellent food stops and great entertainment.
A few pics:
Getting the bikes ready in the morning. Checking the tension on mrs non-fixie's chainring bolts (cobblestones will relieve you of any parts that are not properly secured) meant breaking one of those irreplaceable aluminum TA bolts.
Luckily I had another bolt that fit.
The town square was already quite lively when we arrived for the start.
After a one-year lapse the RetroRonde van Vlaanderen is back, and just as good as, if not better than before. Lovely relaxed atmosphere, some 800 participants from all over Europe, beautiful and challenging routes, excellent food stops and great entertainment.
A few pics:
Getting the bikes ready in the morning. Checking the tension on mrs non-fixie's chainring bolts (cobblestones will relieve you of any parts that are not properly secured) meant breaking one of those irreplaceable aluminum TA bolts.
Luckily I had another bolt that fit.The town square was already quite lively when we arrived for the start.
06-10-18, 04:26 PM
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When signing the start list, mrs non-fixie's bike was singled out and presented to the crowd.
The 75k and 100k rides commenced with a group start, which made for busy roads during the first part of the ride.
The 75k and 100k rides commenced with a group start, which made for busy roads during the first part of the ride.
06-10-18, 04:40 PM
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The 75k had four stops, all of which were lovely meeting spots
.... calories against a rustic background ....
... music ...
... and even dancing, as this British lady and Belgian gentleman demonstrate:
.... calories against a rustic background ....
... music ...
... and even dancing, as this British lady and Belgian gentleman demonstrate:
06-10-18, 04:55 PM
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One of my favorite bikes of the day was this Lejeune tandem:
The owner of this bike also rode the 75k. No mean feat on solid tires ...
.... if you consider the roads he had to negotiate: seven kilometers of gravel and six kilometers of these cobblestones
All in all, a grand day was had by all.
The owner of this bike also rode the 75k. No mean feat on solid tires ...
.... if you consider the roads he had to negotiate: seven kilometers of gravel and six kilometers of these cobblestones
All in all, a grand day was had by all.