Your century bicycle(s)
 

What bicycles have you ridden your centuries (or brevets, or double centuries) on?


Here's my list, complete with photos:

1) Venture - a steel department store bicycle
2) Gitane - a tandem
3) Mongoose - a steel department store mtn bike
4) Giant OCR3 - an aluminum racing bicycle (actually, I've had two of these, and have done long rides on both)
5) Marinoni Ciclo - a steel sport touring bicycle

.

couple centuries, lots of metrics; looking to do at least a double metric (Triple Bypass) and a weekend tour or two this summer on her:

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/103/2...d9e9679404.jpg

First century was done on the Specialized Sirrus.... and the others on the Bianchi Giro

http://www.pacfit.com/sirrus05a.jpg
http://www.pacfit.com/giro06.jpg

Devinci Caribou and Marinoni fixed conversion, mes bicyclettes quebequoises. Sorry no pics, I need a digital camera.

Custom-built S&S 1999 Frezoni - PBP and LEL + lots
Modified 1965 Moulton Stowaway - 2-speed PBP and fixed-wheel Super Randonneur
Borrowed 1980s Apollo 4 - 1000km brevet
1999 T5 Brompton - Dunwich Dynamo, about 200km
Borrowed SA8-hub Moulton Series 2 - 300km brevet
Very early Cannondale tandem - centuries
1980s Alan - 1000km brevet + lots
Early steel-fork Cannondale - SR
Cannondale 2.8 - SR + lots
1980s Hoffy - centuries
Early 1980s Apollo 3 - centuries
Borrowed replica penny farthing - 100km race (felt longer)

I think that's about it (you didn't say they had to be my own bikes).

2000 Trek 730 hybrid (basic $400 entry-level steel frame hybrid -- used for New York - Boston AIDS ride and three MS 150 centuries)

2004 Trek 520 touring bike (100 mile touring days and 1 SR series)

http://users.rcn.com/crisc/randobike2.jpg

OK, now that's impressive. I would be hating life on that thing after 50 miles.

I did my first century on this bike, which I still own. Specialized Expedition:
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...mmer/tour2.jpg
I still do at least one century a year on this 1986 Cannondale, man is this thing stiff and climbs so well!
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...mer/86dale.jpg
But mostly I ride century rides on my Cannondale Synapse, pure pleasure on a long ride:
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...mmer/dale5.jpg

I'm doing 3 centuries this year on this bike:

http://members.cox.net/hollingsworth...C2%20small.jpg

But, a question...2 of the centuries are local, and well supported, so I won't have to carry much that won't fit in a seat pack...but the 3rd makes major changes in elevation, and temperatures can vary a lot....how do I carry the extra gear if my bike doesn't take a rack? I don't want to wear a backpack - should I get a seat post rack for the ride?

The stable...

Surly Long Haul Trucker - Super Comfort!
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/81/25...c0799383_o.jpg

IRO Mark V - Single Speed, built with 650B wheels
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/135/3...cae7d370_b.jpg

Bob Jackson - Fixed gear. 75 miles is the farthest I've done fixed.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/120/3...f9d7d4d4_b.jpg

There are many large saddle bags that don't require a rack.
I like the Velo Orange Saddle Bag (http://www.velo-orange.com/saddlebag.html).
Carradice bags are also popular & come in many sizes (http://www.wallbike.com/carradice/ca...addlebags.html).
If you want something more modern, look at the Ortlieb Saddle Bags (http://www.wallbike.com/ortlieb/saddlebags.html)
or Jandd Mountain Wedge 3 Bag (http://aebike.com/page.cfm?PageID=30...ils&sku=BG2531).

Finally, you could get some toe straps & use them to tie your extra stuff to your existing bag.

04 Specialized Roubaix...rides like butta.

I did my first century on a 2004 Specialized Roubaix Comp (in January 2006). Then six on a 2006 Cervelo R3 that I ended up buying. My last century ride (a 200k brevet) was on my backup bike, a 2005 Specialized Allez Sport. (The R3 was at my parents' place.)

