The Garneau Story...
 

Sometimes I am amazed at what I find at the dump (Canadian word for Landfill Site). Well today amazed the poo poo out of me. But I must go back a week to help understand what made today's dump run so unusual.

Week, or so, ago I bought two bikes listed on Facebook Marketplace...
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...6d83d63225.jpg

The Argon has seen little use but is too small for me...
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0bf027c018.jpg

The Garneau (was not even aware such a bike existed), however, it just my size and, perhaps, one of the nicest bikes that has come my way. Is this what you call a Gravel bike..?
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...ac37881df4.jpg

Flash forward one week, or so, to today. I drove the eight or nine kilometers to the McGregor Dump and had trouble wiping the smile off of my face as one goodie, after another, showed up here there and well, you know...

A few jerseys, some bibs, and some of this apparel is Louis Garneau, to go with my new best bike (not that I will ever wear any of these but fun to find anyway)...
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c4f6833205.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d5f5f5eb5e.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7a70905869.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...741fef98ad.jpg

A bunch of carbon fiber arrows in unused condition, a brand new flashlight, a pair of little used cross country ski boots, and a pair of Sidi SPD bike shoes that, once cleaned up, are just my size (don't need em, cause I just bought new shoes a month ago)...
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...51b5e0de9b.jpg

And, the icing on today's dump find - a Garneau Time Trial (???) helmet, and a pair of Garneau shoes. Please note, the shoes and the helmet match my Garneau. What are the odds?
https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...376b6d329a.jpg

They don't have dumps like this around here.

That helmet will make you ten years younger.

the bike dump karma gods have spoken.... you need to at minimum post a pic of you on the Garneau, full gear including TT helmet or at best do a TT :beer:

The Garneau is probably sold as a cyclocross bike although they work well as gravel bikes. God forbid these days you try to go on a dirt road without disc brakes. Argon 18 sold some pretty nice bikes 15-20 years ago. Pretty good haul of gear. Make sure to post a pic of yourself on the bike and wearing the helmet.

I will say though, even though I’m not a particularly squeamish guy, I would draw the line at dump found bib shorts.

Is that name related to Philippe Garneau? He has given substantial money to Whirlwind, a movie in progress about Major Taylor. I'm grateful for that, as Major Taylor is a hero of mine.

Until I found the Garneau and Argon on FB Marketplace, I did not even know that there was such a thing as a Garneau or Argon bike. That said, I finished checking it over and taped the handlebar today. Had some trouble choosing a set of pedals but will settle for some scruffy SPDs hanging on a hook. That said...

I am keeping the jerseys and the Garneau helmet and shoes. I never wear bike shorts. I did, at one time, not bibs, just shorts. I used to tuck my T-shirt into the shorts. My wife saw me one day, dressed in shorts and tucked T and told me that "If she ever had to look at that again, she would leave me". She was joking (I think).

The helmet, who knows. I have no need or use for that helmet or for any helmet anymore. Stopped wearing them, years ago, when I crushed the one I was wearing and broke my neck in two places. Anyway..

As a treat to the planet, I will don the Garneau helmet, a jersey, the Garneau shoes and the jury is still out on the bibs. Will post a picture (assuming that I do not look like a complete donkey). For now, this is one great bike - perhaps one of the best ever to come my way...
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4d0d6d3e3b.jpg

This is Louis Garneau from Quebec City, a former Canadian national team racer.

If the Garneau has cnntilever brakes and can take ~35-38mm tires, it's most likely their cyclocross version and, depending on the tires, should be excellent for any sub-MTB use you want to use it for, from fast pavement rides to "gravel" and light dirt single track. Looks like some fairly wide slicks? I rode a Jamis cyclocross bike for many years, way before "gravel" became a cycling niche, because I live on a rough gravel road and wanted to ride from my house to my road rides. When I relegated it to our RV travels, I took two sets of wheels, one with skinny road tires and one with lightly treaded (Donnelly MSO) 37's which was about all the brakes could span on and off. I always felt it was a perfectly fine pure road bike as well as a perfectly fine "gravel" bike. What a find.

As for the bibs, I too would draw the line at used bibs, because I know how serious cyclists wear them.

Just as a useless aside, but Argon18 have made probably the best production track bike of, maybe not right now, but the last 5-7 years. It was developed with the Australian track team and Zipp, and bought for their riders by quite a few other countries. And obviously the Canadian track team used them this last olympic round.

In the past few days, the guy I bought the Garneau from listed another full Dura-Ace Garneau. Also, the several other Garneau related items have shown up, in my area. While I am at it, does this mean I can't run inner tubes on my Garneau? Not sure I am ready for tubeless tires just yet...
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...73c5a5cbbb.jpg

Check back for me and the Mr. DressUp picture request.:-(

Most "tubeless" rims are really "tubeless capable" and will work with tubes just fine.

Looks like the Garneau is running tubes, I don't see nuts at the valve bases.

Nah, just one of the Canadiens who came south to inflict large amounts of pain in New England races. When you saw those blue and white plates in the parking lot before the race, you knew it was gonna be a tough day. Yeah, I remember.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Garneau

Thanks for the info!