here's a good definition I saw online:

"A traditional randonneur bike will be light, have lots of options like fenders, racks, pumps, etc. but it will only carry a small amount of weight like maybe a handlebar bag or small front pannier. It will also be light and fast. Compared to a typical road bike it will more comfortable for longer rides and have larger tires that can go on dirt roads, but will still have the quick geometry that inspires fast riding.

A commuter bike can be a randonneur easily if you're not carrying a large load like touring. A touring bike will weigh more, carry loads nicely and will will have a nice stable, slow feel to it. Touring bikes don't inspire fast riding but instead feel best with a good solid monotonous pace that you can do for days on end."

Huh. I like all of them except for the Puma. They don't hurt my eyes as much as the typical red-black-white zebra striped road bike I see around here. The paint scheme on that Jamis is quite handsome. As to the 'dirty' French bikes, every bike was brand spanking new with glossy paint and new leather at some point.

OH I get it. It ios a great looking bike though

That is what I thought

Definitely not the Superior. I sprinted hard on it during my last weekend ride when I had a tailwind. Must have hit 28.

-Kurt

To each his own; my bikes are all middle class working girls, more or less, and look the part. ;)
No gratuitous leather either; I can't afford the upcharge for fetishes. :D


As for giving the genre a name as requested in the OP, I liked postructeur pretty well... going a slightly different direction, I give you popcycle.

Go to Zion National Park, Yosemite, Sundance, Portland.... Anywhere but Vegas. I've been there 5-6 times, and it got more tiring/boring each time. If given the choice of a trip to Vegas or the cash equivalent, I would take the cash in a heartbeat. I'd rather spend two months in the French quarter, in a hotel room directly over a bar:lol:,,,,BD

I call mine my "smugness chariot" (hat tip BSNYC)

Then add Big Bend National Park, Guadalupe Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, McKittrick Canyon, Bryce Canyon and you'll have only scratched some of the most lovely placed on the earth atmo. Vegas, to me, is an ugly city and I'm sure I'm going to offend a few folks by saying that. Sorry, that's just my opinion.

This is more of what I had in mind... the over leathering of things. (And how does he ride with that rear tire kissing the seat tube like that) Twine can get a bit wild on some bikes too.

One popped up on the Velo-Orange blog and made me think of this thread. Sorry if this belongs to someone here!! It's just not my thing. It's the sort of thing that makes me want to replace metal fenders with black planet bike or SKS fenders.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L430sR7uwd.../leather+1.jpg

Would these be considerd "Pimp" Bikes? sort of like Pimp cars?

http://www.motorvista.com/pictures/m...ed-out-car.jpg

I tried to find a pic of the classic pimp car from the '70s movies, you know with the Dusenburgesque exhaust pipes but all I could find was low riders and prairie schooners

I started the "Name that trend" thread since I was also curious about the trend. I think it's all good harmless fun, and definitely a fad. I drank the Kool Aid myself and finally shellaced and twined a couple of handlebars, after riding cotton tape for 40 years without it with no complaints. I think that's enough for me.

The expense of the parts turns me off. For example, I simply can't justify a $160 for an asian-made VO Porteur rack when a $20 musa Wald rack does the same thing.

But I like the basic notion of taking a low to mid range sports touring bike and making it more comroftable and useful with upright bars, Brooks, racks and fenders. Some of the examples shown above, however, are way over the top and completely backfire aethetically.

The bikes of this style are dandied up. Dandy Bikes?

Lots of those type of bikes at Cyclofiend:
http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/index.html

A lot of this is a "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" matter. You may think something is gorgeous and the next guy thinks it is a "monument to excess".

I bought one of these last year (in brown) and love it. Just the right blend of retro touches that appeal to me (toe clips, Brooks Swallow, olde paint scheme) with enough modern technology to keep it current.

Classy or tacky?

David

Clearly a Schwinn Collegiate:

1) Lime Green Paint
2) 26" wheels

David

Hey, that "pimp car" looks a lot like my bike:
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7193/6...43e0bf41_b.jpg
DSC_0175 by mkeller234, on Flickr

Ahh! I like that! I'm sure our old bikes are thought of as "dandy bikes" by the "newer, stiffer and lighter" crowd.

My thoughts exactly. I'm sort of hatching a plan to go on a road trip through the lower 48 after graduation, either by bike (with trains and planes cutting some of the distance), motorbike or car. I'll probably just look for the beautiful spots to go to in the "where did you ride today" and "everyday pics" threads :)

Someone needs to come out with tan leather fuzzy dice. :D

Haha, dandy bike is spot on

You mean like Elvis's Stutz Bearcat?

http://blog.ryanautomall.com/Portals...esized-600.bmp

Or like the one used in the Clint Eastwood movie, Magnum Force?

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/image...73Eldorado.jpg

Dandy is great.

How about, "Faux-timey?"

OH this is what I was thinking of. something Huggy Bear would be proud to drive

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/image...73Eldorado.jpg

I'm really surprised to find all these negative comments on C&V about that "certain" type of bike. I for one am glad to see an appreciation of what I thought was lost forever in biking. Anything can be overdone but the current interest in this direction is refreshing compared to the last 20 years of watching the "racing bike" develop into a gaudy cliche. Talk about poseurs!

I applaud those manufacturers offering pre-built bikes employing the re-awakened aesthetics for those who don't know how to build their own. But, I'll guarantee that my builds and a lot of yours will have that special knowing touch that you can't buy at the store and those with an appreciative eye will recognize the difference.

I think that we (well at least me) are talking more about the point at which things become precious. I have two Raleighs, both of which I would say are too precious. They shine and hang from the rafters, one looks like it could fit into a tweed ride. Anyway, I like those bikes, but I also know what a precious waste they are at times. All the emphasis on fuss instead of function.