All of my centuries have been on Ribby, my '92 Bridgestone RB-1. An absolute joy to ride.
http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...1/DSCF0152.jpg

mid eighties mountain bike, in the mid eighties. i think it was a ? with a cheap cottered crank. had a great time. rode a half century for charity when i was just a grade schooler, on a 20 inch bike.

nowadays, Soma smoothie ES, Surly long haul trucker, Trek 520. sometimes centuries with full touring loads. All a joy to ride.

Four on this one:
http://i18.tinypic.com/43eohh2.jpg
three on this one:
http://i16.tinypic.com/2w20caf.jpg
One on this one:
http://i18.tinypic.com/49gqof9.jpg

Last year I did centuries on each of these:

WD's Bikes

My longest was 111 miles on the Nishiki.

- Wil

you have some really nice whips, spud.:) :) :) :) :)

this may be a really dumb question...so forgive my naivete'

i notice that many of the bikes used for touring, etc. have little suspension, saddle padding, carbon or other ride/vibration dampening features. doesn't that make them less comfortable for long rides?

i guess that just goes to show how important "fit" is.

saddle padding (IMHO) is useless, it only creates problems, as you squish down into that comfy saddle you compress all those vital nerves and blood vessels - keeping them from doing their work. if you can fit your saddle to your sit bones, the majority of your weight is carried by your frame. many LD folks choose leather saddles as they can be more comfortable over the long haul.

there are suspension systems for LD bikes like the softride (used to great success in some RAAM races) - but most folks get their fit right and adjust their tire size and pressure to take care of suspension. MTB style suspension robs you of power on the road, esp when climbing.

steel dampens road vibrations very nicely. add some wide(r) tires and you can ride forever.
carbon can do this too, when used correctly - many people who ride LD like to carry some minimal baggage - and sometimes its hard to mount racks and things on carbon frame components (i rode last year series on a steel / carbon racing frame and it worked well... i just got tired of having no way to mount real fenders and having to make due with improvised attachments for lights, my rear rack, etc.)

YMMV.

i prefer my ti bike with steel fork and long reach brakes.
rigged for rando i have real fenders, 28mm tires, and options for luggage.

http://www.mikebeganyi.com/webimages...rlwat-side.jpg

stripped for nice weather if makes a great all around machine.

http://www.mikebeganyi.com/webimages...ticr-side1.jpg

i'm also hoping to do a fixed century this year on my surly. steel frame, no frills. comfy ride.

that makes sense. i sort of have experienced that with the gel saddles (and gel gloves - too much padding in the palm area puts pressure on the carpal tunnel).

so how do you know if a particular bike is going to be comfortable on a century if you've never tried it? also, how does relaxed vs. aggressive geometry enter into the picture? some of the bikes pictured appear to be set up for more aggressive riding.

Which one do you like best for a century or longer?

In answer to your first question, from my experience, the lack of suspension and saddle padding makes the bicycles MORE comfortable. Suspension has you bouncing all over the place so some of your energy is spent in going up and down rather than forward (when I ride my Mongoose on centuries, I keep the suspension locked tight so there is no bounce), and saddle padding causes extra friction and discomfort.

I have ridden the same bicycle (my steel Marinoni) with carbon seatpost, carbon forks, and carbon cranks on exactly the same terrain as I rode it without all that stuff, and there was no difference in comfort or vibration dampening. I don't have any carbon on my bicycle anymore, and I prefer it that way ... especially since I often travel to do my rides. (I have "issues" with the durability of carbon after my seatpost shattered).

-----

And in answer to your second question ... we HAVE tried our bicycles before we ride centuries on them. That's what training rides are for. In most cases, we don't just hop on a bicycle and ride a century ... we've been using the bicycle for commuting, for touring, for racing, for riding around ... and we've become familiar with the bicycle. In my collection, there is only one bicycle I didn't have a chance to ride before I rode a century, and that was the tandem. However in that case, I had already done several centuries, and had been riding for several years, and so I had a pretty good idea how to set up the back to make it work for me.

The thing is, you can ride a century on anything you want ... just as long as you've got some idea of how to set the bicycle up so that it fits.

Machak ...... my Marinoni. :) :)

That would have been my guess. :)

My steel touring bike with a frame a little too big is most comfortable for me. It also has 32mm tires. It's 28 lbs with the racks and fenders.

Do you know how much Machak weighs?


http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/9...23smallrd9.jpg